Mac Printers Don't Show Up in Windows XP Guest

[ClintR]

I have a Windows XP (service pack 3) VM running under Fusion 5.0.4 on an iMac (stock 20" mid-2007) running Mac OS X 10.8.5. Fusion is set to share the Mac's printers, but none of the three printers set up on the iMac show up in Windows. The Mac has no problems printing to any of the three printers. All three printers are networked via gigabit Ethernet. The Windows VM has no problems accessing other network resources (i.e. fileshares and the internet). Another similarly configured iMac & Fusion VM on the same network has the same printers set up and works as expected (the printers show up in Windows and can be printed to from any Windows application).

I've already gone through all the steps listed here with no success:

VMware KB: Troubleshooting printer connection issues in VMware Fusion

Other than the iMac's printers not showing up, the Windows VM appears to be operating normally. What else can I try to get the iMac's printers working in Windows?

Thanks!

[Coach300]

Disclaimer: I am using Fusion 6 so the steps I am using, which may be identical in 5 as those in place for 6, may not be necessarily identical (although I haven't noticed any real menu item differences).

What I've done was bring up the USB settings for the VM (Virtual Machine Menu > Settings… item) and click on the USB & Bluetooth pane.

If the printer is already powered on and is recognized by the Mac, unplug it for ten seconds, then reconnect it and see if you get the dialog asking you which operating system to connect that printer. If the printer connects to the Mac only and you don't get that dialog, refer to the above USB & Bluetooth pane. I have seen printers connected to the machine listed and have clicked on the checkbox to the left of the printer and forced Fusion to connect the printer to Windows.

The above dialog has the option "remember this setting and do not ask again" (paraphrased). Never check that one for a printer that will see service on both your guest OS and OS X. If you checked that box one time, the checkbook in the USB & Bluetooth pane could get past that and allow you to connect that printer to the OS on demand.

[ClintR]

None of the iMac's printers connect via USB. They are all networked via gigabit Ethernet. They don't appear in Fusion's USB & Bluetooth pane at all.

[Coach300]

That's a big oops. I tried to get in a reply, looking at threads late at night and overlooked the networking portion.

[ColoradoMarmot]

Do those printers even have XP support?  If so, you can just install the print drivers directly in the VM and go over the network instead of via Fusion.

[ClintR]

Yes, the printers do have XP support, and I could install the drivers and print directly from Windows as a workaround. The downside to this is it doubles my admin time. Any changes to printers on the iMac have to be made in Windows as well, instead of just making them once on the iMac. Also, since printer sharing works on another Windows XP VM to the same printers, I would prefer to solve the problem instead of working around it.