Re: Can't print to my Windows 98 shared printer from my XP compute

On Mon, 1 Aug 2005 07:58:02 -0700, Martin Healy
<MartinHealy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>Thanks for your response and please find the answers below to your summary
>questions.
>"Chuck" wrote:
>
>> On Thu, 28 Jul 2005 13:15:06 -0700, Martin Healy
>> <MartinHealy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>> >I can't print from the printer attached to my Windows 98 machine using my XP
>> >computer. I can successfully browse for the printer under \\Martin\LEXMARK
>> >when adding the printer in XP. When I select Next in Add Printer Wizard
>> >after browsing to the correct print queue name above, an error message is
>> >displayed as "The server for the 'Lexmark Z52 Series ColorFine' printer does
>> >not have the correct printer driver installed etc". As a result, I then
>> >clicked OK to continue and selected the built-in XP Lexmark Z52 driver from
>> >the manufacturer's list. Next the Default Printer page appears in the Add
>> >Printer Wizard requesting me to use this printer as the default printer.
>> >After choosing YES and selecting Next to this, the final Add Printer page
>> >appears stating: "You have successfully completed the Add Printer Wizard etc".
>> >
>> >However, when I attempt to print a test page from my XP system over the
>> >network, it displays the following message: "Test page failed to print. Would
>> >you like to use the print troubleshooter for assistance? operation could not
>> >be completed".
>> >
>> >The status of my Lexmark on Martin network printer shows up as 'Ready' in
>> >Add Printer wizard and has a pipe attached, indicating a network printer. If
>> >I print locally from my Windows 98 machine, I can see the document queue and
>> >the document being processed from my XP system by double clicking on the
>> >printer icon. In other words I can see the test page being printed on my 98
>> >machine from my XP computer. Also, the Documents would show 1 on my XP
>> >printer icon. It's strange that I can see pages being printed locally over
>> >the network and that I can't print over the network using my XP computer.
>> >Incidently, Lexmark represents the share name of my printer and Martin
>> >represents the name of the Windows 98 machine.
>> >
>> >Also, I can view all shared resources on my Windows 98 machine over the
>> >network from my XP laptop. Furthermore, I can access shared folders on the
>> >98 machine and I can successfully ping the 98 machine from my XP laptop.
>> >From the point of troubleshooting, I elimimated a potential VSERVER.vxd
>> >conflict message when adding the File and Printer Service in Microsoft
>> >Networks in Windows 98 by extracting a new copy of this file to the
>> >C:\Windows\System Directory. This corrected that problem but did not resolve
>> >my existing print issue. I would also like to remind you that I was able to
>> >print over the network in the past from my XP laptop without ever having to
>> >select the built-in XP driver for that printer. I'm using the same printer
>> >driver for my Lexmark Z52 on my 98 machine as I did in the past when it last
>> >worked. I still have a copy of this print test page from last December. The
>> >driver name showed up as UNIDRV.DLL on my XP test page when it last worked.
>> >I have done virtually everything as this stage to solve this remote printing
>> >issue. There is no real simple solution to this problem as I have found out
>> >over the last 3 weeks. It's only since I carried out a reinstallation on my
>> >98 machine a couple months ago, that this problem has arisen. I find it is
>> >very strange because I have a perfectly working network connection and I'm
>> >using the built-in XP driver on my XP laptop when connecting to the 98
>> >printer over the network.
>> >
>> >This inability to print over the network from my XP laptop is a major
>> >drawback because it also means that I can't use this network printer for
>> >incoming faxes.
>> >
>> >The only thing left for me to do now after correcting the VSERVER issue on
>> >the 98 machine is to uninstall and reinstall the LAN connection components on
>> >my XP laptop etc. TCP/IP, WLAN protocols, File & Printer sharing etc in
>> >Network properties which could be problematic in its own way. Please note, I
>> >can print locally from my printer and I can access shared folders on the 98
>> >machine from my XP laptop but I just can't print over the network using the
>> >printer attached to the 98 machine.
>> >
>> >Could you please tell me if there is any technical online chat (SIP)
>> >facility available in relation to this issue as this problem is ongoing for a
>> >long time now. I don't think the manfacturer of my XP laptop will assist me
>> >with this problem as the 98 machine is from a different manufacturer. At
>> >this stage, I feel the problem lies on the XP side rather that from the 98
>> >machine. This is why I have posted the problem here rather than the Windows
>> >98 community site. Recent windows updates or patches on my XP laptop may
>> >have lead to this problem. It's is not a Lexmark issue either as it worked
>> >before using this printer and I have carried out the exact same procedure in
>> >setting up the network printer as in the past. Finally it is not a printer
>> >driver issue as well since I'm using the built-in Lexmark Z52 XP driver on my
>> >XP system while adding the printer - even though I succeeded without this
>> >driver in the past by just using the UNIDRV.DLL driver on the 98 side. The
>> >printer port settings are also correct as it shows up as \\Martin\Lexmark in
>> >XP and LPT1 in 98. I also ensured that the default data type is set to RAW
>> >in the XP printer properties.
>> >
>> >Once again, I would appreciate any suggestions that may fix this problem if
>> >at all possible.
>> >
>> >Thanks
>>
>> Martin,
>>
>> Let me summarise:
>> 1) You can print locally to the printer, from a Windows 98 computer. Yes
>> 2) You cannot print remotely to the printer, from a Windows XP computer. Yes
>> 3) You could print remotely to the printer, from the Windows XP computer, until
>> you reinstalled Windows 98. Yes
>> 4) After reinstalling Windows 98, you observed a problem with VSERVER.vxd, when
>> adding the File and Printer Sharing network component. Yes
>> 5) You were able to make the VSERVER.vxd error go away by extracting a new copy
>> of the file. Yes
>> 6) The printer problem was not observed before the reinstallation of Windows 98. Yes
>> 7) File and Printer sharing is an essential component of the ability for the
>> Windows 98 computer to share resources, such as the ability of a remote computer
>> to print to a locally attached printer. Yes just like in XP.
>>
>> Yet you believe that this is a Windows XP problem. Why again do you feel that?
>>
>Because I have eliminated all possible factors that may be causing the
>problem from the 98 side e.g. resolution of the VSERVER conflict message
>between the old and newer version of this file, the same Lexmark driver is
>installed on the 98 machine when it worked in the past, no problem printing
>locally on the 98 side, and the file and folder sharing feature is working.
>Furthermore, I never encountered the "The server for the 'Lexmark Z52 Series
>ColorFine' printer does not have the correct printer driver installed etc"
>alert message while adding the printer in XP when it last worked. Now I
>have to select the correct built-in digitally signed XP Lexmark Z52 driver
>from my XP system in order to continue at this point. I was told by members
>of the 98 Newsgroup site to use the built-in Lexmark driver when receiving
>the above message. Although the built-in Lexmark 52 driver on my XP computer
>allows me to successfully add the printer, it does not allow me to print
>remotely. I can also ping the XP computer from the 98 machine provided the
>ICMP setting on the XP firewall is configured or enabled to accept incoming
>ping requests from outside. Likewise, I can ping the 98 machine from my XP
>computer and browse and access all shared folders on the 98 machine over the
>network. The only thing that has changed since before is that the XP
>computer has now got File and Printer sharing is enabled on the firewall
>whereas this was just set to simple sharing (recommended) in the past.
>Besides this should not make any difference when accessing resources on the
>98 side. If I was running another XP computer on my network, I could defy
>then if the problem persisted from the 98 machine. Failure to print from the
>additional XP system might suggest that the problem was due to the
>configuration of 98 machine. It's probably unfair to say that the problem
>is on the XP side but nevertheless it is hard to pinpoint any fault from
>either side. All I can say at this stage is that it is not a networking
>related issue (proven by successful ping requests and the fact that all
>resources are visible and accessible on the 98 side over the network from my
>XP laptop), is not a printer driver issue either (proven by using the correct
>built-in XP printer driver on the client side and the same printer driver on
>the 98 machine) or a Lexmark issue. It looks like I will have to wait for my
>brother to use his XP laptop on my network to see whether he can print from
>the 98 printer in order to investigate what side the problem lies.
>
>In the intervening time since it last worked in the past, many new critical
>security patches were applied on both machines - this may have given rise to
>the problem.
>Like I said I have no evidence to suggest that the problem rests on the XP
>side but the same applies to the 98 side. It is just that members of the 98
>site felt that the problem was more of a remote problem on the XP side. I
>just find it strange that I can access shared folders on the 98 machine over
>the network but I just can't print remotely. Please note the Lexmark printer
>is visible over the network and I can add the network printer in Add Printer
>Wizard. By selecting the built-in printer driver on the XP computer while
>setting it up, the print appears as ready status in my XP Printers and Faxes
>location - but it just doesn't print as it comes up with the previously
>mentioned message: "Test page failed to print. Would
>you like to use the print troubleshooter for assistance? operation could not
>be completed". The print troubleshooter is of no use as it covers all
>different causes that don't seem relevant.
>
>I would appreciate if you could recommend any technical online chat site
>that may cover this issue.

Martin,

Good job of analysis, though additional effort organising the arguments might be
useful in the long run.

Whenever you have two different operating systems, the experts for each will
always point fingers at the others. Usually, both are justified at least in
part.

I feel one statement of yours is particularly relevant. You said:
It's only since I carried out a reinstallation on my 98 machine a couple months
ago, that this problem has arisen.

How do you reconcile that statement with the possibility (which I won't entirely
dismiss) that there is a Windows XP problem involved?

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.
.

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