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Printing from XP to 95 freezes computer?

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14 replies

by pbtoms

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I have a user with XP pro who prints to a shared printer on a Win95 computer. His secretary, who uses the 95 machine, is part time. When she is not here, he turns the computer on in order to print. It comes up to the logon screen, and when he tries to print, the 95 machine freezes, and the XP cannot find the printer. If we log on to the secretary's computer, it will find the printer, but he has said that printing to it even after it is logged on will sometimes cause it to freeze. Any ideas?

It is an HP 6p printer, with the XP driver installed, and the latest 95 driver on the 95 machine.

14 replies

by lizzy

For security reasons alone, the printer should be attached to the network directly or to the full time employee's pc. This way, the secretary's pc doesn't have to be logged into and unattended. I have a strong feeling that -mostly- he cannot printwhen just the logon screen is up and he hasn't logged in. This is not to say that the 95 pc doesn't have issues connecting to the network and maintaining the connection--another reason to put the printer on the network via a jet direct card or the like.

Connection problems over the network with Windows 95 and 98 machines are very common. Is the boss logging on to the secretary's pc with his own or the secretary's password? Does the boss have permission to log on more than once and at her pc?Are the proper protocols installed on both pc's and are there any unnecessary protocols installed? Is print sharing enabled?

HTH

Please post a comment with more information if possible. Thanks!

by lizzy

Since the passwords for the secretary are standardized and everyone knows them, why bother with passwords at all? I realize that's a little harsh, but by doing what they're doing, they have totally by-passed the reason passwords are instituted.

Yes, a jet direct can be connected to that printer, but as Anna says, it's expensive to say the least.

After seeing the other answers as well as your comments, it sounds like the best solution for you would be to purchase a low cost laser printer for the boss so he can leave the secretary alone and the secretary won't have to bother the boss when they bother to pay her to come in (part time).

Times are tough, but sometimes you gotta spend a little money to get what you want. Putting a separate printer in the bosses office will most assuredly eliminate a lot of headaches for you!

Wish I could have provided better help than this.

by pbtoms

Thanks for trying. FYI - the reason for the passwords is fairly simple. There are a few cases (i.e. Partners) where access is limited, but mostly everybody has access to everything. They didn't used to have passwords, until somebody came in to work after hours and found the cleaning crew playing on the computers! :-)

by cg it

I agree with answer # 1. Change the printer location from the Windows 95 machine to the network and have both pc's share it as a network resource or if that isn't workable, change it to the XP machine and have the Windows 95 machine share it from that machine.

by pbtoms

Direct network connection is not an option. We don't have the cabling for it, nor the budget for jetdirect cards, and I'm not even sure if the 6p will do it. We do have two big network printers, but this guy doesn't like to walk. :-) Security isn't a big issue, especially since the secretaries' passwords are all standardized, and everybody in the office has the same access rights to everything anyway. When he logs on to the secretary's computer, it is with her user name and password. There are no other connection issues, no extraneous protocols, sharing IS enabled (or else he wouldn't be able to print at all), and the drivers are the latest and greatest.
Hope this helps, somehow.

by ann777

I suggest you connect the printer to the full-time person's computer and have the secretary (part-time) on Win95, print to her supervisor's printer share, as she needs to.

Otherwise you are looking as some expense for either upgrading the secretary to WinXP or getting a Print server.

by pbtoms

The secretary uses the printer often, the attorney occasionally. Moving it into his office is not an option, partly due to frequency of use, and his need for privacy at times (clients in the office, etc.) Obviously putting the printer on the network, or upgrading the computer, or moving the printer would be a workaround, but I'm hoping to find a solution.

by henryreed

you will have to put the printer on the xp machine and leave that on all the time/ xp will not print to the 95 machine. and if it works it will later currupt itself after few tries or upgrade the 95 to 2000 pro or nt or xp

by pbtoms

We have other XP machines printing to 95 hosts. I have not seen anything anywhere that says it won't work that way, can you document it?

by pacalealaathotmail.c

use "AutoLogon" for the w95 machine
and
have the w95 computer and the printer "on"
all the time so the "boss" can print as much as he likes

hth

by pbtoms

I was hoping to find a reason that the machine HAD to be logged on, since others have worked without it, but it's not the end of the world to have it logged in... :-)

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