Sharing a Mac Printer

You can share any printer connected to you Mac with your Windows or Linux virtual machine. The printer will be available through the virtual machine's parallel port.

To share your Mac's printer:

1. Launch Parallels Desktop and open the virtual machine.
2. Open the Virtual Machine Configuration dialog by choosing Configure from the Virtual Machine menu. Make sure that the configuration includes a parallel port. If necessary, add it. See Adding a Parallel Port .
3. In the Parallel Port pane, make sure that the Enabled option is selected. Select Connected, if you want the printer to be automatically connected on the virtual machine startup.
4. Select the Printer option. You can choose a specific printer from the printers list or use the Default printer option if you want to use the default printer set in the primary OS.

   Click OK to close Virtual Machine Configuration.

5. Start the virtual machine.
6. In a Windows guest OS, if you have Parallels Tools installed, the HP Color LaserJet 8500 PS or Apple Color LW 12/660 PS printer is automatically connected to your virtual machine and you can use it at once. In a Linux guest OS or if you do not have Parallels Tools installed in your Windows guest OS, no matter what type of printer you have, install either the HP Color LaserJet 8500 PS, or Apple Color LW 12/660 PS printer driver and then follow the procedure of adding a printer in a guest OS described bellow.

Warning: Do not install the driver from the installation CD, supplied with your printer, in the virtual machine.

Adding a printer in a Windows guest operating system

To add a printer in a Windows guest OS:

1. Start the Windows virtual machine and log in as administrator.
2. Open the Windows Start menu, select Control Panel .
3. In the Control Panel window, select the Printers and Faxes (or Printers , or Printers and Other Hardware ) item.
4. Open the Add Printer wizard:
   • In Windows XP click the Add a printer link.
   • In Windows 95 /98 /NT /ME /2000 /2003 double-click the Add printer icon.
5. In the Add Printer wizard:
   • In Windows Vista:

     - click Add a local printer ,

     - select Use an existing port and click Next .

   • In Windows 2000 /XP /2003:

     - click Next in the wizard's first dialog,

     - in the Local or Network Printer dialog, click Local printer attached to this computer .

   • In Windows 98/ME:

     - click Next in the wizard's first dialog,

     - for the How is this printer attached to your computer? select the Local printer option.

   • In Windows 95/NT:

     - click Local printer .

6. Continue with the general installation procedure and install either HP Color LaserJet 8500 PS or Apple Color LW 12/660 PS driver.

Adding a printer in a Linux guest operating system

To add a printer in a Linux guest OS:

1. Start the Linux virtual machine and log in as administrator.
2. Open the /etc/printcap/ configuration file and click the Add option.
3. Select the type of printer to add: Local printer . Click Ok .
4. Printtool will attempt to detect any printers which are attached to your parallel port and will show you the results. Click Ok .
5. Specify the details about your printer, such as a name of the printer and its related spool directory, the location of the printer device and other options.
6. The Input Filter contains information about your specific printer and its formatting requirements. To add your printer's information, click Select . The Configure Filter dialog will open.
7. Choose the printer type: choose either HP Color LaserJet 8500 PS or Apple Color LW 12/660 PS driver. You can also set here other printing parameters. Click Ok .

Please send us your feedback on this help page