Windows 7 - Windows XP Home Network: Sharing HP Deskjet F380, Wireless Network

Asked By adam

17-Mar-10 08:22 AM

Hi:

I installed a HP Deskjet F380 on my daughter's Gateway desktop WinXP system.
Software and drivers were over 400 MB in size. Call this PC and printer the
Host. The Client PC, another Gateway desktop running WinXP, is linked to the
Host via a wireless connection. The Host PC is available on the Network and
the printer is visible. I want to allow printer sharing. I went through the
Add Printer Wizard  on the Client; Networked Printer; Browse; I see the Host
PC listed; Wizard asks for location of *INF file called "unknown".inf. I
point in the direction of this file and am told this file does not have the
driver needed. So, I go to the HOST computer. Control Panel, Printer and
Scanner, File, Server Properties, Drivers, select Deskjet 380 and record the
path C:\WINNT\System 32\SPOOL\drivers\W32x86\3. There is a driver file called
hpudl.dll. This file is copied to CLIENT PC desktop. I go through ADD Printer
Wizard again on Client PC. The driver file hpudl.dll is not an *inf file, let
alone the "unknown".inf file that is being requested, so the Wizard balks. It
does not make intuitive sense to install 400 MB of driver and software files
on the Client PC since the software is installed on the Host PC and the
printer works fine from there. What am I missing?? I cannot complete the Add
Printer Wizard on the Client PC because the *inf. file is not recognized or I
am not performing the installation correctly.

Thank you.

Adam

30-Mar-10 10:31 PM

The cannot find .inf file is an error indicating that windows does not
recognize the printer, due to lack of a proper driver package. Next the
380 is a multifunction printer. As a result of HP's bundling drivers and
software together, you may very well need to install the whole 400Meg or
so on any P/C that uses the printer.

In a few cases, the HP driver install package may have a custom option
that allows driver install without all the other software.

Generally, with multifunction devices, it is simpler to install the
device as a local device, perhaps using a USB port. Then when things
seem to be working, it is usually possible to redirect to a LAN port, or
a lan address that represents the P/C acting as the printer server.

HP Cannon, Epson, and Brother all do things a bit differently.