windows 7 host can't use the guest (XP) printer?

[garylogan]

hello I've got Windows 7 as my host and Windows XP as my guest.
My printer is a Lexmark x85, which has no drivers available in Windows 7.
I have installed this printer inside the guest and it will print from within guest.
I would like to access this printer from host if possible.
If I configure the VB to Host-Only adapter, I am able to ping the guest (from host). It won't ping in NAT mode. Bridged adapter mode will not even boot up VB, I get this error: Interface ('VirtualBox Host-Only Ethernet Adapter') is not a Bridged Adapter. interface (VERR_INTERNAL_ERROR).
I have enabled printer sharing within guest, and tried adding a network printer in host several times but it just doesn't see it.
Maybe it just can't be done yet but any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Perryg]

Windows 7 beta & Release Candidate is a development OS and not supported by the community (us volunteers/mods) directly. Because it's still in development, changes can be made at the last moment, which could cause to render all support done in previous versions useless and possibly cause serious issues.

That being said, you will need to get the network working first and then use network printing to be able to do this since as you say Win 7RC does not have the drivers and neither does Lexmark. You should be able to use the bridged network but here again I have only been using Win 7 as guest. You must use the Intel adapter in VBox as well so check that out.

[swanny999]

Maybe it's just a Win7 thing. I have the converse problem XP host Win7 guest. HPC6380 wirelessly networked. I can print from host and other guest VMs. Win7VM sees the printer and installs it but fails at the test print stage. I can use webscan via a browser from Win7VM and the scanner bursts into life and scans OK.
My conclusion so far after several attempts is that Win7RC is not yet there in the context I'm trying it out.

[garylogan]

thanks for the responses. I did finally get win7 RC to recognize the printer, but then it asked me for the Lexmark drivers..."you got to be kidding" I thought. (2 hours of random configuring to achieve it:D )
If I had them, I wouldn't be running a virtual XP printer! I just figured if the guest had the driver why would the host need them?
I am quite new to networking and such (that could be part of the problem!), but I have a suspicion that there's some inconsistencies in the win7 network menus. There wasn't alot of logic to it that I could see.
It was like rolling dice and towards the end, my "control panel" went blank and needed a restart.
I will hold off on this endeavor until they get stuff finalized.

[ETMegabyte]

thanks for the responses. I did finally get win7 RC to recognize the printer, but then it asked me for the Lexmark drivers..."you got to be kidding" I thought. (2 hours of random configuring to achieve it:D )

Windows has always been like that. Even when connecting to a network printer, windows wants the driver for that printer or it will not work...

Suggestion for the short-term... There are a number of "PDF Printers" available. it's a piece of software that looks to the OS like a regular printer, but actually prints to a PDF file. You could install one of these PDF printers in your Win7 machine (like I do), and then go to your guest and print the PDF file.

The PDF Printer I use, FinePrint PDF Factory, is one that I bought because I don't typically print anything out to paper and I could justify the $50, but there are free PDF printers out there. A quick google search of "Free PDF Printer" brought up a number of them. One of which is "Primo PDF"... I'd try that and see if it works. If it doesn't, you can try PDF Factory. They have a free version that prints a small banner on the PDF page, but it'd be enough to test proof-of-concept... And I can tell you that PDF Factory, at least, DOES work in Win7 RC...

-ET