XP Keeps Adding Multiple Instances of Same Printers

[Guest]

XP keeps adding multiple instances of the same printer (in other words,
re-installing printers already installed). Thus, I get things like "Printer
A", Printer A (Copy 1)", Printer A (Copy 2)" et cetera. This becomes an
issue because anything that refers to the printer by name (like a Word macro)
now cannot find the right printer. These are all USB connected via a USB
hub. I THINK (but am not certain) that this generally happens following
power related events even though everything is on the same UPS.

Is there a way to prevent XP from spontaneously re-installing printers?

 

[Alan Morris [MSFT]]

Epson has some printers that do not contain a serial ID. When the device
does not have the serial ID tag, a Plug and Play event (power cycle the hub
or the printer) cannot determine that the device is not the same one that
was previously installed.

What printer do you have?

--
Alan Morris
Windows Printing Team
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[harri85274]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/217076/en-us


Read the above link. also I have the same problem with my laser
printer. #1,#2 and etc. I go to control panel/printer and fax and see
all my printers shown. Some are marked Status off line and the one your
interested in if it shows a number of doc ready to print and its your
default printer. Remember the number of that printer and when you go to
pg setup, choose Printer. My printer is on a different outlet from the
computer, because i don't use the printer all the time. So if i know
that i am going to print, make sure its on before I boot up to XP.

 

[Guest]

Thanks to harri85 . . . and Alan. I think you're both probably correct. I
have an HP5p (ya, I know it's old but it works great!) and it's fine. But I
also have an Avery9100 label printer (ya, I know but it was cheap!) and a
Minolta color laser. ALL of these do the same thing. It really is a pain
trying to figure out which is the "real" modelwhatever at any given time.