Laptop with XP cant find Network Printer

Hey guys,

I have been trying for two days now to force this laptop to find my network printer, and all I have been able to accomplish is to find my other laptop on the network. I am at the end of patience, I have searched the web for an answer, and am now here. Is it possible that a virus has crippled its ability to see the printer? I removed norton and have Avast installed, which found several trojans and a few other viruses on the system, its running faster now. However no matter what I do, it will not find the Network printer.

Any help is much appriciated. not sure how to sum up what I have done. I disabled the firewall, have downloaded the proper drivers from HP, and I have made sure its on the network ect ect.. Should I post a Hijack log here just in case?
let me know
thanks
Silver

 

Hate to ask but did you enable file and print sharing?

 

yeah, I did that.. Ive done everything I know how to do and the system will not locate the printer. I can see all the other computers on my home network. I tried to share the printer from my main laptop, but that did not even work.. I have decided that the system has a gremlin, and is not fixable

 

First which operating system are you running? XP, Vista or 7.

I installed our HP laserjet (uses a external JetDirect box) on a computer I just built which is in our spare bedroom on our home network. Win 7 didn't find it when scanning for one, I had to put the IP address of the printer in and then it found it.

Sam

 

its Windows XP.. ive all but given up.. this old laptop is just refusing to find the printer.. no matter what I do.. oh well

 

Let's start from the beginning:

How is the printer connected to the network? I.E. does it have it's own print server built in, is it connected to a dedicated print server, or is it through another computer?

 

the printer is on a wireless connection through a linsys router, all computers in the house can connect but the problem laptop. The laptop is in use by my roomates wife and I have cleaned a series of trojans and viri from it. when you try and open the task manager, you get a box that shows you the info but thats all, you cant close it. Im about to just re-build the op system today. Unless you want to tackle this before this afternoon.. I like a good challenge as well, but sometimes its just as easy to blank it all out and start fresh

 

The only fully safe way to deal with Virii as you have said is to reinstall completely. However, MajorGeeks has a really great virus fighting team located here: http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=35407