# Sharing Windows 7 Folders



## JPole (Dec 12, 2009)

I've been searching for a while to find an answer to this problem, but most of the information applies to older versions of Windows 7 (e.g. Beta release) and not the retail version.  I'm currently running a desktop with Windows 7 Home Premium and a MacBook Air with Snow Leopard (v10.6.2).

Previously I was running Windows XP and had shared folders that were visible from my network folder in OS X (cmd+K) and had no problem moving files back and forth.  Tried the same thing with Windows 7 and still cannot see any shared folders in OS X.  I've also tried this with and without using the Homegroup settings in Windows 7.

Any advice on how to access my shared folders via OS X?

Thanks!


----------



## OrganLeroy (Sep 12, 2010)

I'm having exactly the same problem as JPole. Our PC was previously running Windows XP, and I had no problem seeing a shared Windows folder on my Mac in the "Shared" section in the left column of any Finder window.

Now that the PC is running Windows 7, a similarly shared folder no longer appears in the Mac's Finder window.

The Mac is a MacBook Pro running OS X 10.6.4. Can anyone help with this?


----------



## OrganLeroy (Sep 12, 2010)

OrganLeroy said:


> I'm having exactly the same problem as JPole. Our PC was previously running Windows XP, and I had no problem seeing a shared Windows folder on my Mac in the "Shared" section in the left column of any Finder window.
> 
> Now that the PC is running Windows 7, a similarly shared folder no longer appears in the Mac's Finder window.
> 
> The Mac is a MacBook Pro running OS X 10.6.4. Can anyone help with this?


Here's an update.

I've been able to access shared folders on the PC by using the Finder's "Connect to Server" command. I don't really understand why my Mac can't automatically see the shared folders, since they don't require a login or password to view.

The main problem now is sharing the printer that's attached to the PC. When the PC was running Windows XP, using it via the Mac was no problem. A search online showed me that others are having this problem too. I did the following:

1. In "Print and Fax" system settings, I hit "+" to add a printer.
2. I clicked on the "Advanced" pane.
3. For "Type" I chose Windows.
4. For "URL" I entered the PC's name; the finished URL is smb://computername
5. For "Print Using" I clicked "Select Printer Software" and chose the Gimp-Print setting I'd previously installed to set up sharing on the Windows XP machine.
6. I clicked "Add".

The printer added to the printer list successfully. And now when I try to print a document, everything seems to work normally. The job appears in the print queue, then disappears from the queue and appears in the "completed jobs" list. However, nothing happens at the printer.

It appears that my Mac is successfully seeing the printer through the PC, and the printer or the PC is sending some sort of printing confirmation, but the job just isn't going to the printer.

The PC running Windows 7 can print with no problems. I'd sure appreciate any help with this.


----------



## OrganLeroy (Sep 12, 2010)

Aha. I figured it out.

The answer with Windows 7 is to add the printer via "LPD/LPR Host or Printer" instead of via "Windows".

So the steps to let your Mac print on a printer connected to a PC running Windows 7 are:

1. In "Print and Fax" system settings, hit "+" to add a printer.
2. Click on the "Advanced" pane. If this pane doesn't yet appear, control-click in the grey area, choose "Customize Toolbar", and drag the "Advanced" button into the toolbar.
3. For "Type", choose "LPD/LPR Host or Printer".
4. For "URL", enter the PC's IP address on your home network, followed by a slash, followed by the printer's name; the finished URL is lpd://IPADDRESS/PRINTERNAME
5. For "Print Using", click "Select Printer Software" and chose the Gimp-Print setting you previously installed to set up sharing on the Windows XP machine. If you don't yet have Gimp-Print installed, go to http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net/MacOSX.php for that software.
6. Click "Add".


----------



## MisterMe (Sep 12, 2010)

FWIW, *GIMP-Print* has been called *Gutenprint* for years now.


----------



## James cuck (Oct 18, 2010)

I got one problem: I don't have a password for my windows, so I can't type one during setup (after the connect to server step).

What to do?

For some my mac does not find my windows 7 machine.
Is there a network setting I need to have changed/checked.


Mac Software


----------



## Satcomer (Nov 5, 2010)

I cam across a Apple discussion that might solve Windows 7 Shared folders not appearing in 10.6.x. The discussion is at the Apple Discussion thread titles Snow Leopard 10.6.4 not showing Windows 7 Machines on Finder's Shared. It is a very possible fix for seeing Windows 7 Shared folders in 10.6.x.


----------



## Satcomer (Dec 1, 2010)

My link in the my last entry was wrong. The Apple Discussion link actually is here. 

Sorry for the mixup.


----------

