PC Fax 64 bit server 32 bit client

[Dark Helmet]

Good day gentlemen,

Machine is a MX3100

I have a customer running 2008 server 64 bit. As you all know the PC fax driver has to be installed with a .exe file. No INF file is provided in the package for a manual install.

This makes it kind of tricky when trying to add "Additional Drivers" in the advanced tab for x86 clients. You can't installed the 32 bit version of PC fax on a 64 bit system as windows will not allow it. It throws you a error saying it's the wrong version.

The client had a 2003 box with 32 bit and they shared out their PC fax and printer drivers from the server. When they migrated to 2008 they installed the 64 bit drivers then they were able to install the 32 bit print drivers because a INF file is provided and they were able to add it in additional drivers.

Any body have any ideas on this?

[wtroll]

Hi,
go to E-Support Seite Sharp Electronics
Choose your language clicking on the flag.
Click on DRIVER and than on COPIER/MFD.
Choose WIN2008 SERVER x64 EDITION and ALL EMULATIONS.
Insert MX-3100 in model search field.
Now you can find the correct PcFax driver for Win Server 2008 x64 (29.62MB - 06.10.2009).
Good luck!

[Dark Helmet]

Thanks for the suggestion WT

Customer called back and said that driver would not even install. Any other idea's out there?

[wtroll]

What kind of error/message appear?
Are you sure that customer has downloaded the correct driver version?

[Dark Helmet]

It won't auto detect the MFP, they specify the IP address but it still did not find it.

[wtroll]

Ok,
I think It's not a driver problem.
Open DOS prompt from the server and try to ping the MFP IP address.
If you have response, check and temporally disable any antivirus and firewall, than retry to launch driver setup.

[Chad Cadran]

Here is the solution if anyone is interested, very odd instructions but they are direct from sharp and work. I am now deploying 32bit fax print drivers from an 64bit Windows Server 2008 R2 print server.

To be performed at the 64 bit Print Server

1. Run the PCFAX driver GUI based installation
2. Share the printer from step 1

---

To be performed at a 32 bit administrative workstation

Note: This 32 bit workstation may be Windows 7, Vista, or Server 2008.

1. Run the PCFAX driver GUI based installation4. Export printers to a file using the Print Management Console MMC
   
   Note:If possible try to perform step 4 on a clean system with only the PCFAX printer and driver installed and no other printers or drivers on the system. You can use the Print Management Console MMC to backup the current printers and restore later if you decide to delete other printers and drivers. (I DID NOT DO THIS STEP.....)
   
   
2. Import printers from a file onto the 64 bit print server using the Print Management Console MMC

Note: If you wish to perform step 5 using the MMC at the administrative workstation, make sure you are logged in with credentials which have administrative rights over the remote 64 bit print server. Procedure is complete, you should be able to perform point and print functions on the 2008 64 bit print server from 32 bit workstations (Windows 7, Vista, and XP).

[Dark Helmet]

Requirements for Print Management

Here are some important notes about the requirements for Print Management and the print servers that you can monitor using Print Management:

• You can install Print Management only on computers running Windows Server 2003 R2.
  

So your on a 32 bit client, open MMC and connect to the servers console and then point back to the client and extract it's printers and then import the generated file back into the server?

[Chad Cadran]

I guess you could do it that way. I did it on a Windows 7 32bit client, installed the Sharp Fax Drivers and because Windows 7 has MMC Print Console, I was able to extract the printers into a .CAB file, (printer migration file.) Import that into your Windows Server 2008 x64bit print server and it will provide you with 32bit drivers for your XP clients.

[Dark Helmet]

Thanks Chad, ill give it a try. My work PC is XP and it does not have that snap in.

[Chad Cadran]

Yea, mine all are too. I had to use VMWARE Workstation and Deploy a Windows 7 install to get the .CAB file to install the printer. Way To Go Sharp!

[cmgolf]

upload 32 bit driver to 64 bit server

Back in the NT days, I used to upload win2k drivers to NT using this method. it works for uploading 32 bit drivers to a 64 bit server and vice versa.

Add the 64 bit driver to the server

Browse network to the 64 bit server ( or you can get there from the Run command:
\\ServerName)
Double-click on printers and faxes folder
Right click on desired printer and select sharing
Click on additional drivers
Check box next to Windows XP x86
The 32 bit driver will be uploaded to the server
You can now download it from the server. (delete the printer from the client workstation used in these instructions and then re-add it from the server share)