Can't connect to a shared printer in 98/XP mixed mode network
Martin Healy
machine is providing two main resources for my Windows XP professional
machine. They are: A shared folder and a shared printer.
I can access the shared folder on the Windows 98 machine over the LAN from
my XP laptop but I can't connect to the shared printer on the Windows 98
machine over the LAN from my XP laptop. I can ping the Windows 98 machine
from the XP laptop as well. When I attempt to browse or connect to the
shared printer from my XP laptop in Add Printer Wizard by selecting Microsoft
Windows Network>WORKGROUP>Name of Win 98 machine>LEXMARK, and clicking Next
when the correct path name or queue appears on top as \\R9X3Q5\LEXMARK, the
following error message appears: "The server for the Lexmark Z52 Series
Colorfine printer does not have the correct printer driver installed. If you
want to search for the proper driver, click OK. Otherwise, click OK.
Otherwise, click cancel and contact your network administrator or original
equipment manufacturer for the correct driver."
However, when I downloaded and installed the correct Windows XP compatible
driver from the manufacturer's website on my XP laptop, the Add Printer
Wizard continued from where it left off above by requesting approval of the
Software License Agreement, then a connect to printer error message appeared
after a restart windows prompt stating "Windows cannot connect to the
printer. Either the printer name was typed incorrectly or the specified
printer has lost its connection to the server". Certainly, the printer name
was not typed incorrectly and there was no connection loss to the server
either because I can see all the shared resources including the shared
printer on the Win 98 machine from my XP laptop in My Network Places. As
mentioned before, I can access the shared folder on the Win 98 machine from
my XP laptop and ping the destination computer.
Please note that the printer is shared and the printer share name and
printer port setting are all correct. The File and Printer service for
Microsoft Networks is also installed and access is granted to my files and
printer(s) as these check boxes are ticked. I was always able to print from
this shared printer in the past using the same printer driver on the Win 98
machine. Furthermore, I didn't even have to use a XP driver on my XP laptop
either as the existing Win9x/Win 2000 compatible driver on the Windows 98
machine allowed the Windows XP laptop to print from the shared printer over
the local area network. The principle behind it is that the Windows 98
machine handles the print request from the XP laptop, thus allowing the use
of the existing printer driver on the Windows 98 machine or through the use
of a uni driver. I also have a print test page for proof purposes from which
I was last able to print from my XP laptop using the existing Win9x print
driver on my Windows 98 machine. On this successful print test page, it
states that the Driver Name is UNIDRV.DLL, the Printer Name and Port Name is
\\M8N9J2\LEXMARK. M8N9J2 represented the old name of my Windows 98 machine
before I recently reinstalled the machine. The data file on this test page
is down as LXACSDRV.GPD. If I printed a local test page from my Win 98
machine, the driver name would be displayed as lxacpr.drv.
At this stage, I have even reinstalled the Windows 98 machine with another
print driver from the manufacturer's website in order to eliminate certain
potential sources. However, it yielded the same result. I have contacted
Lexmark about the issue and I'm still awaiting feedback from them. I can say
for sure that the problem is not due to a TCP/IP networking or remote issue
as I can access the shared folder over the LAN and I can see all shared
resources on the Win98 machine from my XP machine in My Network Places. Both
compurers are visible in My Network Places from my XP laptop in My Network
Places. The printer driver on the Win98 machine is not causing the problem
either and the use of a suitable XP printer driver (although not necessary)
on the laptop does not help either as requested in the first error message
above. I can't find a Lexmark driver that covers all Microsoft operating
systems so it is very important to note that I can't install a universal type
driver on my Windows 98 machine for that particular Lexmark printer model.
This might solve the problem if I could. Anyway, it definitely worked before
when I used the Win9x driver that came new with my PC as I was able to print
over the network from my XP laptop without ever requiring a suitable XP
driver.
At this stage the problem must be due to a VSERVER.vxd conflict encountered
while setting up File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks. I choosed
to keep the new vserver.vxd as recommended at the time. It may also be due
to recent windows update patches that were applied to both machines. Anyway,
some configuration setting must have affected the interoperability between XP
and 98 in relation to printer sharing in my workgroup network. I don't think
there is any obvious or simple solution to this problem. Connecting to a
shared printer only takes a few minutes to set up normally. I carried out
the exact same procedure as I have done in the past. Like I said many times
before, I was able to print from my XP laptop over the network in the past
using the Win9x/Windows 2000 driver on the Windows 98 machine without any
need for a XP driver. Please refer to the print Test Page details mentioned
earlier if you have any doubts about this.
I would greatly appreciate any help in relation to this issue from Microsoft
or anybody out there.
Thanks
Martin
Brian A.
with the printer connected to the 98SE machines.
This first/second test is not needed as all other tests place the printer here.
I have combined the separate selected tests to keep post size smaller.
Start > Settings > Print/fax > Add printer > Next.
Select "A network printer, or a printer attached to another computer" > Next.
Select "Browse for Printer" or "Connect to this Printer..." and type in UNC >
Next.
Typed in UNC or browsed and selected the printer > Next.
Popup window appears and states:
The server for the "shared network printer" does not have the correct printer
driver installed. Yada yada
Click Ok, select manufacturer/model and click Ok.
Confirmation window appears, click finish.
The printer is now accessible via network.
Remove printer from Print/fax.
Open Explorer > My Network Places > Entire Network > MS Windows Network > My
WkGrp > 98SE mach.
Right click printer, click Open or Connect.
Popup window appears and states:
The server for the "shared network printer" does not have the correct printer
driver installed. Yada yada
Click Ok, select manufacturer/model and click Ok.
Confirmation window appears, click finish.
The printer is now accessible via network and shown in Start > Settings >
Print/fax. No matter how/which way I added the printer, the drivers were
installed and the printer was shown in print/fax.
Execute find and search XP's for vserver. No vserver on XP's
Execute find and search 98SE's for vserver. Found in C:\Windows\System dated
9/15/00 with a file size of 111kb.
I now suggest you have a look at these and see if they help:
Vserver.vxd File Not Found When You Start Your Computer
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;194990
"Fatal Exception 0E Has Occurred" Error Message When Attempting to Add File and
Print Sharing Service
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;244229
Error Message: Fatal Exception 0E Has Occurred at <Address> in Module Vxd
Vserver
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;302826
--
Brian A. Sesko
{ MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://basconotw.mvps.org/
Martin Healy
out tests on printer sharing in a Windows 98/XP mixed mode environment where
the 98 machine acts like a print server. When the "The server for the
Printer Wizard after browsing correctly to the \\Martin\LEXMARK, I took your
advice and selected Lexmark from the manufacturer's list and then I choosed
to install the built-in digitally Microsoft driver for the shared printer by
selecting the Lexmark Z52 Color Jetprinter model. Next the Default Printer
page appeared and the subsequent "You have successfully completed the Add
Printer Wizard" page appeared then and I just clicked Finish.
The network shared printer appears now every time in Printer & Faxes and is
displayed as the default LEXMARK on MARTIN in bold with a pipe at the end,
indicating a network printer. Please note, MARTIN is the new name of the Win
98 machine. The status of the printer is displayed as ready but is grayed
out. Unfortunately, I can't print a test page from this shared network
printer as it displays this error message: "Test page failed to print. Would
you like to view the print troubleshooter for assistance. Operation could
not be completed". Consequently, I checked the properties of the network
printer to see if certain parameters were correct. The port setting is set
correctly to \\MARTIN\LEXMARK and LAN Manager Printer P is displayed in the
description. Lexmark and Lexmark Z52 appear in the general tab of the
printer properties. Sometimes the status of the network printer might show
up as "Printer not found on server, unable to connect" instead of "Ready"
which is not a good sign.
With regards to the VSERVER.vxd file, this file is found in the
C:\Windows\System and C:\Windows\Options\Cabs directories in my Win 98
machine but as you pointed out is not found in XP. The size of the file is
112.912 bytes in both directories. The three links that you submitted in
your previous reply does not correspond to the VSERVER conflict message that
I was receiving when adding or installing the File and Printer service for
Microsoft Networks in 98. The second link came close to resembling the
vserver message as it was based around adding the File & Print service. In
my case while adding the File & Printer sharing service, the VSERVER version
conflict stated: "A file being copied is older than the file currently on
your computer. It's recommended that you keep your existing file File name
vserver.vxd VSERVER Virtual Device Version 4.10.2224" This differs
completely to the message in the second web link. Furthermore, I'm not
getting any VSERVER message or missing vserver file when starting the PC as
my computer system is working fine apart from this print sharing issue.
At this stage it is very frustrating that I can't print from my XP laptop
after spending so much time on this issue. Although the network printer
appears now every time in Printer & Faxes in XP, I still can't print. I even
tried printing a text document but I had no luck. Like I said many times
before, I can access the shared folder on the 98 PC and make changes to its
contents from my XP laptop but I simply can't print over the LAN from the
laptop like in the past. I recall that the "The server for the "shared
network printer" does not have the correct printer driver installed etc"
message did not appear while successfully setting up the Network printer last
December. In other words, I didn't have to use the built-in XP driver for my
Lexmark 52 model in order for it to work at the time. Like I said in the
first post, I still have that test page where it worked last. On this XP
test page it states that the driver name is UNIDRV.DLL with a port name as
\\Computer Name\LEXMARK. On
a local 98 print test page, the driver name is lxacpr.drv.
Anyway, the interoperability of print sharing in my 98/XP mixed mode seems
to have gone when the 98 machine acts as a print server. Ever since the
reinstallation of my 98 machine, this feature has never been the same. This
is very strange as my Windows 98 machine is working better than ever as it
seldoms crashes and I can also access and view all shared resources on this
machine over the LAN from my XP laptop in My Network Places. I would like to
thank your input again and would appreciate if you or anybody can come up
with a another possible resolution to this print sharing problem. Finally, I
would be obliged if could answer the 3 questions below as they may help in
the diagnosis of the problem.
I would like to ask you 3 short questions:
You mentioned that the shared network printer appears in Printer/Faxes but
can you print a test page in your 98/XP test environment from a XP machine
that connects to a shared printer on a 98 machine?
If so, did you encounter the previously mentioned VSERVER conflict alert
message when adding or installing the File & Printer service for Microsoft
Networks on the 98 machine?
Are all the Windows 98 and XP machines fully patched up with the all the
updated critical windows updates installed?
Thanks,
Martin
jd
Seek and Ye Shall Find.
if both username and password are the same on both os's yer good to go.
"Martin Healy" <Marti...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6DBCD360-DEBF-47DA...@microsoft.com...
Brian A.
news:6DBCD360-DEBF-47DA...@microsoft.com...
I don't use Lexmark but I only see one name/model, and I have tested with 3
different printers. Could simply be a Lexmark thing.
Might want to check the printer cables connection or try a different one.
In XP printer properties, is there an Advanced tab > Print Processor button? If
so, is it using RAW datatype or other? If other, it may be part of or the
problem.
> With regards to the VSERVER.vxd file, this file is found in the
> C:\Windows\System and C:\Windows\Options\Cabs directories in my Win 98
> machine but as you pointed out is not found in XP. The size of the file is
> 112.912 bytes in both directories.
The one in the cabs directory is not being used, those are Win98 setup files
placed there by the manufacturer. Have you tried renaming the one in the System
folder and extracting the one from the cab folder to see if it helps?
> At this stage it is very frustrating that I can't print from my XP laptop
> after spending so much time on this issue. Although the network printer
> appears now every time in Printer & Faxes in XP, I still can't print. I even
> tried printing a text document but I had no luck. Like I said many times
> before, I can access the shared folder on the 98 PC and make changes to its
> contents from my XP laptop but I simply can't print over the LAN from the
> laptop like in the past. I recall that the "The server for the "shared
> network printer" does not have the correct printer driver installed etc"
> message did not appear while successfully setting up the Network printer last
> December. In other words, I didn't have to use the built-in XP driver for my
> Lexmark 52 model in order for it to work at the time. Like I said in the
> first post, I still have that test page where it worked last. On this XP
> test page it states that the driver name is UNIDRV.DLL with a port name as
> \\Computer Name\LEXMARK. On
> a local 98 print test page, the driver name is lxacpr.drv.
Shows the same here on the test page with the exception of lex anything.
> Anyway, the interoperability of print sharing in my 98/XP mixed mode seems
> to have gone when the 98 machine acts as a print server. Ever since the
> reinstallation of my 98 machine, this feature has never been the same. This
> is very strange as my Windows 98 machine is working better than ever as it
> seldoms crashes and I can also access and view all shared resources on this
> machine over the LAN from my XP laptop in My Network Places. I would like to
> thank your input again and would appreciate if you or anybody can come up
> with a another possible resolution to this print sharing problem.
What was purpose to reinstall 98 and was it a fresh install or over the top?
Finally, I
> would be obliged if could answer the 3 questions below as they may help in
> the diagnosis of the problem.
>
> I would like to ask you 3 short questions:
>
> You mentioned that the shared network printer appears in Printer/Faxes but
> can you print a test page in your 98/XP test environment from a XP machine
> that connects to a shared printer on a 98 machine?
Yes
> If so, did you encounter the previously mentioned VSERVER conflict alert
> message when adding or installing the File & Printer service for Microsoft
> Networks on the 98 machine?
Not that I've ever seen.
> Are all the Windows 98 and XP machines fully patched up with the all the
> updated critical windows updates installed?
Emphatically, Yes! So are all of the other security/protection apps.
Brian A.
--
Brian A. Sesko
{ MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://basconotw.mvps.org/
"jd" <jdumont@@novuscom.net> wrote in message
news:eoVY1AAi...@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
jd
password or just password.
But it works one way or the other and maybe either way too.
"Brian A." <gonefish'n@afarawaylake> wrote in message
news:eEMA9dAi...@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
Martin Healy
printer properties and is using the WinPrint print processor type. The
cables going into the printer are firm. I had to reinstall my operating
system because my system was corrupt. At the time, I carried out several
extractions by copying cabinet files from the Win 98 CD to my system in order
to replace corrupt or missing files and to avoid a reinstallation. I managed
to eliminate all the errors apart from one. This remaining error showed up
as "The COMCTL32.DLL file cannot start. Check the file to determine the
problem" at startup in safe mode. Despite carrying out two recommended
possible resolutions from the Microsoft Knowledge base, I never succeeded in
fixing this problem. Consequently, I replaced the hard disk with a new hard
disk and carried out a fresh (clean) installation of Windows 98. After the
installation of Win98, I patched up the machine with critical updates,
applied my AV, and reinstalled my drivers. It is only when I installed the
File & Printer sharing for Microsoft Networks, that I encountered the VSERVER
confilct.
I will rename the vserver.xd file in the System folder at a later stage and
copy a new one from the cabinet file in 98 CD. I could also do this by
choosing not to keep the newer vserver file when adding the service for File
and Printer service for Microsoft Networks. As my 98 machine is working very
well at the moment apart from this print issue, I would prefer not to carry
out the vserver renaming and extraction. Somehow, I doubt it if it would
work as the vserver file in the system folder is the same (i.e. identical in
size) as the one in the cabs folder.
Anyway, it looks almost certain now that I won't be able to fix this
printing error. The fact that you can print in your mixed 98/xp enviornment
(where the 98 machine acts as a print server), means that the problem must
lie with the VSERVER conflict found in adding the File & Print service or
some setting on my side. It might be a NIC driver that uses its own
vserver.vxd file. I don't understand the suggestion that one member made
about username and password as is not relevant here. The primary login in 98
is set to Windows login in Network Properties which doesn't require any
password. I used the Windows login in the past when this printing sharing
worked.
To finish, thanks for the assistance.
Martin
Brian A.
by removing everything in My Network Places > Properties > Local Area Connection
> Properties, reinstalling them and then adding the printer the way I mentioned
last.
--
Brian A. Sesko
{ MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://basconotw.mvps.org/
"Martin Healy" <Marti...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8C90514E-CE77-487F...@microsoft.com...