Posted on 02/03/2007 5:47:08 PM PST by HOTTIEBOY
I just purchased a new laptop for the 17 yearold as she enters her senior year in highschool. Its a very cool Compaq model. The box that it came in has a big sticker on the side that says "Do Not Sell Until Janruary 30th 2007".
Vista.
Its running the new Vista system. So far it runs good. No problems have arised.
My question is with the wireless router that I bought and connected to my desktop. So far the router works great and the internet is working fine. From what I gather, I can also use the router to enable the laptop to use the printer that is hooked to the desktop. Is this true?
I also have an obsticle ~ the printer software is made for Windows XP. How would I go about getting the laptop with Vista to read the sotware for the printer? I have a HP printer. Should I contact them to see if they maybe have updates for their printers to inable them to run with Vista? I am going to check the HP website now to see if any updates are available. I would think that they would be or else every printer on the shelves now are useless if running Vista.
Forgive my puter ignorance. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
I can't understand why you're having a problem. Vista zapped right into my network and printer automatically.
Between MS and HP, everything should be right in front of you.
I think you are comfusing RAM and hard drive space.
But anyway, back to the original question, I don't think it should be a problem at all to print. Do you already have a home network established, like for being able to share folders between computers and stuff? MS knew people would be mixing their Vista machines with existing XP networks. Have you tried simply adding a network printer and seeing what it does? (First making sure it is 'shared' under the printer properties on the XP machine).
What you and 90% of the consumers want then is something that works out of the box. That isn't the case with this OS. It will take six months to a year to get the bugs out. In the meantime you don't have the choice of getting something that works right away. You proved that with your post tonight. Now if you went out and bought everything new, you probably wouldn't have had that problem.
Now, the rest of us don't want to have that problem either. And when I have bought a PC from Dell, they make it very clear that trying to make older hardware work with their new computers is not their problem and to contact the hardware manufacturer to get drivers, software patches, etc. You can argue whether the OS manufacturer, MS, or the maker of the peripheral should try to get the old equipment running. Maybe not; they want to sell new equipment to you. But if you want choice to install a good, stable, existing OS like XP on your new computer, you don't have it UNLESS you become one of those 10% who know how to get around it.
But I am trying to print wirelessly from the laptop with a LINKSYS connected to my desktop.
I plugged the USB cable into the new laptop and no problems. The laptop pulled up the install and quickly worked fine.
I think I dont have the sharing options right.
If the router is new -- i.e., you haven't had one before -- you may need to run the 'Network setup wizard' that's found in the Control Panel (on the XP machine).
I can understand the basic priciple but I will be honest and say that is going a little over my head.
Just download the zip file from the website i provided... when the download is done right click the file and choose extract all then extract then open the cupz.exe file(its the one that looks like a memory chip) then accept the windows alert that the UAC(Vista user account control) then in a couple seconds the program will start, then click the SPD tab... walla... then you will know what size memory is currently in the machine... ;)
I tried that but I will run it again to make sure I did everything right.
The printer icon on the desktop now has a outstretched hand which I am assuming means that this printer is shared.
If anyone wants to use CPU-z and Vista 64bit you need to start the computer and press F8 immediately as if you are going to run in "safe mode" and choose the option toward the bottom, "don't use digitally signed drivers", or something similar to that... then press enter... the machine will work normally and
will even remember this setting even after waking up from a "sleep state" if you do a "shut down" you will have to re-do the F8 if you want this option again.
well... if you're going to stay with XP at least get the Royale and Royle Noir themes.... they are free...
"I tried to insert the CD that came with the HP printer but it will not read. The CD is compatible with Windows XP."
"Aren't you glad you didn't pay three times for for a Mac?"
But if you had.....it would all be smooth and easy. :)
Wish i could help you, son that could isn't here, but it sounds like you'll be able to work around this. Best of luck.
That is correct. The desktop now allows sharing of its printer.
Now, if you have not already done so, yo need to log on to the laptop while the desktop is running, and bring up the laptop's "new printer" wizard (or whatever Vista uses as an equivalent). Tell it to create a network printer; it will ask for a path to that printer, or it may be able to find the path itself. It will also ask you to give the printer a name. Once it knows where the printer is, it will create a network printer, to which you can then print.
At least, that's the way it works in WinXP, Win2K and Win98SE, none of which require any special driver software when setting up network printers; the drivers are only required for printers local to the machine on which they are being configured.
I'm glad that someone else could help him with the network stuff, thats one area where I haven't done any research in at all.
Make sure that your HP Driver that is on your XP machine has the correct networking support.. as i showed you in a previous picture my HP printer driver for XP does NOT have networking support... not sure if it "can" be done through a router or something... but, I think you're on the right track.
:)
button and then click "help and support" in the box type in "network printer" that should walk you through the steps to get you working... ;)
Thanks for the info. I will check it out tomorrow. I am a little burned out with computers today as I have been doing taxes and paying bills online and trying to get this printer setup..... (BTW, I just bought the printer today but no telling how long its been on the shelf)
Time for one more cold beer while I unwind and pass out in the recliner. I will let you know if that stuff works just for future reference.
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