XP Printer share

[LucaBrasi1]

Gang need some major help? I have a 2000 domain and mostly win 98 clients. We added a few XP pro workstations that I need to share the printers. I understand that you need to enable the guest account to access shares on XP. I am unable to connect to the printer share through a domain user account.

guest account on xp is enabled

I actually added the domain user account to the workstation and then it connected but I rebooted and now when I notice the security of the printer that domain username is missing and there are a bunch of numbers with a question mark.

DNS is not running in this domain since it is fairly small and didn't want to add anymore services to the server.
Is this a mistake not running DNS with XP pro machines on a domain?

Any help would be greatly appreciated I am at my wits end!

 

[bcastner]

Connect the printer to the XP machine.
Start, Printers and Faxes, and define the new printer as a local printer. Give it a valid port assignment, and load the drivers.
Share the printer with a sharename.

Go to the Win2k server and add a new printer. Make it a local printer, define a new port, and use as the new port the UNC form: \\xp_machine_name\New_printer_sharename.
And share the printer with a unique sharename.

Users will be able to use either the form above to connect, or go through the server's new sharename for the printer.

 

[LucaBrasi1]

Do I use local port, tcp/ip port, etc?

 

[bcastner]

local port.

See #2 in:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?ID=kb;en-us;314073

 

[LucaBrasi1]

Pretty interesting I setup exactly like you stated and shared on server and connected to the printer from the win 98 workstation but I still get an error in the print que when trying to print from the 98 client.

anything else I could try?

 

[bcastner]

You never mentioned print queue errors, only connection problems.

What are the errors from the queue?

 

[LucaBrasi1]

There were not errors in this particular que until I setup this printer on the server like you stated but now when I print from the client to this printer I get error in the que status error printer. I can print a test page directly from the server. But not from the client.

 

[bcastner]

What are the printers? It may be that they are not WHQL certified at the driver level.

But I suspect if the server which is Win2k and the clients which are XP are not having problems it is likely sourced in the drivers for the printer on the Win98 clients.

 

[LucaBrasi1]

The printer is an HP Laserjet 4 plus. Funny part is I am able to connect to printer share on server but not able to print to it.

 

[bcastner]

"I can print a test page directly from the server. But not from the client."

I suspect you will be happiest when you disable bi-directional communications on the printer drivers for the clients and server.

This link contains additional information about Troubleshooting the printer, as well as HP links.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/focuson/printers.asp

Curious though: do you have Service Pack 1 installed on the XP clients? Because some of your issues make it seem as if it is not installed.

 

[LucaBrasi1]

I can't believe this is terrible I never had a problem setting up a printer shares!

I disabled bi directional printing didn't help
and I am running sp 1

 

[bcastner]

Go to one of the XP machines that is sharing the printer. Start, Printers and Faxes. Highlight the shared printer and right-click, properties. Security tab. Is the group Everyone in the security permissions? Is the Group Guest in the security permissions?