I have a brand new Samsung laptop using Win7/64 HP. I also have a Desktop running Vista SP2 HP/32 with a Canon IP4300 locally connected via USB cable. I setup sharing of files/folders/and the printer between the two using the appropriate tutorials to do this. All files and folders between the two work fine (read and write) both ways - so we know that the sharing is properly set up, and firewall are not the issue (we are not using 3rd party firewalls). the printer is specified as shared on the Vista PC and is known as \\pcname\Canon iP4300 When we tried to add the printer on the W7 lappie (add network printers) - we see \\pcname\Canon iP4300 and try to connect but fails as it says there is no driver. Incidentally the 64bit drivers for the ip4300 are native in Win7 so shouldn't need any download. So any way to be sure I connected the iP4300 locally to the W7 lappie via USB and installed 100% fine without the need for any driver download. I put the iP4300 back onto the Vista/32 PC and tried again with the same error, driver not found. I tried kidding it by adding the printer locally on the W7 lappie, and giving it a separate port address of \\pcname\Canon iP4300 but in this case it just said Acess Denied. So why is this? Is this a driver or network issue? Or both? Do I need the Win7/32 driver on the W7/64 lappie, and/or the Vista/64 driver on the Vista 32 pC? There must be others that have come across this issue before, and hopefully fixed it?

The adding of the Vispa 64 bit driver didn't work. (Incidentally contacted Canon about this - they washed their hands and pointed to Microsoft!). I'm beginning to doubt my own competance! Except to say I did a similar network setup today, adding a Samsung XP/32 lappie to a Windows 7/64 desktop, the latter also had a Canon printer attached (MP610) - went through without a hitch! I will try turning off both Windows firewalls - prepared to try anything! Would be surpised if the firewalls are doing this if we can share files/folders, but will need to eliminate any possible Windows firewall issue. We will also try un-installing the printer from the Visa/32 PC and re-installing (since we have added the Vista/64 driver) and then reset the sharing options. Any one else prepared to make any suggestions?

The adding of the Vispa 64 bit driver didn't work. (Incidentally contacted Canon about this - they washed their hands and pointed to Microsoft!). I'm beginning to doubt my own competance! Except to say I did a similar network setup today, adding a Samsung XP/32 lappie to a Windows 7/64 desktop, the latter also had a Canon printer attached (MP610) - went through without a hitch! I will try turning off both Windows firewalls - prepared to try anything! Would be surpised if the firewalls are doing this if we can share files/folders, but will need to eliminate any possible Windows firewall issue. We will also try un-installing the printer from the Visa/32 PC and re-installing (since we have added the Vista/64 driver) and then reset the sharing options. Mo one else prepared to make any suggestions?

Well we are really at a loss now. We tried uninstalling the printer from the Vista/32 system and reinstalling (after a reboot) - still same errors when trying to add a printer via the network to the Win7/64 PC. We also tried disabling the firewall on both machines and trying again, with exactly the same results. So as I say we are at a total loss as how to get this to work. HELP!!

Eurika! Fixed - but not a logical answer to this problem. So if you have a Vista hp/32 PC with a printer attached and you want to share this with a Win 7 hp/64 pc/laptop you need to download the Vista/64 printer drivers to the Win/64 PC - NOT the Vista/32 drivers as this doesn't work. Anyone understand the convoluted logic here, why Win7 isn't more helpfil here - my guess this is a bug in Win 7.