Adding network printer using wizard

I'm probably missing something very obvious, but ...

I have an HP Laserjet connected to an XP Pro sp3 box. It is shared and
usable by other XP boxes over the network. I have a Vista 64 Home Premium sp2
box that is connected to the network. File sharing works OK between XP and
Vista boxes.

I want to print to the laser from the Vista box, so I go to Printers > Add a
Printer > Add a network, etc printer. The printer's share name is found, no
problem. When I click Add, I get an error msg that an appropriate driver
can't be found.

I assume the error is because the Vista Add Printer Wizard is attempting to
download a driver from the XP box which not surprisingly doesn't have a Vista
64 driver. There is a "Browse" button, but where on the Vista box do I look
for the correct driver?

I know Vista has an appropriate built-in driver, because I was eventually
able to add this printer by using the Add Local Printer option, and adding a
new port named \\printserver\printersharename. Using this path, I get to the
usual selection of printer manufacturers and printer models.

Isn't there some way to get to that list from the "Browse" button that you
get when the Add a network printer wizard fails to download the correct
driver?

BTW, I went to HP's site, but rather than offering a specific Vista 64
driver, it had some sort of "universal printer monitor." I tried to use that,
but it was unable to communicate with the printer.

"Lushington" <Lushington@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:948C8AE6-098C-463F-AF13-C409CFD4E5D2@microsoft.com...
> I'm probably missing something very obvious, but ...
>
> I have an HP Laserjet connected to an XP Pro sp3 box. It is shared and
> usable by other XP boxes over the network. I have a Vista 64 Home Premium
> sp2
> box that is connected to the network. File sharing works OK between XP and
> Vista boxes.
>
> I want to print to the laser from the Vista box, so I go to Printers > Add
> a
> Printer > Add a network, etc printer. The printer's share name is found,
> no
> problem. When I click Add, I get an error msg that an appropriate driver
> can't be found.
>
> I assume the error is because the Vista Add Printer Wizard is attempting
> to
> download a driver from the XP box which not surprisingly doesn't have a
> Vista
> 64 driver. There is a "Browse" button, but where on the Vista box do I
> look
> for the correct driver?
>
> I know Vista has an appropriate built-in driver, because I was eventually
> able to add this printer by using the Add Local Printer option, and adding
> a
> new port named \\printserver\printersharename. Using this path, I get to
> the
> usual selection of printer manufacturers and printer models.
>
> Isn't there some way to get to that list from the "Browse" button that you
> get when the Add a network printer wizard fails to download the correct
> driver?
>
> BTW, I went to HP's site, but rather than offering a specific Vista 64
> driver, it had some sort of "universal printer monitor." I tried to use
> that,
> but it was unable to communicate with the printer.


Found this on Google might be worth a try

1. Connect the printer to the Vista "client" PC, as though it were to be
used with that and install it. This ensures that it has all the necessary
software/drivers on board.

2. Reconnect it to the "host" PC and, in its Properties, set it as "shared".
Make a note of both the host PC's "Computer Name" and the printer's "Share
Name".

3. In the Vista "client" PC, launch the "Add a Printer" wizard and select
the "Add a local printer" option. This automatically opens a new dialog box
in which to select the Port.

4. Click the "Create a new port" radio button and leave the drop-down menu
options on the default of "Local Port". Click Next.

5. A small box opens in which to enter the Port Name. Type in the path to
the "shared" printer in the host PC using the format
\\computername\sharename where computername and sharename are the details
you noted in (2) above.

6. Select the Printer driver from the list provided, which should include
the driver you originally installed, otherwise use the "Have Disk" button to
install the correct Vista driver if it is not in the list. It is essential
that a Vista-compatible driver for your printer is used. Click Next.

7. Give the printer a name and choose whether to set it as the default.
Click Next.

8. Print a test page to verify functionality and then click Finish.