Unable to share printer - win7 pro

[stockrex]

Greetings,
My buddy has win 7 pro, and he has a few applications (dos based) that uses a shared printer.

These stopped working, so I peeked and found that sharing checkbox on the printers properties is disabled.

I went to network neighborhood (or whatever it is called) > windows file sharing (turn on), printer sharing (turned on)

So everything checked out.

I researched a bit online and found that some has suggested turning off his firewall on that PC. so we did that and rebooted the pc. No dice. Printer sharing is disabled.

Any ideas?

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Are all 4 services that Windows needs for file and print sharing turned on? Computer Browser, Server, TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper and Workstation if I remember correctly.

 

[pandus13]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Are all 4 services that Windows needs for file and print sharing turned on? Computer Browser, Server, TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper and Workstation if I remember correctly.

also remember print spooler service(is the print queue).

 

[Rand]

Can you give us more background, What is actually going on is somewhat ambiguous.

He has a computer with dos apps and its connecting to another computer with a shared printer?

Seems like you need to go to the computer its plugged into and see what's going on... or did I misunderstand.

 

[stockrex]

Thanks guys, I will check the services.

Rand, sorry I should have explained it more detail.

My buddy needs to share printers on his PC.
When I go to share printer it is disabled.

Why: he has a few dos software what uses a shared printer alias to print to.
So, for example you share a HP Laserjet as: HPLASER
and your PC name is MYPC
the software uses net use command to connect to this shared resource.

The main problem is that sharing of printers is disabled!
Thanks,

 

[Kiwi_ME]

Originally Posted By: stockrex

These stopped working ...
So, it was working once. What changed?

Under XP, to make a DOS program print to a network printer you would assign a local virtual LPT port to that printer by:

net use lpt1 \\\ persistent:yes

Get a list of current connections by:

net use

 

[stockrex]

Originally Posted By: Kiwi_ME
Originally Posted By: stockrex

These stopped working ...
So, it was working once. What changed?

Under XP, to make a DOS program print to a network printer you would assign a local virtual LPT port to that printer by:

net use lpt1 \\\ persistent:yes

Get a list of current connections by:

net use


yes Sir, that is what we need to do, but the printers are not shared anymore.

The printers need to be shared to map the port to it, correct?

 

[Kiwi_ME]

I'm only guessing but has the user on the computer with the printer attached recently removed his password?

The PC with the DOS programs needs an account on the PC with the printer to use traditional Windows networking. In my experience that means you need a password on the latter PC. No password, sharing is disabled.

 

[stockrex]

The dos app is on the same as the printer ,

 

[pandus13]

Originally Posted By: stockrex
The dos app is on the same as the printer ,

based on all the tips from KIwi_ME, can you access the win 7 computer from the one with the DOS apps?
if not, make sure on the win7 computer, \control panel\user accounts\ you create the same user and password as the one used on the DOS computer.

 

[Kiwi_ME]

Originally Posted By: stockrex
The dos app is on the same as the printer ,


Please open a DOS window and type in:

net use

If it doesn't show that LPT1 is assigned to your printer's formal name then type in:

net use lpt1 \\\ persistent:yes

"server" is the name of the PC. You don't enter the "" marks.

Lastly, make sure your DOS app prints to LPT1. If you have some other device physically on LPT1 then use LPT2 in all above.

 

[stockrex]

Thanks a bunch, I will give it a go tomorrow,
I checked the spooler service and it was running.

 

[stockrex]

update,

1. This what the printer properties look like, see the "Share this printer" is disabled.

2. Net use is blank, nothing is being used now for lpt1 or lpt2

3. Checked services, print spooler is running.

Question for Kiwi_me, can I use the net use command without first sharing the printer?

 

[OVERKILL]

Have you tried deleting the printer and reinstalling it?

 

[stockrex]

no Sir, I will see him on Thursday and I will delete and reinstall the printer,

I checked other printers on his machine and all of them have the same problem, sharing is disabled!

 

[pandus13]

Originally Posted By: stockrex
no Sir, I will see him on Thursday and I will delete and reinstall the printer,

I checked other printers on his machine and all of them have the same problem, sharing is disabled!

please try this one linky-link

just to be sure:
-he ca print from windows applications, just not from his DOS applications?
-we are talking about one computer or more?
-the printer is connected physically to the DOS computer or other?

 

[pandus13]

i'm getting the same message/window on my printers, but I DO NOT have any printers (network or not) connected physically to my computer. they are shared on another computer, to which i connected.
hence my questions about multiple computers....

 

[Kiwi_ME]

Originally Posted By: stockrex
update,

1. This what the printer properties look like, see the "Share this printer" is disabled.
2. Net use is blank, nothing is being used now for lpt1 or lpt2
3. Checked services, print spooler is running.
Question for Kiwi_me, can I use the net use command without first sharing the printer?


I did a test on my PC and yes, sharing is required to create (and maintain) a virtual port with "net use"

I'm not clear on what has disabled sharing but you seem to have checked off all the items on MS's checklist. What does the networks page look like, specifically the one under this path, the item for printer sharing?

Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Network and Sharing Center\Advanced sharing settings