Suddenly Win7 Guest Unable to Communicate with Printer

Discussions about using Windows guests in VirtualBox.
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codeslayer2010
Posts: 9
Joined: 17. Apr 2017, 15:57

Suddenly Win7 Guest Unable to Communicate with Printer

Post by codeslayer2010 »

Suddenly, I get this error when trying to print from Win7 guest:

"Unable to Communicate with Printer"
  • Host System: Windows 10 64-bit
  • Guest System: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
  • VirtualBox Version: 6.1.30 r148432 (Qt5.6.2)
- Can print from host system fine.
- Guest has full printer software installed for OfficeJet 8710

I believe that I have printed successfully from this guest before, but I can't be certain. It feels like it was printing fine months ago, and suddenly it is not working. I can't find the cause. In looking up this issue and finding nothing definitive, I did come across terms like 'nat router' and 'bridged networking'. I don't know anything about that stuff. If I had configured those settings at a previous time it would only have been as a result of following a tutorial. Otherwise, when it comes to networking I really am not the expert.

I'm a web developer but very novice when it comes to networking concepts. However, I can follow directions if you give me steps.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance!
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Suddenly Win7 Guest Unable to Communicate with Printer

Post by scottgus1 »

If you installed the printer in the host 10 OS at the beginning, then "shared" the printer in 10 and found the "shared printer" in the VM's 7 OS, it was likely over a VM network. See Virtualbox Networks: In Pictures. (Some folks use the USB Filters settings in Virtualbox to put the printer in the host or VM through USB without sharing. If this was what you were doing, please let us know.)

Such a network would need to have been Bridged or Host-Only. Let's take a look at what your VM is set for.

1. Right-click the VM in the main Virtualbox window's VM list, choose Show in Explorer/Finder/File Manager. Zip the VM's .vbox file (not the .vbox-prev file), and post the zip file, using the forum's Upload Attachment tab. (Configure your host OS to show all extensions if the folder that opens does not show a .vbox file.)

2. In both host and VM Windows OS's, open a command prompt and run ping 8.8.8.8. Post the command output. Label which is which.

3. In both host and VM Windows OS's, open a command prompt and run ipconfig /all. Post the command output. Label which is which.
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