Install usb printer on guest if has no driver for host

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Windows hosts.
Post Reply
Whitebase
Posts: 2
Joined: 24. Nov 2022, 17:21

Install usb printer on guest if has no driver for host

Post by Whitebase »

Hi, is possibile to install a old usb printer on Windows XP Guest if there are no drivers available on Windows 11 Host (windows 11 has the device marked as unknow) or in this scenario is not possible to pass the device from host to guest?
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Install usb printer on guest if has no driver for host

Post by scottgus1 »

Yes, it is possible, but time will tell if your particular printer will work. Multi-function printers with scanner/fax built-in might have issues.

Carefully go through USB basics and troubleshooting. If you finish all the steps 1-7 and cannot get your USB device into the guest OS, carefully post the outputs of the commands in step 8 as text, not screenshots. Zip and post the logs step 8 call for, using the forum's Upload Attachment tab.
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Install usb printer on guest if has no driver for host

Post by mpack »

Every PC (virtual or not) requires its own printer driver if it wants to use that printer.

So yes, if you have an XP driver then XP can use the printer. But the Win11 host still can't use the printer without a driver: it simply has no idea how to prepare a page.
Whitebase
Posts: 2
Joined: 24. Nov 2022, 17:21

Re: Install usb printer on guest if has no driver for host

Post by Whitebase »

mpack wrote:Every PC (virtual or not) requires its own printer driver if it wants to use that printer.

So yes, if you have an XP driver then XP can use the printer. But the Win11 host still can't use the printer without a driver: it simply has no idea how to prepare a page.
Is fine for me: i'm interested only to print with this particular old printer in guest operating system (Windows XP), i don't need to print also with host.
Post Reply