It seems like you are encountering an issue with sharing a network printer connected to an XP machine with a Windows Vista RC1 machine. The fact that the Lexmark 800 series printer is not directly supported by Vista might be causing the connectivity problem.
Here are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot and potentially resolve the issue:
1. Check Network Discovery and Sharing Settings:
- Ensure that Network Discovery and File Sharing are enabled on both the XP and Vista machines. This allows the computers to see each other on the network.
2. Firewall and Security Software:
- Make sure that any firewall or security software on both machines is not blocking printer sharing. You may need to configure firewall settings to allow printer sharing.
3. Driver Compatibility:
- Since the Lexmark 800 series printer is not directly supported by Vista, you may need to install the driver for the printer manually on the Vista machine.
- You can try installing the printer driver in compatibility mode. Right-click on the driver installer, go to Properties, then Compatibility tab, and select an earlier version of Windows like Windows XP.
4. Network Magic Software:
- While Network Magic 4 supports Vista, it may still have compatibility issues. You can try disabling Network Magic temporarily to see if it's causing any conflicts with printer sharing.
5. Printer Sharing Configuration:
- Check the printer sharing settings on the XP machine. Make sure that the printer is shared with the correct permissions for other devices on the network to access it.
6. Network Troubleshooting:
- Run Windows Vista's network troubleshooting tool to diagnose any network issues that might be preventing the Vista machine from seeing the shared printer.
7. Alternative Solutions:
- If the direct sharing doesn't work, you can also try setting up the printer as a network printer on the Vista machine by adding a new printer and selecting network printer option.
Try these steps to see if you can resolve the issue of the Vista machine not seeing the shared printer connected to the XP machine. If you encounter any specific errors or difficulties during these steps, feel free to provide more details for further assistance.
