After installing Vista on my PC I ran into the problem of not being able to connect a network printer. Vista refused to install the right drivers for my HP Laserjet. A XP Prof PC has a printer attached that all other computers running XP or linux are able to access. While Vista PCs that attempt to connect to this printer get the 'access denied' error, even though file sharing otherwise works. Here is what others suggested to do (original thread here: http://www.vista64.net/forums/showthread.php?p=105192). 1. Add the printer driver on the Vista PC, using control panel/printers/add printer/local printer. Vista had the driver for the printer in its table of selectable printer drivers. I chose LPT1 as the local port even though the PC in question doesn't even have LPT1 active in the BIOS. 2. After installing the driver, DON'T go back to the 'add printer wizard' and try to add a network printer again - you'll get the same 'access denied' error. Instead select (right click) the newly installed printer, choose properties, ports, add port. Then manually add a new Local Port with: \\computer_name\shared_printer_name as the port name. In my case, the port name for the printer on my XP Home PC is \\superqin\default 3. Make sure you select this newly created port as the active port for the printer. 4. Print some pages!
