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can it be done with or without VM? and if need VM can I include Linux Deb 12 as 3rd OS option? I have newer laptop to merge all on. all 3 laptops are Lenovo Thinkpads. winxp 32bit on a T61, win7 64bit on W500 both share same dock station with BU HDD in it. I want to merge all to a W520 and its PSU is not compatable with the older Dock. I have several printers etc that can only run on the winXP 32bit OS and some apps and browsing need the Win7 64 bit. WONT EVER reinstall/use any MS OS newer than win7 again so trying to migrate to Linux Deb 12 and put the Ultrabay HDD from dock in the W520 ultrabay. need help here as my 2 IT sons are not helping. I also have fresh 256gb thumb drive for rescue apps and OS to install on for when needed. all hard drives are 1-2 tb HDD/SSD that Im merging to and max ram.

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  • It's impossible to use 32-bit device drivers on a 64-bit version of Windows. If the printer does not have a 64-bit driver, then that driver CANNOT be installed on a 64-bit version of Windows. Which means the only way to install that driver is within a VM connected to your network.
    – Ramhound
    Commented Jan 5 at 16:10
  • (...) my 2 IT sons are not helping... Aren't they, really, or you aren't listening when they recommend NOT to use obsolete and unsupported OSes online?
    – ChanganAuto
    Commented Jan 5 at 21:40

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What printer? I am running all my old printers as "generic" printers now. Postscript, PCL and text are all truly generic -- you can use any printer driver to print with any printer -- and color and double-siding are generally partly generic -- you can use the generic printer driver from the same company

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  • Generally true, but a generic driver won't always allow access to a printer's more advanced features. Just been down this road with an HP 1320. Windows has once or twice decided to replace the HP driver with its own generic PCL driver and away go a bunch of nice (not vital but nice) features.
    – Steve Rindsberg
    Commented Jan 5 at 1:46
  • I'm using the "Generic HP" driver for my HP printer now, and a "Generic Canon" driver for my Canon printer. I had to search for the Win7 compatible Generic Canon driver, because it's not their current version.
    – user165568
    Commented Jan 5 at 22:48
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You can do as above or you can use a VM. I have an XP VM that will print on my network HP printer. It works.

I start XP only rarely because it is so insecure.

To your question however, XP printing works in a VM. So also will Windows 7.

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