Fusion 1.0 install for Windows XP Pro: Printer Installation

[Kathryn_Talaric]

I am preparingto install Vmware Fusion 1 on my iMac OS 10.4.10 computer. I am the only user and my computer connects to the web via Airport through my router. I was looking at all the documentation for Fusion and haven't been able to find information about how to install my printer. I have a Kodak AiO 5100 connected to my Mac via USB. It prints fine in the Mac OS and it works with my Windows XP laptop as well. To install this printer on the Mac, I connected to the internet; in Windows XP, I used the software that came with the printer. My printer is always physically connected to either my Mac or my XP laptop; it's never used wirelessly.

My questions are the following: How is my printer supposed to communicate with my virtual machine once I install Fusion and the guest OS? I was never able to get the printer to work using the “ competition's” virtual machine software and couldn't get any answers about how to make it communicate. This is my main reason for wanting to give Fusion a try before I buy it! Are there any settings I need to make on the Mac side before (or after) I install the virtual machine (ethernet, sharing, etc.)? And is there anything in particular I should do once I install Windows XP? Do I need to be concerned at all about networking in general, since the printer is always physically connected to either the Mac or the PC?

I've searched the knowledge base and have been lurking on the forums trying to see if there are any discussions about printer installation, but haven't been able to find any. I am hoping that this means that there are few problems, if any with printer use.

If it's helpful to know, I completely wiped out the other virtual machine and last week completely reinstalled the MAC operating system. At the moment, I have a minimal number of programs installed on the Mac (it's a rather new machine, purchased July 31—the date of my Mac “conversion” after years of Windows). I am really anxious to use my Mac for something other than surfing the web and using Open Office. I downloaded the “Getting Started with Vmware Fusion” guide as well as the “Guest Operating System Installation Guide.”

Any advance tips, warnings, etc., would be greatly appreciated. I am very new to the world of Macs and even newer to the world of virtual machines.

Kathryn Talarico

[admin]

Some users have had problems setting up networked printers; since you already use USB, things should be easier - you don't have to worry about network settings.

The thing to remember with USB devices in general is that only one OS can talk to them at a time (or they would get very confused). If you want to print in the guest, you should plug the printer into your Mac and make sure it's connected to the guest (via the device icons or the menu). If you want to print on the host, disconnect the printer from the guest (via the device icons or the menu), this happens automatically when the guest is off.

You will need to install the normal printer drivers in the guest, e.g. whatever came with it that you used on your XP laptop.

[Kathryn_Talaric]

Thank you so much for such a fast answer. If this works out, I'll become a Fusion convert for sure! I'll report back on my installation.

Kathryn Talarico

[Kathryn_Talaric]

I installed the evaluation copy of Fusion and followed all the advice regarding the printer setup. No luck printing.

The blue USB icon at the bottom of the screen tells me that the Kodak AiO 5100 is connected to the virtual machine. The printer properties tell me that this is the default printer and that it is ready. When I click to print a test document that I created I get the message "Printer not responding. Make sure your printer is turned on." It's turned on.

Any suggestions out there?

Thank you,

Kathryn Talarico