Shared printer: grayed out Print button

[David]

Hi,

A printer is connected to computer A (USB). I also want to be able to
print from computer B, so I shared the printer on computer A.

On computer B, I can see the shared printer, but I cannot print anything
because the Print button is always grayed out.

What could be the problem?

 

[Don Phillipson]

A printer is connected to computer A (USB). I also want to be able to
print from computer B, so I shared the printer on computer A.

On computer B, I can see the shared printer, but I cannot print anything
because the Print button is always grayed out.

What could be the problem?

Lack (on B) of the appropriate printer driver?

 

[Ken1943]

Hi,

A printer is connected to computer A (USB). I also want to be able to
print from computer B, so I shared the printer on computer A.

On computer B, I can see the shared printer, but I cannot print anything
because the Print button is always grayed out.

What could be the problem?

The print driver may not have auto installed on B. Try installing the
driver on B.


KenW

 

[Jan Alter]

The print driver may not have auto installed on B. Try installing the
driver on B.


KenW

Delete the printer on B and restart the process of Adding a networked
printer. As it's installing the printer it should either indicate that it's
found the driver(s) for it or have you choose the driver or ask you where
the driver software for that printer is.
I'm assuming that you have already indicated on computer A that you want
the printer to be shared on the network. Please excuse the obvious if you've
already done that even though you said it's a shared printer and that you're
using the same workgroup name on both computers.

 

[...winston]

"David" wrote in message news:[email protected],

A printer is connected to computer A (USB). I also want to be able to
print from computer B, so I shared the printer on computer A.

On computer B, I can see the shared printer, but I cannot print anything
because the Print button is always grayed out.

What could be the problem?
Is Computer A powered on and accessible on the network ?

When the printer was added to Computer B was it added as a local printer or network printer ?

Were the printer drivers installed on Computer B (the three typical methods are shown below) ?
- driver found on Computer A over the network and installed
- driver found using Windows Update (on Computer B) and installed
- driver manually installed from Printer or downloadable driver

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Is Computer A powered on and accessible on the network ?

"On computer B, I can see the shared printer"

My take is that all the people who suggested to install the printer
driver on B are 100% correct.

 

[Ken1943]

"On computer B, I can see the shared printer"

My take is that all the people who suggested to install the printer
driver on B are 100% correct.

There is one thing that happened to me. When the driver is installed on
B, the printer shown is on B. You have to delete that printer and add it
from network. That had me chasing my tail awhile. LOL


KenW

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

There is one thing that happened to me. When the driver is installed on
B, the printer shown is on B. You have to delete that printer and add it
from network. That had me chasing my tail awhile. LOL

KenW

Thanks for pointing that out. It should be very helpful.

There is (or was) a way to copy a printer driver from the server on the
network; I wonder if that would have helped...

Disclaimer: My experience is very limited. I have a networkable printer
that I connect by wire to the router (it's too old for wireless). I may
have connected via a networked computer, but that was 7 or 8 years ago
(or more), so I don't recall much. Anyway, the methods I'm familiar with
now aren't quite the same as above.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

There is (or was) a way to copy a printer driver from the server on the
network; I wonder if that would have helped...

Sorry, that's possibly confusing. By "server" I mean the other computer
on the network that is connected to the printer, the one that David (the
OP) calls Computer A.

 

[...winston]

"Gene E. Bloch" wrote in message

My take is that all the people who suggested to install the printer
driver on B are 100% correct.

Hello Gene,

But usually, imo, that should be the last choice (as noted by Ken's response) especially if the Printer provided disk or drivers
come packaged with tons of extras no longer supported on later o/s.

My preferred and yet fail method (when the printer can't be installed from being seen on the network) is to use the Local Printer
Method and then let Windows Update install the driver. WU now contains drivers for a plethora of printers (old and current).

<qp>
Go to Control Panel.
Choose printer.
Then choose Add Printer.
Choose Add a local printer.
Click on Create a new port.
- The default in the drop down box is Local Port. Do not change that. Click Next.
A dialogue box will appear asking for you to enter a port name.
Type in the \\computer name\printer name
- computer name can be found in the pc properties (Computer\rt click Properties)
- printer name can be found in the Printer Properties (or Devices and Printers)

Once setup, install the driver from Windows Update

The above will be clean with the least amount of extra baggage.

 

[Ken1943]

"Gene E. Bloch" wrote in message


Hello Gene,

But usually, imo, that should be the last choice (as noted by Ken's response) especially if the Printer provided disk or drivers
come packaged with tons of extras no longer supported on later o/s.

My preferred and yet fail method (when the printer can't be installed from being seen on the network) is to use the Local Printer
Method and then let Windows Update install the driver. WU now contains drivers for a plethora of printers (old and current).

<qp>
Go to Control Panel.
Choose printer.
Then choose Add Printer.
Choose Add a local printer.
Click on Create a new port.
- The default in the drop down box is Local Port. Do not change that. Click Next.
A dialogue box will appear asking for you to enter a port name.
Type in the \\computer name\printer name
- computer name can be found in the pc properties (Computer\rt click Properties)
- printer name can be found in the Printer Properties (or Devices and Printers)

Once setup, install the driver from Windows Update

The above will be clean with the least amount of extra baggage.

I have driver update turned off from windows update. Maybe printer
drivers are ok, but just don't trust windows update for anything else.
Although I have windows update to ask first. I believe plenty of computer
problems are caused by auto update of drivers. I think update had one for
my chipset at one time.


KenW

 

[David]

Hi,

A printer is connected to computer A (USB). I also want to be able to
print from computer B, so I shared the printer on computer A.

On computer B, I can see the shared printer, but I cannot print anything
because the Print button is always grayed out.

What could be the problem?

Thanks to everybody who answered my question. First, I'm going to try to
reinstall the driver.

 

[David]

Delete the printer on B and restart the process of Adding a networked
printer. As it's installing the printer it should either indicate that it's
found the driver(s) for it or have you choose the driver or ask you where
the driver software for that printer is.

I will try that.

I'm assuming that you have already indicated on computer A that you want
the printer to be shared on the network.

Yes, I have. I can select the printer in applications on computer B, but
the print button is grayed out.

 

[David]

in message news:[email protected]...
Hi,

A printer is connected to computer A (USB). I also want to be able to
print from computer B, so I shared the printer on computer A.

On computer B, I can see the shared printer, but I cannot print anything
because the Print button is always grayed out.

What could be the problem?

Is Computer A powered on and accessible on the network ?

Yes, it is.

When the printer was added to Computer B was it added as a local printer
or network printer ?

I don't remember what I did, but it's not a network printer. I think the
printer just appeared on computer B after being shared on computer A.

Were the printer drivers installed on Computer B (the three typical
methods are shown below) ?
- driver found on Computer A over the network and installed
- driver found using Windows Update (on Computer B) and installed
- driver manually installed from Printer or downloadable driver

I installed the driver I found on the printer manufacturer's website.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

"Gene E. Bloch" wrote in message


Hello Gene,

But usually, imo, that should be the last choice (as noted by Ken's response) especially if the Printer provided disk or drivers
come packaged with tons of extras no longer supported on later o/s.

My preferred and yet fail method (when the printer can't be installed from being seen on the network) is to use the Local Printer
Method and then let Windows Update install the driver. WU now contains drivers for a plethora of printers (old and current).

<qp>
Go to Control Panel.
Choose printer.
Then choose Add Printer.
Choose Add a local printer.
Click on Create a new port.
- The default in the drop down box is Local Port. Do not change that. Click Next.
A dialogue box will appear asking for you to enter a port name.
Type in the \\computer name\printer name
- computer name can be found in the pc properties (Computer\rt click Properties)
- printer name can be found in the Printer Properties (or Devices and Printers)

Once setup, install the driver from Windows Update

The above will be clean with the least amount of extra baggage.

I read your post as saying, "Sorry, you shouldn't install drivers. You
should instead install drivers", so that confuses me.

 

[...winston]

"Ken1943" wrote in message news:[email protected] have driver update turned off from windows update. Maybe printer
drivers are ok, but just don't trust windows update for anything else.
Although I have windows update to ask first. I believe plenty of computer
problems are caused by auto update of drivers. I think update had one for
my chipset at one time.
The method I suggested is different and not deployed via the Windows Update configuration settings and periodic/routine checking.
- i.e. its done while setting up the printer (after setup as a local printer using the \\computername\printer name)
- The driver update engine has the ability to find the local printer (once setup it’s a device without a driver) device and
download and install the correct driver.

One will get the base driver without any extra garbage.

Thereafter, I do agree that using Windows Update to update hardware (optional updates) can be problematic and probably like you
prefer not to go that route (hide works fine <g>).