Default printer changes automatically

G

Guest

I am running Win XP SP2 Home on a laptop/docking station set up in a wired
home network of 4 machines. I have an Epson Laser printer and a Dymo label
printer set up as LOCAL printers on my docking station. When I am docked, I
print to the Laser printer almost exclusively. I set the default printer to
the laser and it will change to the Dymo printer on the average of once a
day. I do not know what the triggering event that causes the change. I know
that it is not shutdown or undocking, as I just tried it, rebboted and it is
still the laser. I just know it changes. Very frustrating printing a 20
page word document on about 70 labels! I did read a question online
somewhere where the guy said his changed overnight. However, he did not get
a response to his problem.

I have read a few posts about this issue and some of them apply and some I
do not think they do. I visited a Google site that had a registry hack to
"lock" the default printer to the one you specify (which would be fine), but
that was for NT and 2000. I read a reply from Cari at MS and she stated that
Windows always wants to have a default printer, so it will reassign one if
you disconnect it. This would make me think that when (in my case) my laser
is disconnected by undocking, then it will assign it to something else.
Makes sense except that when I undock, the Dymo label writer is also
disconnected. Specifically, when I undock, whatever the default printer is
remains the default. ONly when I DELETE it Control Panel will it assign the
default to something else. I have other "printers"....Adobe writer, Document
Imaging, Fax, and two network printers that are installed locally on other
network machines.

The Laser is using a USB virtual port and the Dymo is using a USB virtual
port also. The network printers are there and LPT1 is in use by Quickbooks
PDF converter.

I am using the up to date drivers of my Epson Laser and the Dymo. Also, I
recently formatted and reloaded and that is when this issue came about. Had
these printers like this for a year and this never happened until the reload.

I would very much appreciate any help.

Thanks.
 
C

Chuck

Sometimes the install order is a player in what gets assigned as default.
This seems to be based on the registry entry order for the printers.
(Looking for printer to set as default, first entry found is selected?)
 

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