Another printer deleting itself.

[Alex]

I run Windows XP SP2 and have had a Canon PIXMA iP4200 connected and working
with no problems for about 2 years. Suddenly, about a month ago when I tried
to print something, I found that the printer had been deleted. System Restore
solved this problem. It started happening more and more often, and about a
week ago I found and downloaded an "optional" fix from MS Update, entitled
"Canon - Printers - iP4200." I thought that would solve my problem, but it
has continued and now occurs almost every time I start my computer (Dell
Dimension 8250).

When there's no printer being recognized and I click "add a printer" I get
an error message: "Operation could not be completed. The print spooler
service is not running."

When there is a printer recognized (after another tedious System Restore)
and I click "add a printer" I don't get the error message. But when I try to
reinstall the printer by using the original Canon software disk, it won't
proceed and just says "an updated version of this driver is already
installed."

Don't know what to try next. Any advice?

 

[Galen]

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message.

In

I run Windows XP SP2 and have had a Canon PIXMA iP4200 connected and
working
with no problems for about 2 years. Suddenly, about a month ago when I
tried
to print something, I found that the printer had been deleted. System
Restore
solved this problem. It started happening more and more often, and about
a
week ago I found and downloaded an "optional" fix from MS Update, entitled
"Canon - Printers - iP4200." I thought that would solve my problem, but it
has continued and now occurs almost every time I start my computer (Dell
Dimension 8250).

When there's no printer being recognized and I click "add a printer" I get
an error message: "Operation could not be completed. The print spooler
service is not running."

When there is a printer recognized (after another tedious System Restore)
and I click "add a printer" I don't get the error message. But when I try
to
reinstall the printer by using the original Canon software disk, it won't
proceed and just says "an updated version of this driver is already
installed."

Don't know what to try next. Any advice?

I'm not sure how beneficial this will be but...

Start
Run "services.msc" without the quotes
Enter

Check if the printer services are set to automatic and are running.

If they aren't then you can start them and set them to run automatically.

If they are running then the same process as above but run eventvwr.msc
(clear all the logs out to make it easier to find) and then try printing
something and seeing what is in your error log. Post that information here
and someone might know a fix.

--
Galen (Not Current MS-MVP)

My Geek Site: http://kgiii.info
Web Hosting: http://whathostingshould.be

"In solving a problem of this sort, the grand thing is to be able to reason
backwards. That is a very useful accomplishment, and a
very easy one, but people do not practise it much. In the every-day affairs
of life it is more useful to reason forwards, and so
the other comes to be neglected. There are fifty who can reason
synthetically for one who can reason analytically." - Sherlock
Holmes

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

I have an ip4200 attached to my husband's PC and it's never exhibited this
behavior.

It sounds like your drivers are corrupted.... try an uninstall and
reinstall:
http://www.coribright.com/windows/Article_One.htm

 

[Alex]

Thanks, Galen

I read both replies and the second one seemed more promising as it suggested
a practical solution.

 

[Alex]

Thanks Cari,

I think you solved my problem. Hope it doesn't repeat itself.

Your link was quite helpful until Step 6. For some reason Canon USA has no
driver download for my printer, but I found one on
http://software.canon-europe.com/ which I saved to my Desktop. Running it put
a "Canon" folder onto my desktop as well, but it never did auto start.

I re-opened Printers and Faxes and clicked Add A Printer. This time a Wizard
appeared and, after a couple attempts I directed it load the unzipped,
downloaded Canon folder software from my desktop, and the printer re-appeared
and is working fine. Hopefully, it won't disappear again.

Thanks very much!
Alex

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you!
--
Cari (MS-MVP) Printing & Imaging
www.coribright.com/windows

Thanks Cari,

I think you solved my problem. Hope it doesn't repeat itself.

Your link was quite helpful until Step 6. For some reason Canon USA has
no
driver download for my printer, but I found one on
http://software.canon-europe.com/ which I saved to my Desktop. Running it
put
a "Canon" folder onto my desktop as well, but it never did auto start.

I re-opened Printers and Faxes and clicked Add A Printer. This time a
Wizard
appeared and, after a couple attempts I directed it load the unzipped,
downloaded Canon folder software from my desktop, and the printer
re-appeared
and is working fine. Hopefully, it won't disappear again.

Thanks very much!
Alex

 

[Alex]

So far, so good. After 3 days in a row of staritng my computer and finding no
printer, this morning it was right there!

 

[Alex]

Arrgghh!! This morning, when I turned on my computer, the printer was once
again a no-show. So, System Restore, again. I'm at a loss...

Ant further thoughts would be greatly appreciated, but if you have no ideas,
please don't waste your time. You've already been more than quite helpful.

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

Two things come to mind... in Device Manager, check that the USB ports are
not set to 'sleep' to save power (which is the default), that might explain
why it goes missing, the other thing is simply changing the USB cable, but
you may already have done both of these.

Please let me know.
--
Cari (MS-MVP) Printing & Imaging
www.coribright.com/windows

Arrgghh!! This morning, when I turned on my computer, the printer was
once
again a no-show. So, System Restore, again. I'm at a loss...

Ant further thoughts would be greatly appreciated, but if you have no
ideas,
please don't waste your time. You've already been more than quite helpful.

 

[Alex]

The USB ports were indeed in the default "sleep" position. I unchecked those
and will see what happens upon re-start.

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

Still keeping my fingers crossed, but now I've asked the cats and poodle to
keep their paws crossed as well!
--
Cari (MS-MVP) Printing & Imaging
www.coribright.com/windows

The USB ports were indeed in the default "sleep" position. I unchecked
those
and will see what happens upon re-start.

 

[Alex]

No joy. The device driver "sleep mode" changes made no difference. But I
did notice your response to a more recent question about print spooler
problems. If you recall, in my very first note I said when there's no printer
regognized, I got that cryptic "print spooler not running" error message if I
simply clicked "Add a Printer." In your latest response you provide the same
link you gave me, but you stress "Use EVERY step. Omitting Step 4 means you
will be reinstalling the corrupted drivers."

Thinking back, I don't recall even seeing any drivers, after deleting the
printer in Step 3. I'll try this again when I have more time. Whatever
happens in Step 4, I suspect I'll still have to manually force the
installation as I mentioned before, since it didn't auto-start.

I'll let you know if anything helps, since my fallback is still System
Restore (which is a real drag to do EVERY DAY.)

Thanks again (really),
Alex

 

[Alex]

Hi again, Cari

Hate to keep bugging you, but you would seem to be my final hope. I've even
toyed with the idea of just trashing my printer and replacing it, since a new
printer with full ink tanks costs barely more than just replacing all the ink
tanks. But, I've got a real fear that the corrupted driver will keep me in
my same predicament, unless a different model printer will ingnore any old
corrupted drivers for my current printer.

I DID try to follow your instructions once again, step-by-step. Apparently
I must have skipped over Step 4 the first time around. BUT --- when I looked
in the Drivers tab and tried to remove the Canon iP4200 driver, I got the
following message: "Unable to remove Canon iP4200, Intel, Windows 200 or XP
driver. The specified printer driver is currently in use." FYI, my printer is
turned off, the USB is unplugged, and there's absolutely nothing in the queue.

At this point, I'm just stuck again since, heeding your warning regarding
Step 4, I figure it's useless to continue.

Any thoughts?

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

Try stopping the Spooler Service and see whether it will let you delete it
then. Don't forget to restart it afterwards (or a reboot should start it
automatically)
http://www.coribright.com/windows/Article_Nine.htm

If it makes you feel better, I'm currently adding a printer to my own
network, but the driver from Canon is downloading sooooo slowly, I'm afraid
I'll be asleep before it arrives. I could walk into the other room and pick
up the CD, but just in case it's a later driver, I decided to go to Canon's
website instead. I guess that was a really bad idea! I just treated myself
to a Canon imageProGraf ip6100. It's HUGE. The only thing it's printed up
until now is its test page. It took us about two hours to get it out of the
box, and two of us to carry it to its new location. Another hour to load
all 12 ink tanks... and sort itself out... and then about 20 minutes to find
out how to install the first roll of paper! My ip4300 and ip6700 are
definitely much quicker to work with!

 

[Alex]

Thanks for replying, YET AGAIN. I really appreciate it. Just a few points:

No, it doesn't make me feel any better that you're having problems of your
own -- my condolences.

Low and behold, this morning my printer decided to make an appearance, just
as it always did before my problems began. I'll just let sleeping dogs lie.
So I won't try any more fixes until the printer is, once again, a no show
(I'm just guessing -- tomorrow morning?).


I firmly believe there are gremlins inside my computer whose sole purpose is
to make my life miserable and waste an inordinate amount of my time trying to
fix things, rather than do something productive or entertaining -- which is
sort of the whole point of owning this thing and paying 50 bucks a month for
cable access.

For example, for about 3 years I've been living with the fact that, upon
starting or rebooting, my desktop display INVARIABLY shows up fine for about
15 seconds, goes black, and immediatley comes back with the color quality at
the minimum setting. Then, also invariably, if I just let it sit until the
screensaver takes over the display, I then move my mouse and it's fine again.
Otherwise, I have to go to Control Panel, Display, and reset color quality
back to maximum. I once had an "expert" in India remotely take control of my
computer, while I had him on the phone for (I kid you not) about 4 hours. I
watched as he did all the usual stuff of reloading the the ATI Radeon driver
directly from the manufacturer's website, etc, etc. Bottom line, it still
doesn't work and I've just learned to live with it. FYI, Dell's "experts"
suggested that I purge the entire operating system and reload from sctratch.
Fat chance I'd risk crashing the whole bloody thing to MAYBE fix a problem
which, given enough time upon reboot, fixes itself. Hope my rant didn't bore
you.

I'm no expert, like yourself, so most of the error messages I get may as
well be Greek, in which I'm not conversant. So, I added your website to my
"Favorites" so I can browse though any other "articles" as and when I'll no
doubt need them.

 

[Alex]

Hi Cari,

I take solace, but no satisfaction, in the realization that even experts
share my pain and frustration.

Your notes have been helpful, as well as humorous (in a "gallows" sort of
way).

You may hear from me again -- I'm sure my printer problems are far from
over. If you're not here, well, thank you very kindly for your patience and
assistance!

 

[Alex]

lUpon a routine re-boot, the printer vanished again so I figured I'd try
Article 9: "You can't find Command Prompt? It's in Start, Program Files,
Accessories. It brings up a windows of its own."

When I ckick Start, I find nothing like "Program Files" which would then
lead me to "Accessories." How do I get to where I can finally type the
command you suggest??

 

[Lem]

lUpon a routine re-boot, the printer vanished again so I figured I'd try
Article 9: "You can't find Command Prompt? It's in Start, Program Files,
Accessories. It brings up a windows of its own."

When I ckick Start, I find nothing like "Program Files" which would then
lead me to "Accessories." How do I get to where I can finally type the
command you suggest??

For "Program Files" read "All Programs". Or just click Start, then Run.
In the Run window, type "cmd.exe" (without quotes) and click OK.

--
Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm

 

[Alex]

Thanks Lem,

When the Command prompt window opens up, I get a couple of lines and a
blinking curser. Do I type in Cari's suggested -- net start spooler --
command right where the curser is blinking and then Enter?

The reason I ask is because since last night's vanishing act, my printer is
still here, so I haven't tried the command ---- but I'm sure I'll need to
next time.

 

[Lem]

Thanks Lem,

When the Command prompt window opens up, I get a couple of lines and a
blinking curser. Do I type in Cari's suggested -- net start spooler --
command right where the curser is blinking and then Enter?

Exactly.

When you're finished with the Command Prompt window, type "Exit"
(without quotes) and press Enter (or simply click on the X at the upper
right).

--
Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm