How to print from a virtual machine in Virtual PC 2004

This step-by-step article describes how to print by using a program that is running on a virtual machine in Microsoft Virtual PC 2004.

Printers for a virtual machine

Virtual PC 2004 supports printers that are connected to the physical computer's parallel port (LPT1) and printers that are shared on a network. If a printer is connected to the LPT1 port on the physical computer, Virtual PC can use the port. After the port is captured, the operating system and programs that are running on the virtual machine can access the connected printer.

Virtual machines can use network printers if the virtual machines are configured to access the network. After the virtual machine has network access, the operating system and the programs that are running on the virtual machine can access the networked printer. You can set up a networked printer for a virtual machine the same way that you set up a networked printer for a physical computer.

NoteVirtual PC 2004 does not support universal serial bus (USB) connections. For printers that have USB connections only, you can share the printer on a network.

Print from a virtual machine

To print by using a program that is running on a virtual machine, use any one of the following methods.

Install a network printer

Install your physical computer's printer (or other network printer) as a network printer on your virtual machine. To install a network printer on a virtual machine, follow these steps:

1. Make sure the Networking setting for your virtual machine is not set to None. To do so, follow these steps:
   1. Shut down the virtual machine.
   2. In the Virtual PC window, click the virtual machine that you want to check, and then click Settings.
   3. Click Networking, and then verify that None is not selected.
      
      For more information about the Shared Networking (NAT) and the Virtual Switch settings, see the "Networking" topic in Virtual PC Help. To do so, click Help, and then click Virtual PC Help.
2. Share the printer on your physical computer or a different computer on your network.
   1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Printers and Faxes.
   2. Right-click the printer that you want to share, and then click Sharing.
   3. The options that you see on the Sharing tab differ, depending on whether sharing is enabled on your computer.
      • If you see text that states that printer sharing must be turned on, run the Network Setup Wizard. To do so, click the Sharing tab, click Network Setup Wizard, and then follow the instructions that appear on the screen. When sharing is enabled, start this procedure again.
      • If you see options for sharing or not sharing the printer, go to the next step.
   4. On the Sharing tab, click Share this printer, and then type a share name for the shared printer.
   5. Click OK, or if you have installed additional drivers, click Close.
   For additional information about sharing printers, see the "Printing" topic in Windows help.
3. Install the printer as a network printer on your virtual machine. To do so, follow these steps:
   1. Open Printers and Faxes, and then click Add a Printer.
   2. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to install a network printer.

Use the LPT1 setting in Virtual PC

If you have a printer that is installed on the parallel port of your physical computer, associate the emulated port on the virtual machine with a parallel port on the physical computer, and then print from the virtual machine to your printer.

To configure the LPT1 port for a virtual machine, follow these steps:

1. Shut down the virtual machine.
   
   NoteSome settings for the virtual machine cannot be changed while the virtual machine is running or in a saved state.
2. In the Virtual PC Console window, click the virtual machine that you want to check, and then click Settings.
3. In the Settings dialog box, click LPT1.
4. Under LPT1, click Physical parallel port, and then click the name of the port in the list.
   
   Notes You can only use LPT1 on the host as a physical parallel port.

When you start the virtual machine, it tries to capture the parallel port of the physical computer. If the parallel port is already captured, the virtual machine cannot capture it. If the virtual machine captures the parallel port, the parallel port is not released to the physical computer, and the parallel port is not available to any other virtual machine until you shut down the virtual machine.