Do I really need a new printer??

I just bought a new laptop (HP). Last year, I bought an HP printer for my PC. My PC runs on XP. The CD that came with the printer was to be installed on XP or Vista. Is there anyway that the printer will work with this laptop? Someone asked me to check with the printer's manufacturer about drivers... Any suggestion??

Thanks

 

That depends...You still have the PC? Do you have a home network? If so, do you connect to the network with this new laptop? I just got a new laptop too, which is running W7 and since I'm connected to the home network I can print anything out on my PC's printer, which runs on XP. If you're replacing the PC with the laptop then check with HP's website for upgrades in software for the driver & upgrades for W7.

 

You can use the printer with your new laptop (you didn't say but I'm guessing it came with Win 7).
Now as the other poster asks are you on a home network or is the laptop replacing the other PC? And is the printer connected to the PC or if you have a network is it a network-ready printer (has an Ethernet port a/o wireless)?

If you HAVE a home network and the printer IS NOT a network printer (it's connected to you PC), you can share it off the PC and you can install it on the laptop (in the Add Printer option). Win 7 should have a driver in it or will go to the web and get one.

So a little more info on your whole setup would be nice.

Sam

 

Yep, but it should work anyway, even if the printer does not have Win7 Drivers you can still use its basic functions, ie. printing and maybe scan with the generic drivers that some with Win7.

check out this Windows 7 Hardware Compatibility list.

 

Thanks for your replies, everyone.

The printer is an HP Photosmart C5580, with Bluetooth connectivity (but I never used that feature...) and is connected directly to the PC, which runs on Windows XP. The laptop (which runs on Windows 7) is not replacing the PC. I have not yet connected the PC and the laptop via a router...

Is that what everyone is suggesting that I do: connect the PC and the laptop via a router so I can use the printer to support the laptop also? By the way, I don't know if the printer is a "network-ready" printer....

 

I checked and no it is not a network ready printer. So yes if you connect PC and laptop to router, the C5580 can be shared through the PC so the laptop can print to it.

We have an older Epson inkjet (wife loves it) that isn't a network printer. So it's connected to one of the computers on our home network and is shared so all the computers can print to it. And our computers are a mix of XP and Windows 7.

Sam

 

Well, thanks so much for your awesome suggestion, Sam. I appreciate your advice. This forum is really cool!!

I am new to this forum, my twin brother - who has been playing with PCs for a while - is the one who suggested it to me. Have a great evening.