I can see the network printer (it's on an XP machine), even to its attributes but when I try to sign it in, I get a box that says Access Denied. I'm guessing it's a driver problem (i.e., where would the Vista machine get its driver from a printer that doesn't know about Vista), not permissions, but this is my first Vista machine. I'm trying to follow these instructions but don't know how to find out what the path is (7) to the printer is:

1.) Verify that File and print sharing is turned on and properly configured
on the XP machine.
2.) Open the the shared location of the printer (Shared Printers folder) on Win Xp from your Vista machine
3.) On the Vista machine launch the "Add a Printer" wizard
4.) Choose "Add a local printer"
5.) Select "Create a new port" radio button and choose "Local Port" from the
drop down menu
6.) Press Next
7.) In the "Enter Port Name:" box enter the shared folder path from 'Step 2'. (e.g. \\WinXP\PrinterSharedFolder)
8.) Select the Printer driver from the list provided or use the "Have Disk"
button to install the correct Vista driver if it is not in the built-in list.
It is critical that the driver you use is Vista compatible.
9.) Press next
10.) Give the printer a distinct name and choose whether to set as the
default.
11.) Press Next
12.) Print a test page to verify functionality.
13.) Press Finish

OR, maybe there is a better way. In any case, I appreciate your help...

When you see the shares on the xp pc, just double-click the shared printer. That will setup everything on the Vista pc.

I've come at it from a couple different angles. Just now I went through the Network path, found the computer the printer is on, found the printer (it's shared, it's talking to the entire network. But when I try to connect it says ACCESS DENIED. There's no recourse, no suggestions...there's nowhere to go.

Sounds like we've got the same problem...OK, everybody's welcome...maybe we can solve this problem...

DO you have a firewall running on the XP pc with the printer?

Good question, I did have AVG running. I erased it from the computer and I'm going to load up Avast! as I use it on several other machines on the net.

However, it didn't solve my problem. Plus, as a troubleshooting tool, I tried another XP notebook that I didn't have a printer set up on - I also could not get the printer setup on that notebook - I was getting the message "incorrect printer driver loaded onto the printer you are trying to access", so I loaded the newest HP driver on the network printer machine and it completely fixed everything up. I now went back to my notebook (XP) and tried again and the printer loaded right up.

I then went back to the Vista machine and tried again. You won't believe it but now the Vista machine can't see the printer. Saw it perfectly before. So I check Network Places and it can see every machine on the network perfectly EXCEPT the one with the printer. Do you ever feel as if the computer gods are just playing with us?/%^&*

I've done everything I can think of to get it to see that machine - it's got the first IP in the router pool...I could access files from it on the Vista machine until I changed the printer driver...I'm baffled!!

My next course of action is to take down the router and reboot everything...that ought to clean things up a bit anyway...

I not only rebooted the entire network but I reloaded the HP Printer Driver Suite before doing so.

After shutting every machine in the network down and bringing the system up modem first, then router, etc. I then tried to load the printer on the Vista machine. It still says ACCESS DENIED - I can see the printer, I even connected the printer directly to the Vista machine, downloaded the Vista drivers and got it working. But when I took it back off and tried it thru the network, I got the same Message after choosing the printer - Access Denied.

Help??

Try this:

First find out what your printer path is to the computer with the printer. \\ComputerName\PrinterName. Those two names are generally seen when you pick a shared printer for any print job, in the choice box for picking the default printer or the fax or some other local printer, etc. You will need that pathname

Next, download the driver executable file from your Printer Manufaturer's web site and save it. Then run this to get the drivers established onto your system...the software should instruct you to connect the printer at some point...sometimes you do need to have the printer connected beforehand...depends on the vendor. In any case, get the printer working connected directly to your computer.

Next, re-connect the printer to the original network computer and on the machine where you're going to Add the Printer from the network goto Printers and click on Add Printer. I know we already did it. Sometimes, even when you accomplish this next step, you still have to go and add the printer again thru the Add Printer > Add Network Printer routine, even though we're NOT going to do that at this step following...

When the dialog asks for Local or LAN connection, choose Local (even though it's a network printer) DESELECT Automatically detect and install my Plug and Play printer.

Hit Next and you will choose Create a new port and choose Local Port. If you see that the following box has your printer already on that port, you can come back and choose Use the following port and choose your printer. But, if not...

It will ask for the Port Name You should figure this out before starting the printer wizard but it's \\ComputerName\PrinterName.

If you've put the correct path name in that box, you will be given a choice of printers from which to choose. If you've already hooked up to the printer, the downloaded files will have been registered in the database and your printer will be there, even if it wasn't before.

Go thru the normal process of choosing drivers and downloading and then Finish and restart you computer. This process will override system processes that will not load the printer for various reasons and will even work when connecting a Vista machine to an XP network printer.

zeroth

Great post...that solved my problem...