Windows 7 can't find driver for shared printer hp LaserJet 3380

Anonymous
2010-01-04T18:55:42+00:00

When I try to add a shared printer to my Windows 7 laptop, as a network printer, Windows 7 successfully locates it on the network, but I get the following error messages:

Windows can't find a driver for hp LaserJet 3380 PCL 6.

The file '*.INF' on (Unknown) is needed.

The printer is attached to an XP desktop pc on my home network.

I tried attaching the printer locally via USB to the Windows 7 laptop and successfully loaded the printer drivers and I printed to it. But when I reconnected the printer to the XP computer I got the error messages again.

This is shared, not a network, printer, so attempting to set it up with the TCP-IP option does not work.

Printing to this printer was successful under Vista. I did a clean install of Windows 7.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Jim

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Devices and drivers

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Anonymous
2010-01-04T20:04:01+00:00

The 32bit driver name is different than the 64bit driver name.  You will need to create a Local Port which will basically copy the print formated data to the xpmachine share.

Here's the KB how to perform this task

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/282842

on Windows 7

Add Printer

Local Printer

Add Local Port

\XPMACHINE\printersharename    (Make the share name one word or you have to "" quote the whole thing)

Select the driver installed when you connected the device to USB

complete the wizard

print test page.

Alan Morris Windows Printing Team; Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here: http://support.microsoft.com/search/Default.aspx?adv=1

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-01-06T07:48:58+00:00

    Perfect timing.   Jim1326 was having the exact same problem as I was having but a different scenario.    I had a hard drive crash in my HP laptop with Vista on it and had to build a new hard drive with a recovery disk.   My XP OS desktop with USB connected printer.   I spent four or five hours reading and searching and trying to load drivers on my newly corrected laptop as a network printer when I had it all wrong.    The steps given were so simple and the driver was found in a snap.

    Thanks to Jim1326 for having the same frustrations as myself and thanks to Alan for saving me for endless hours of frustration on internet searches.   I think I will take Jim's advice and put this site in my favorites as well.

    Have a great 2011!

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-12-26T05:27:12+00:00

    It sounds like the Server function, create file, is failing on the remote machine.  Are you using a user account that is the same (same name and password) on the remote machine?  

    Alan Morris Windows Printing Team;

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-12-26T04:37:09+00:00

    Alan,I  am trying to follow the indicated steps to resolve this problem.I am getting an access denied message when I try to add the localport.  My remote machine is a Vista Hom Premium machine.  Can you advise how to get it to allow the connection?  I have verified the device name using "net view".  The client machine is Windows 7 ultimate,the serving machine is Vista Home Premium. 

    Any help you can provide would be appreciated.

    ATB

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-12-15T20:38:18+00:00

    Thanks - that works.

    The remaining question, however, is why just browsing to \XPMACHINE\printersharename from Explorer doesn't work?  In my case I already have the printer driver installed, in use by another printer.

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