File and printer sharing problem

[painterh]

Hello again everyone;
I am not sure what happened, (dont you just love it when someone starts out with this statement?), but somewhere along the line I have lost the ability to share files, and/or printers between my Ultimate box over my Windows home network. Let me clarify. I have a dual boot config with XP and Ultimate 1.8 x64. I also have a Windows home network which includes my wife's computer (running XP only), and my daughter's XP box, and I also have an old laptop which I dual boot XP and Ultimate 1.8 32bit. These computers share a connection using a netgear router, and I have been having trouble accessing my printer (located on my wife's XP box. I used to be able to brouse folders on my wife's computer and even move files from hers to mine. I could print anytime I wanted just as if it were another window machine, really easy. Now for some reason I can not only not print on my Ultimate box, but I cannot even see the other computers in network folder. I have always had a little trouble understanding this whole file and printer sharing thing. I don't know where to begin to sort it out. I have looked at countless posts/tutorials on ubuntu forums, but I am now more confused than ever. If anyone has a little time to help an old guy trying to enjoy this great operating system, that would be great. Thanks in advance for anyone's help.

[DaddyX3]

Well, sorry to inform you of this (""dont you just love it when someone starts out with this statement?"")- [rant]I have been having the same problem at work lately. I have 64-bit installed as well and have the same sinario as you do with the netgear router/ XP machine with printer attached and so forth. I've been banging my head against the monitor now all day long!!!! I'm freak'n pi$$ed about it too! I just got it all dialed in (recently bought a new industrial/ commercial Canon copier/scaner/ printer) and had to tweak the drivers a little to get it all happy with the network printing off a XP machine. Now I come in this morning and bam! NO GO!!! I was pretty much ruined all day over it. Thought that I might actually have hardware issues or something. Now by the looks of your post I would have to say that it was prob. a recent update that took us both out! I swear I would shut off all automatic updates if it weren't for the fact that I do use the internet from my computers!
----------------------------[rant/]---------------------------------
OK, now let try what I've tried today to see if it helps you at all.....
Firstly, what are you using to run the printer on your wifes/daughters printer(s)? Are you specifying to use 'Windows printer via SAMBA' or 'LPD/LPR Host or Printer'????
I found that using LPD/LPR Host or Printer worked for me at the office, but you'll have to go into 'Control Panel' on your wifes computer and 'Add/Remove Programs'>>'Windows components' then when the list comes up you go to Networking and Printing and double-click it. This should show up as only one thing to install>>> install it (you don't need the disc). When its done Go back to your Ultimate Edition install and go to System>>Administration>>Printing and then 'Add Printer' Then go down to "LPD/LPR Host or Printer' and then enter your wifes IP address on the network. There are a few ways to check this, but I'll just tell you to run back to your wifes computer and go to 'Start' >> 'Run' then enter 'cmd' and then enter. This should bring up a terminal window. Now enter 'ipconfig' this will spit out your wifes IP adress. Write it down and then enter that IP into the 'Host' spot in your adding a printer dialog box and then enter your wifes/daughters printer share name in the 'Queue' spot right below it. Then click forward/next and find your software driver for the printer and save/exit the dialog box then click 'print test page' and see if your happy now. If your not, then your in the same boat as I am and I think we got ripped off by an update Either way, post back your results and or findings if you find a cure for the disease.

[painterh]

Thanks DaddyX3.
I will give that a whirl in a little while when my wife goes to work on her night shift. She works all night (12 hrs.) as a caregiver for alzhiemers patients, and she does graphics as a hobby when she's not working, so I'm not going to interfere with her hobby time trying to sort out my problem. I understand exactly what you are suggesting as a solution, and I can see how it could work. I don't if something got updated in a recent update, or what, but it really chaps my hide something that's working just quits for no apparent reason. I hope it helps. I will post later and let you know if it worked. It sounds like that might be a good workaround for printer sharing, but what about file sharing between my computers? I'll get back to you. Cheers
painterh

[painterh]

I forgot to mention in answer to your question, I have been using Samba. I have never tried the method you mentioned, but i'll gladly give it a try. Cheers

[DaddyX3]

I forgot to mention in answer to your question, I have been using Samba. I have never tried the method you mentioned, but i'll gladly give it a try. Cheers

Well, as far as file sharing goes, I don't think this is going to help you at all But it might get your printing problem fixed for a while.
I agree with you 100% on the "chaps my hide" statement!!! I feel the exact same way I was not very pleased today when I had to deal with this crap at work!!! It was just freak'n working yesterday!
---btw, I have passed through Pasco a couple times a year on my way North to visit my Dad and my Brother. Last I was there was in mid-July last year and it was hotter than two hells there! Met a very nice lady that worked a gas station there though and she was very courious and polite, so it made my overall experience a nice one there. Keep me posted on your issue and I'll keep you posted on my end when I get this thing settled tomorrow. I already removed/ reinstalled cupsys and all the others that involve printer drivers. Tomorrow I think I will wipe SAMBA and its counterparts and see if that helps. If not, I have been pre-paired by keeping a backup copy of my system that I created with remastersys. So I can install and be back very close to where I left off. Being a dual boot it makes it pretty easy to store stuff on my VISTA partition also (when needed).

[painterh]

Daddyx3
Yeah, it sure can be hot here in the summer. We've had it pretty cool this year for some reason (mid 90s). I just got back to the computer, and am going to try what you suggested. If you hear anything new about the networking/file sharing thing, pass it on. Could it possibly have anything to do with ubuntu's built in firewall? Anyway, going to try that setup now and I'll post back. Cheers

[painterh]

DaddyX3
You're the man,(Not to be confused with Mahn). That worked like a charm for printing. You are right, though, it didn't help with file sharing. At any rate, that's means were batting .500. Maybe someone will make a post here or over on Ubuntu forums about what happened, and what the fix is for file sharing. Thanks a million for the workaround for printing. Have a great evening!!

[ixnod]

I am Glad that DaddyX's solution worked for you. I know that vista had an update today. Maybe XP had one also... in my home configuration, my computer is hooked directly into my router so is always networked on. and I just logged onto my router to get the client list and configure it from there ( HP photosmart C5140 All in-one) it has an Ethernet port in the rear which may explain why its going into the router.

[SaddleTramp]

DaddyX3
You're the man,(Not to be confused with Mahn). That worked like a charm for printing. You are right, though, it didn't help with file sharing. At any rate, that's means were batting .500. Maybe someone will make a post here or over on Ubuntu forums about what happened, and what the fix is for file sharing. Thanks a million for the workaround for printing. Have a great evening!!

Glad you got that part back up Here's some things I've come across on sharing files:

http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/osrc/a ... Part+1.htm

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=202605

Hope somethin' there helps ya

[painterh]

Hey there Saddletramp;
Thanks for the links, I will check them out. I bookmarked them for now. I had the strangest thing upon boot-up this morning. After I selected ubuntu from my grub menu and it started to load, I got a message saying it was going to check my linux hard drive due to errors that were found. After the check was completed, I finished booting into 1.8 but was greeted with a message that I was running out of disk space on sdb1(my linux drive).
This, in itself, is very strange because I should have plenty of space available on this 160 gig drive. I immediately started up "quickstart" and ran a cleanup of all unnecessary files. A quick check of "my computer" properties shows only 1.7 gigs free space on this drive. I don't know whats going on. Also, I ran apt-get remove --purge samba, so I could start fresh in case my samba config file was screwed up. When I went to my wife's Windows XP computer connected to same router, it showed my computer as "CAD Architects, Stockholm, East 32st, 34th fl., [Samba 24]". My computer has never been listed by that name before. Something very strange is going on.