Network printer on virtual machine cannot be found

Have you try to add the printer via IP address?

The problem is that the PC has a dynamic IP address. the printer is configured into that

Instead of using NAT adapter, use your host adapter and assign the Guest an IP on your network. Add the Guest machine to your workgroup. File and Print Sharing on the Guest. That should do it.

Agreed.

Does your setting like the one in the link below?

http://www.mohundro.com/blog/2009/10/22/PingVPNEtcFromWindowsXPMode.aspx

After restarting XP mode, do a ipconfig /all > results.txt in command post and post back the content inside results.txt

The ipconfig results shall point to the same gateway of Win 7 host, but the shortcoming is that your XP mode OS will occupy one more internal IP address of your DHCP server.

How do I do this?

Change XP Mode Virtual Machine Settings

If you find that XP Mode is not running as fast as you would like, or you want to add more features, you need to tweak some settings in your Virtual PC settings for XP Mode. In order to change these settings you must first shut down XP Mode so that it is not in a hibernating state. To do this, click on the Ctrl+Alt+Del menu and then click the Shut down button on the screen that pops up.

When XP Mode has shut down, click on the Start Menu, select All Programs, scroll down to Windows Virtual PC, and then select the Windows Virtual PC icon. You should now see a list of your Virtual PCs, including Windows XP Mode. Right-click on Windows XP Mode and then select Settings. Now that Windows XP Mode is shut down, you can change the settings for your virtual machine.

Settings that you may want to consider changing to increase performance and reliability are:

    * Memory - If you find that your applications are running slowly, then you may want to bump this up so that your applications have access to more system memory.
    * Hard Disks - You are able to add 2 more hard disks to your Windows XP Mode. So if you need to add another drive to your Windows XP Mode, you can do so here. This will allow you to create a second disk on another physical drive in your computer to enhance performance.
    * Undo Disks - Undo disks allow you to create a base image of your Windows XP Mode installation and then save all changes into an undo disk. Then if you ever need to start over from your base image, you just go back into settings and discard the changes in your undo disk. The next time you start Windows XP Mode, you will be back at the base setup with all of the changes you have made discarded. I suggest that everyone turn this option on as it only increases the safety of your Windows XP Mode installation.

Once you have finished making your changes, simply click on the OK button to save the changes. When you next start Windows XP Mode, these settings will now be in effect.

Source: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial155.html

OK made the swtich on the NAT adapter to use the host adapter. But still not working

How do you make the change? Have you shut down XP mode first?

Besides, what change have you made? change to virtual host or the actual network adapter?

Furthermore, you need to change the XP mode to be in the same workgroup of the XP PC and restart the XP mode to take effect.

I really dont want to add the virtual machine to my network is there a way around access a printer on my network

You can install the shared printer in Windows 7 host and share it to the XP mode by "Change XP Mode Virtual Machine Settings".

The printer is installed and is shared on window 7 machine. I do not understand the rest of the comment. Please explain

In the Windows XP Mode – Windows Virtual PC Settings window, click on the setting labeled Integration Features. ...Printer – If you plan to print from within XP Mode, check this option. Using printer integration, XP Mode will treat your printer as if it were connected directly to it rather than to your physical PC. Most people find that integrating the printer is essential to get the most fromXP Mode...

Source: http://www.online-tech-tips.com/windows-7/enable-integration-features-for-an-xp-mode-virtual-machine/

Im short, you need to integrate XP mode with the Win 7 host. Besides, not all printer can be shared this way, you need to test them one by one.

Shut down XP mode before you change the integration feature. If it is successful, you will see the shared printer just like what you will see for a normal XP PC.

OK the printer checkbox and the enable at startup has always been checked in this process. I still can connect to my target printer.

In theory, YES. But, I have not tried that in my office win 7 pc.

OK nothing has changed at all. I still can;t see any printers after I changed then printer checkbox to checked rebooted the Virtual machine rebooted the Window 7 host machine and logged back in as administrator

As I mentioned before, there is limitation. Maybe xp mode can only access the directly attachd printer.

I do not have access to my work pc to test any worakaround now. Will try any workaround tmr.

jackieman: any more ideas on this issue. I was able to connect to the printer that was on my server. However the color printer that is being shared from a users PC is still a mystery on how to connect

Thanks

"the color printer that is being shared from a users PC is still a mystery on how to connect" - can you assign a static IP address for that user PC? If not, there is nothing that we can try.

Glad to know that you have found a workaround. Cheers!

I was able to find a workaround