Windows 7 RC x64 and Printers

[cwpenner]

I've been running Windows 7 since the somewhat buggy 6xxx days, and I've been using a network printer here at home with no problems.

The printer was an old HP Photosmart 7150. Just recently, we bought a multifunction HP Photosmart C6380 and I can't for the life of me get the printer to work on Windows 7 RC x64, whereas the old printer worked just fine. I've tried the printer's wireless capabilities and they work surprisingly well on the Vista x86 system, but no matter what I do I can't get it to work on the 64-bit 7 machine.

So I tried usb, and once again, with the old printer, I could find the printer attached to the Vista system and Add a Network Printer and it would work just fine, but for whatever reason the new printer will not print. I've tried both the HP print drivers and the drivers that are installed by Windows 7 when you Add a Printer, and both recognize the device fine, but when it comes to printing a test page, an error pops up saying "Test page failed to print. Please run the troubleshooter". So naturally, I ran the troubleshooter... which couldn't find a problem. Lovely.

Anyway, right now I'm resorting to printing to PDF with the Bullzip PDF Printer, and over the network opening it from the Vista machine and printing from there, but I would really appreciate the ability to print to the network printer.

I read online somewhere that HP just doesn't support x64, which in this day and age, is stupid (flash would be nice too Adobe...), but then how do I explain the old HP printer working flawlessly?

I was just wondering if anyone had any similar issues, either with wireless printing, or just with HP printers in general, and if they found ways to fix the problem.

Thanks in advance!

[Access Denied]

I sure that HP not being x64 is incorrect. I have two multifunction HP's on my 7 x86 right now, but will be going x64 this weekend. :(

[cwpenner]

How'd that transition go for you HP x64 printer-wise?

[dmb219]

I too had trouble with my Laserjet 1200 working on W7. I ended up using this driver. It would be nice if it worked as a pnp device like it did in Vista. No problems with x64, it's just that there is no Windows driver for it. It's not THAT old.

[Access Denied]

Matter of fact, it installed just fine for me. Mine has 64bit drivers according to HP.

[cwpenner]

From what I've learned, it's just a problem with Windows 7 x64 connecting to a printer over a network; in most cases a direct USB connection works fine. No one has been able to find a solution that works :(

[PGHammer]

I sure that HP not being x64 is incorrect. I have two multifunction HP's on my 7 x86 right now, but will be going x64 this weekend. :(

I have an old (and I mean four years old!) DeskJet 940C connected via USB. Every OS that's every been connected to it, whether 32-bit or 64-bit, has printed if it supported the USB port the printer was connected to. (Windows, Linux, BSDs, Solaris, even OS X; in fact, because the computer triple-boots, I've printed from Windows 7, Kubuntu 64-bit, and Leopard all in the same day.) Yes; all three are 64-bit.

It's because of the sheer never-fail spotting of the printer by every OS that supports USB that I called it "the embodiment of Plug and Print". I have never needed to install a printer driver in the entire time I've owned the printer (which is on its second *computer*). As long as the printer keeps running and I can get ink at reasonable prices, I see absolutely zero reason for the printer to ever retire.

While others may swear at their USB printers, I swear "by" this one.

What OS is the sharing computer using?

[zhangm Supervisor]

I have a DeskJet 680C, from back before anyone believed in USB. I can't directly print from Win7 x64, because there are no drivers (and HP is not willing to write 64-bit drivers for something so old). I have to use Virtual XP Mode to print.

[jasondefaoite]

From what I've learned, it's just a problem with Windows 7 x64 connecting to a printer over a network; in most cases a direct USB connection works fine. No one has been able to find a solution that works :(

I'm running RC x64, and connect to an Officejet Pro 8500 series over the network without issues (printing wise ....)

[cwpenner]

The computer the printer is attached to is Vista SP1 32-bit, and I'm trying to access it over the network from Windows 7 RC x64. All of the similar cases I've come across have no solution.

Jason, what OS is the printer on and did you do anything special to make it work?

[jasondefaoite]

The computer the printer is attached to is Vista SP1 32-bit, and I'm trying to access it over the network from Windows 7 RC x64. All of the similar cases I've come across have no solution.

Jason, what OS is the printer on and did you do anything special to make it work?

The printer I'm using includes an ethernet port, so it is directly connected to the network, rather than connected to a PC and 'shared' onto the network. The model you mention, if I'm not wrong it also includes an ethernet port. Can you not connect it directly into the router, or if it has wireless connect to the router via Wifi.

I've installed two HP printers connected to win7 RC x64 over the network (two different locations ... home and office ... two different PCs running win7). The first one I already mentioned, connected via ethernet to the router, works no problems. The second one at home connects to the router via WiFi and also works no problem.

Just curious, why are you connecting it to a PC and sharing it, rather than connecting to the network directly?

[cwpenner]

The printer I'm using includes an ethernet port, so it is directly connected to the network, rather than connected to a PC and 'shared' onto the network. The model you mention, if I'm not wrong it also includes an ethernet port. Can you not connect it directly into the router, or if it has wireless connect to the router via Wifi.

I've installed two HP printers connected to win7 RC x64 over the network (two different locations ... home and office ... two different PCs running win7). The first one I already mentioned, connected via ethernet to the router, works no problems. The second one at home connects to the router via WiFi and also works no problem.

Just curious, why are you connecting it to a PC and sharing it, rather than connecting to the network directly?

That's a very good question, I'm not sure why I'm not connecting it directly to the router via ethernet... I did try wi-fi and that didn't work, and it also wasn't all that reliable on the Vista machine via wi-fi either, which I found odd... I will have to see if connecting it directly to the router via wi-fi is a better option. I did also try over the network from my Windows 7 x86 machine, and it printed no problem, so it's definitely a problem with 7 x64, either on Microsoft's end or with HP's driver support. I'll try the ethernet though, thanks for your input!

[PGHammer]

I have a DeskJet 680C, from back before anyone believed in USB. I can't directly print from Win7 x64, because there are no drivers (and HP is not willing to write 64-bit drivers for something so old). I have to use Virtual XP Mode to print.

Try using a similar driver that is known to be supported (in fact, my 940C replaced the 680C in the DeskJet line).

Most printer manufacturers have VERY few specific-model features in their printer drivers (not even HP).

What APPEARS to be a lot of specific-mdel drivers turns out to be a base driver and a lot of micro-drivers for specific models; it's something I originally uncovered with Epson and Canon inkjet printers; HP is just as *guilty*.