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Kathryn_Talaric
Contributor
Contributor

USB Printer problems in Windows XP

I installed the evaluation version of Fusion 1.0 the other day and installed Windows XP Pro.

I have a Kodak AiO 5100 printer that connects to my Mac (and laptop XP) via USB. It works fine on each of these separate systems.

In the virtual machine, I can't seem to print. The USB icon is lit (i.e. it's blue) and says that it's connected to the VM. The printer icon in Windows says that the printer is the default and that it's ready. The printer information says that it's connected to the virtual machine via USB. There are no other USB devices connected to the computer.

I try to print a test document from WordPad and the printer seems to begin to process the job, but then it stops and tells me that the print job is cancelled and to check to see if the printer is on. It's on.

I tried each of the USB ports separately (after quitting Windows and exiting the VM, so that there would be a clean start).

I installed all the drivers that came with the printer in the Windows machine (as was kindly suggested by Etung!). I didn't make any changes to the printer settings on the Mac side (i.e. no printer sharing).

I am becoming quite desperate since I am trying Fusion because I had the same problem with Parallels. Fusion at least tells me that it recognizes the printer.

There must be something very simple that I'm missing here, but I've been dealing with virtual machine problems since I got my Mac on July 31!

Any help would be very, very much appreciated.

Kathryn Talarico

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

Does the Windows Device Manager recognize your printer? What does it say?

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Kathryn_Talaric
Contributor
Contributor

Under Device Manager, USB Controllers, there are 6 entries (I tried the printer in each of the three USB ports on the computer with the same results I described, above):

1) Intel(R) 82371AB/EB PCI to USB Universal Host Controller

2) Standard Enhanced PCI to USB Host Controller

3) USB Composite Device

4) USB Printing Support

5) USB Root Hub

6) USB Root Hub

The printer says it's connected to USB Composite Device and that it's working properly. The Properties for this USB connection say Location: 0 (Kodak 5100 AiO).

Each of these devices say they are working properly. If the printer is supposed to be connected to the USB Printing Support device, I don't know how to find that connection, since, as I said, I tried all 3 ports on the Mac and had the same problem with the printer beginning to print and then saying it was not connected.

When I installed Windows XP I got all of the (81!) latest updates.

Under Printer Properties, for Port, the USB port is checked (Virtual port for USB) and the printer indicated is the Kodak.

At the very bottom of the VM screen, in the grey area where it says "to return to your computer...) there are four USB symbols. Three are grey and one is blue, giving me the choice to "Disconnect your Kodak 5100 AiO from this virtual machine."

Under the "Virtual Machine" menu bar, for USB, it tells me I can "disconnect Kodak 5100 AiO."

Why do I have the feeling I'm missing something very, very basic and that I'm going to have a "duh" moment?

Thank you for any assistance.

Kathryn

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BP9906
Expert
Expert

Have you tried to just leave it connected to OSX? Then just use Apple's Bonjour software to print to it?

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

Hmm, doesn't sound like you're doing anything wrong. Do the entries under the Device Manager in your native XP laptop look similar?

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

That's another possible solution, but it would be nice to figure out why USB isn't working.

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Kathryn_Talaric
Contributor
Contributor

All the devices on the tablet laptop (an HP) look the same (but there are more of them).

Is there something I need to look at on the Mac side of things concerning "sharing" under system preferences/network? Should the firewall be set up differently? I don't have anything at all checked under these items, fyi.

And finally, could this be problem with the Kodak printer, since it's such a new model? Only out for a few months?

Is there another device I might try to set up on the virtual machine to test out compatibility and readibility? My Palm, for example?

I came to the world of Macs on July 31 after using a Windows environment since the early 80's. I've reinstalled the OS on the Mac three times since July 31, tried Parallels, and now I'm trying Fusion. I know the new Leopard system will have X and BootCamp pre-installed, but I'm afraid I'm going to have the same problems all over again. When I was using Parallels, I didn't get as far in the printing process as I got with Fusion. It just printed one page of garbled nonsense, no matter what the length of the document was.

When I was on the Parallels forum, I was advised not to use Bonjour since all the drivers would start to get confused, since I had installed the printer as I just did with Fusion--the Kodak disk and direct internet connection for the latest drivers.

It would sure be nice to be able to start using my Mac and get some work done!

I appreciate all the help.

Kathryn

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Kathryn_Talaric
Contributor
Contributor

On a very positive note, however, one major difference I've seen with Fusion (compared to the competition) is that sometimes Windows (bless Microsoft's little heart...\!) wants to install updates upon shutdown. Fusion actually waits for the updates to finish at that point before completely shutting down! This was a big improvement over "the other guys."

Kathryn

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

Generally speaking, it would be useful to know if USB is working by testing another device. However, Palms can be weird - I'm told that some of them start off as one device, then morph to another once you connect.

It's possible the Kodak printer might be doing something we don't expect (especially since it's new; the iPhone is an example).

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Kathryn_Talaric
Contributor
Contributor

For what it may be worth, I just installed the software for my Palm and was able to perform a Hot Sync. The printer was, of course, unplugged.

The USB port recognized the device right away.

Kathryn

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Kathryn_Talaric
Contributor
Contributor

I just got off the phone with Kodak support and they said that the problem is one for VMware Fusion. They don't support any intermediary programs.

I'm going to see if I can borrow another USB printer from someone to try it.

Kathryn Talarico

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jpbn
Contributor
Contributor

I did use several different printers on VM fusion 2.0. (USB) VM does have problems to handle printers.

VM is not able to wake a printer from sleeping mode. I have to reset a printer to wake it up and after that VM sometimes will start printing.

Printers will change setting when restarting system. Printer are changed to off line (only for VM, same printer works fine in mac 10.5 on the same system)

Vm recognizes printers, printer tasks are visible, but printing yes or no is just a matter of good luck or bad day.

when i remove the printer from XP (config > printers) and try to reinstall the printer (using plug and play), XP does not find the printer, today a use Brtother HL 5270DN)

Same printer still works fine with OS 10.5 on same system.

VM has problems with printers, and I would like a solution. for it is using a lot of time to print with xp on vm fusion.

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