Hi Engel
After opening and R. clicking properties in the 'my computer icon', the
Hardware & Device manager section isn't showing any Yellow or Red in the
ports section?
What i mean by the printer not showing in the control panel, is that it
isn't showing in my printers & faxes section. It is obviously still present
on my pc though (start up menu + add or remove programs) and is possibly
something to do with the following?
quote from 'Help & Support section'
Are you using a printer driver that is compatible with Windows XP?
Important
The following procedure might require you to restart your computer, which
will close this troubleshooter. If possible, view this troubleshooter on
another computer while you perform the steps on the computer you are
troubleshooting. If no other computer is available, write down the
instructions on this page before you restart your computer.
After your computer restarts, reopen this troubleshooter and answer each
question as you answered it initially. When you reach this page again, answer
the question at the bottom, and then click Next.
If you cannot install your printer, it might be because you are trying to
use a printer driver that is not compatible with Windows XP. For example, the
drivers that were created for Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Millennium
Edition (Me) are not compatible with Windows XP.
When you install your printer, try using one of the printer drivers that
comes with Windows XP.
First, make sure that you do not have any old printer drivers installed, and
then use the Add Printer Wizard to install a Windows XP driver.
To remove old printer drivers
Click Start, click Control Panel, click Printers and Other Hardware, and
then click Printers and Faxes.
If an icon for your printer appears in the Printers and Faxes folder,
right-click the icon, click Delete, and then click Yes. If you do not see an
icon, continue to the next step.
Close any programs that might be trying to use the printer.
Close any printer properties windows that are open, including the print
queue window. Leave the Printers and Faxes window open.
On the File menu, click Server Properties, and then click the Drivers tab.
Under Installed printer drivers, look for any drivers that have the same
name as the printer you are trying to install. If you see a driver for your
printer, click it, click Remove, and then click Yes.
If you are unable to remove the driver, try the following:
Close all open programs, and then try to delete the driver.
Restart your computer, and then try to delete the driver.
If you still cannot delete the driver, contact your network administrator or
a computer support professional for more assistance.
If more than one driver is installed for your printer, repeat step 6 for
each driver.
Click Close to close the Print Server Properties window.
To install a Windows XP printer driver
In the Printers and Faxes folder, double-click Add Printer to start the Add
Printer Wizard. Follow the instructions to complete the wizard, and use one
of the following options to install a Windows XP driver:
If your printer is Plug and Play, select the Automatically detect and
install my Plug and Play printer check box at the beginning of the wizard.
If your printer is not Plug and Play, select your manufacturer and printer
from the lists in the wizard, and do not click Have Disk. This will cause
your printer to be installed with one of the Windows XP printer drivers.
If your printer is not listed in the Add Printer Wizard, check whether it is
on the Windows Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) for Windows XP.
Notes
If you follow this link, when you return to this troubleshooter you will
have to start over from the beginning and answer each question as you
answered it initially.
If you do not have Web access, contact the manufacturer of your device to
find out if it is compatible with Windows XP.
Your printer might be listed here with a Windows XP-compatible driver that
you can download and use to install your printer.
If your printer is not listed, Microsoft cannot guarantee that it will work
with Windows XP. However, you might be able to obtain an updated driver from
the manufacturer of your printer that is compatible with Windows XP. Contact
the manufacturer, or visit the manufacturer's Web site, for more information
about updated drivers."
I think perhaps that the printer i am using doesn't have the compatible
driver for XP, although i have been using this printer now for a number of
years without any problems? After not using the printer for a while i've
needed to reinstall it and thats where the problem started
Thanks for your help
