Fax Printing

[Magsmom]

I am running XP, SP3. I have an HP - PSC - 1350. I have not needed to send a
fax for a long long time so I don't remember if I have ever used this
particular printer as a fax printer before, but I know that I have used my
previous HP printers to print faxes. I can't seem to figure out how to get
this to work.
I have added the component "Fax Services" through my control panel and I
have configured my fax console, but it keeps telling me that I do not have a
fax printer installed. The print dialogue box does not give me the "Fax
Printer" selection option. I seem to recall that in the past I only had to go
through Control Panel to Printers and Faxes and click on the option to "Add
Fax Printer" and it would install my regular printer as my fax printer. Now
when I click on this, nothing happens.
Can anyone give me some insight into how to resolve this problem?

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Explain what a "HP - PSC - 1350" is and why you think it has anything to do
with Windows XP Fax or would be supported in a Microsoft group.
XP Fax only uses analog fax modems that are on the Windows XP HCL. I suspect
the error message has already answered your question, hasn't it?

 

[Magsmom]

Oh- forgive me for my ignorance since I am but a simple user and not a MVP or
technician. I just have common sense and only speak in common language and
not geek. I shall attempt to explain:

The HP PSC 1350 is my HP(Hewitt Packard) Printer-Scanner-Copier (3 in one),
model 1350. In other words - it is my printer and I should be able to print
out an incoming fax on my printer as I have done many times in the past, but
just not recently.
What I am asking a Microsoft group is this: Why won't my Microsoft XP fax
work with my printer? and "NO" the error message did not answer my
question. In fact, that is my question.

As I explained, I have used my printer to print out faxes in years past.
Perhaps it was with a previous Microsoft OS, and/or a different printer, but
either way, I have fax services through my XP OS and I think I should be able
to print out an incoming fax on my printer, regardless of what printer I am
using.

Oh - any by the way:- You (and some of the knowledge base articles) refer to
"Fax" modems as if they may be different from regular phone modems. And you
refer to "Windows XP HCL. Can you explain what that is?

To summarize: Do I need a special FAX modem or a special FAX printer for my
SP Fax services to work?

Explain what a "HP - PSC - 1350" is and why you think it has anything to do
with Windows XP Fax or would be supported in a Microsoft group.
XP Fax only uses analog fax modems that are on the Windows XP HCL. I suspect
the error message has already answered your question, hasn't it?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I am running XP, SP3. I have an HP - PSC - 1350. I have not needed to send
a
fax for a long long time so I don't remember if I have ever used this
particular printer as a fax printer before, but I know that I have used my
previous HP printers to print faxes. I can't seem to figure out how to
get
this to work.
I have added the component "Fax Services" through my control panel and I
have configured my fax console, but it keeps telling me that I do not have
a
fax printer installed. The print dialogue box does not give me the "Fax
Printer" selection option. I seem to recall that in the past I only had to
go
through Control Panel to Printers and Faxes and click on the option to
"Add
Fax Printer" and it would install my regular printer as my fax printer.
Now
when I click on this, nothing happens.
Can anyone give me some insight into how to resolve this problem?

 

[Hal Hostetler [MVP-P/I]]

OK, so you are NOT attempting to use the All-In-One printer to send or
receive Faxes, only to print them once received. The confusion comes from
the fact that many of these AIO devices are also Fax machines and folks who
have them often ask if Windows XP Fax can send and receive through them.
The answer to that is No, the only fax device XP Fax can work with is an
analog fax modem. When XP Fax has an analog fax modem to work with, it
shows up in the Printers and Faxes folder as the Fax Printer. It's purpose
here is to allow other applications to send faxes by "printing" documents to
it, just as you would a regular printer if you wanted hardcopy of the
document. So, the "Fax Printer" in Printers and Faxes is the Fax
service/fax modem combo acting as a printer. So, assuming your XP Fax
service is setup with an analog fax modem, it can send and receive faxes,
and you want to make hardcopy of a received or send fax item, you're saying
the HP doesn't show up in the list of printers when you go to 'File|Print'
in the Fax Console?

Hal
--
Hal Hostetler, CPBE -- (e-mail address removed)
Senior Engineer/MIS -- MS MVP-Print/Imaging -- WA7BGX
http://www.kvoa.com -- "When News breaks, we fix it!"
KVOA Television, Tucson, AZ. NBC Channel 4
Live at Hot Licks - www.badnewsbluesband.com

Oh- forgive me for my ignorance since I am but a simple user and not a MVP
or
technician. I just have common sense and only speak in common language
and
not geek. I shall attempt to explain:

The HP PSC 1350 is my HP(Hewitt Packard) Printer-Scanner-Copier (3 in
one),
model 1350. In other words - it is my printer and I should be able to
print
out an incoming fax on my printer as I have done many times in the past,
but
just not recently.
What I am asking a Microsoft group is this: Why won't my Microsoft XP fax
work with my printer? and "NO" the error message did not answer my
question. In fact, that is my question.

As I explained, I have used my printer to print out faxes in years past.
Perhaps it was with a previous Microsoft OS, and/or a different printer,
but
either way, I have fax services through my XP OS and I think I should be
able
to print out an incoming fax on my printer, regardless of what printer I
am
using.

Oh - any by the way:- You (and some of the knowledge base articles) refer
to
"Fax" modems as if they may be different from regular phone modems. And
you
refer to "Windows XP HCL. Can you explain what that is?

To summarize: Do I need a special FAX modem or a special FAX printer for
my
SP Fax services to work?

Explain what a "HP - PSC - 1350" is and why you think it has anything to
do
with Windows XP Fax or would be supported in a Microsoft group.
XP Fax only uses analog fax modems that are on the Windows XP HCL. I
suspect
the error message has already answered your question, hasn't it?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I am running XP, SP3. I have an HP - PSC - 1350. I have not needed to
send
a
fax for a long long time so I don't remember if I have ever used this
particular printer as a fax printer before, but I know that I have used
my
previous HP printers to print faxes. I can't seem to figure out how to
get
this to work.
I have added the component "Fax Services" through my control panel and
I
have configured my fax console, but it keeps telling me that I do not
have
a
fax printer installed. The print dialogue box does not give me the
"Fax
Printer" selection option. I seem to recall that in the past I only had
to
go
through Control Panel to Printers and Faxes and click on the option to
"Add
Fax Printer" and it would install my regular printer as my fax printer.
Now
when I click on this, nothing happens.
Can anyone give me some insight into how to resolve this problem?

 

[Magsmom]

Thank you Hal.
I think I understand your post. It appears that although the regular phone
modems that used to handle faxes in the past, are no longer sufficient to use
with Windows XP. So much for progress!

When I open my fax console, all options for sending and receiving faxes are
grayed out and un-available and the status bar has the message "No Fax
printer installed", so I assume that I must not have an analog fax modem on
my system. Therefore, I would have to purchase and install this fax modem
before I can utilitze the XP fax services. Would this "Fax" modem be
available from most computer stores Micro Center or Comp USA?

OK, so you are NOT attempting to use the All-In-One printer to send or
receive Faxes, only to print them once received. The confusion comes from
the fact that many of these AIO devices are also Fax machines and folks who
have them often ask if Windows XP Fax can send and receive through them.
The answer to that is No, the only fax device XP Fax can work with is an
analog fax modem. When XP Fax has an analog fax modem to work with, it
shows up in the Printers and Faxes folder as the Fax Printer. It's purpose
here is to allow other applications to send faxes by "printing" documents to
it, just as you would a regular printer if you wanted hardcopy of the
document. So, the "Fax Printer" in Printers and Faxes is the Fax
service/fax modem combo acting as a printer. So, assuming your XP Fax
service is setup with an analog fax modem, it can send and receive faxes,
and you want to make hardcopy of a received or send fax item, you're saying
the HP doesn't show up in the list of printers when you go to 'File|Print'
in the Fax Console?

Hal
--
Hal Hostetler, CPBE -- (e-mail address removed)
Senior Engineer/MIS -- MS MVP-Print/Imaging -- WA7BGX
http://www.kvoa.com -- "When News breaks, we fix it!"
KVOA Television, Tucson, AZ. NBC Channel 4
Live at Hot Licks - www.badnewsbluesband.com

Oh- forgive me for my ignorance since I am but a simple user and not a MVP
or
technician. I just have common sense and only speak in common language
and
not geek. I shall attempt to explain:

The HP PSC 1350 is my HP(Hewitt Packard) Printer-Scanner-Copier (3 in
one),
model 1350. In other words - it is my printer and I should be able to
print
out an incoming fax on my printer as I have done many times in the past,
but
just not recently.
What I am asking a Microsoft group is this: Why won't my Microsoft XP fax
work with my printer? and "NO" the error message did not answer my
question. In fact, that is my question.

As I explained, I have used my printer to print out faxes in years past.
Perhaps it was with a previous Microsoft OS, and/or a different printer,
but
either way, I have fax services through my XP OS and I think I should be
able
to print out an incoming fax on my printer, regardless of what printer I
am
using.

Oh - any by the way:- You (and some of the knowledge base articles) refer
to
"Fax" modems as if they may be different from regular phone modems. And
you
refer to "Windows XP HCL. Can you explain what that is?

To summarize: Do I need a special FAX modem or a special FAX printer for
my
SP Fax services to work?

Explain what a "HP - PSC - 1350" is and why you think it has anything to
do
with Windows XP Fax or would be supported in a Microsoft group.
XP Fax only uses analog fax modems that are on the Windows XP HCL. I
suspect
the error message has already answered your question, hasn't it?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I am running XP, SP3. I have an HP - PSC - 1350. I have not needed to
send
a
fax for a long long time so I don't remember if I have ever used this
particular printer as a fax printer before, but I know that I have used
my
previous HP printers to print faxes. I can't seem to figure out how to
get
this to work.
I have added the component "Fax Services" through my control panel and
I
have configured my fax console, but it keeps telling me that I do not
have
a
fax printer installed. The print dialogue box does not give me the
"Fax
Printer" selection option. I seem to recall that in the past I only had
to
go
through Control Panel to Printers and Faxes and click on the option to
"Add
Fax Printer" and it would install my regular printer as my fax printer.
Now
when I click on this, nothing happens.
Can anyone give me some insight into how to resolve this problem?

 

[Magsmom]

The HP PSC is only a multi-function machine for printing, scanning and
copying. It does not have any fax capabilities of it's own. It can be used
for scanning a document into your computer, which you could then fax through
your computer fax software, or if you receive a fax through your computer fax
software, you could print it out on your printer. At least - that's the way
it used to work before Microsoft blessed us with this wonderful new product
called XP.

 

[Magsmom]

As an afterthought:- I can't help but wondering about this. I think the
phone modem that I have in my computer is an analog phone modem. I used it
for dial up interent on regular analog phone lines. What is different about
a "Fax" modem that would keep this from working?

OK, so you are NOT attempting to use the All-In-One printer to send or
receive Faxes, only to print them once received. The confusion comes from
the fact that many of these AIO devices are also Fax machines and folks who
have them often ask if Windows XP Fax can send and receive through them.
The answer to that is No, the only fax device XP Fax can work with is an
analog fax modem. When XP Fax has an analog fax modem to work with, it
shows up in the Printers and Faxes folder as the Fax Printer. It's purpose
here is to allow other applications to send faxes by "printing" documents to
it, just as you would a regular printer if you wanted hardcopy of the
document. So, the "Fax Printer" in Printers and Faxes is the Fax
service/fax modem combo acting as a printer. So, assuming your XP Fax
service is setup with an analog fax modem, it can send and receive faxes,
and you want to make hardcopy of a received or send fax item, you're saying
the HP doesn't show up in the list of printers when you go to 'File|Print'
in the Fax Console?

Hal
--
Hal Hostetler, CPBE -- (e-mail address removed)
Senior Engineer/MIS -- MS MVP-Print/Imaging -- WA7BGX
http://www.kvoa.com -- "When News breaks, we fix it!"
KVOA Television, Tucson, AZ. NBC Channel 4
Live at Hot Licks - www.badnewsbluesband.com

Oh- forgive me for my ignorance since I am but a simple user and not a MVP
or
technician. I just have common sense and only speak in common language
and
not geek. I shall attempt to explain:

The HP PSC 1350 is my HP(Hewitt Packard) Printer-Scanner-Copier (3 in
one),
model 1350. In other words - it is my printer and I should be able to
print
out an incoming fax on my printer as I have done many times in the past,
but
just not recently.
What I am asking a Microsoft group is this: Why won't my Microsoft XP fax
work with my printer? and "NO" the error message did not answer my
question. In fact, that is my question.

As I explained, I have used my printer to print out faxes in years past.
Perhaps it was with a previous Microsoft OS, and/or a different printer,
but
either way, I have fax services through my XP OS and I think I should be
able
to print out an incoming fax on my printer, regardless of what printer I
am
using.

Oh - any by the way:- You (and some of the knowledge base articles) refer
to
"Fax" modems as if they may be different from regular phone modems. And
you
refer to "Windows XP HCL. Can you explain what that is?

To summarize: Do I need a special FAX modem or a special FAX printer for
my
SP Fax services to work?

Explain what a "HP - PSC - 1350" is and why you think it has anything to
do
with Windows XP Fax or would be supported in a Microsoft group.
XP Fax only uses analog fax modems that are on the Windows XP HCL. I
suspect
the error message has already answered your question, hasn't it?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I am running XP, SP3. I have an HP - PSC - 1350. I have not needed to
send
a
fax for a long long time so I don't remember if I have ever used this
particular printer as a fax printer before, but I know that I have used
my
previous HP printers to print faxes. I can't seem to figure out how to
get
this to work.
I have added the component "Fax Services" through my control panel and
I
have configured my fax console, but it keeps telling me that I do not
have
a
fax printer installed. The print dialogue box does not give me the
"Fax
Printer" selection option. I seem to recall that in the past I only had
to
go
through Control Panel to Printers and Faxes and click on the option to
"Add
Fax Printer" and it would install my regular printer as my fax printer.
Now
when I click on this, nothing happens.
Can anyone give me some insight into how to resolve this problem?

 

[Lem]

Thank you Hal.
I think I understand your post. It appears that although the regular phone
modems that used to handle faxes in the past, are no longer sufficient to use
with Windows XP. So much for progress!

When I open my fax console, all options for sending and receiving faxes are
grayed out and un-available and the status bar has the message "No Fax
printer installed", so I assume that I must not have an analog fax modem on
my system. Therefore, I would have to purchase and install this fax modem
before I can utilitze the XP fax services. Would this "Fax" modem be
available from most computer stores Micro Center or Comp USA?

Not quite.

If you've ever sent a fax with *this computer* (not your current
printer), then the chances are that you *do* have a fax modem.

The easiest way to resolve this issue is to open Device Manager (e.g.,
right click "My Computer" select "Properties" then "Hardware" then click
the "Device Manager" button) and go down the list until you see
"Modems." Then click on the + to open this category. If the entry
there isn't self-explanatory (mine, for example, says "Zoom V.92 PCI
Voice FaxModem") then either Google the make/model or post it here.

As for buying a new fax modem -- if you really need one -- yes, most
computer stores should carry these (most CompUSA stored have closed,
however).

Just keep in mind that you use your HP PSC 1350 *printer* to print the
fax after your *fax modem* has actually received it.

The term "fax printer" is misleading because, as Hal explained,
selecting the "fax printer" to "print" a document does not in fact
result in any printing, but sends the document to the fax modem to be
transmitted over the phone line.
--
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

 

[Magsmom]

I can't remember for sure, but I think I may have used this computer to send
faxes before, with a different printer.
According to my Device Manager, I have a BCM V.92.56K Modem and it is
working properly. No other description was given so I googled BCM and never
really found anything to say specifically whether or not it is a "fax" modem.
However, I did find a posting by someone who said they had previously used
this modem to send faxes and then suddenly, it would not work anymore to send
faxes. This person was using XP and I am wondering if possibly either SP2 or
SP3 may have messed something up.

I understand that I cannot print a fax until my fax console has received it,
but the fact that my fax console "File" menu items are all grayed out and I
have the message "No Fax Printer Installed" in the status bar, would lead me
to believe that it is not possible for me to send or receive faxes until that
issue is resolved.

Also, the Fax Console "Help" files have the following instructions for
sending a windows document as a fax:

"Send a fax from a Windows application. You can send a fax from a Windows
application by opening or creating a document in the application, and then
printing it to a fax printer. The Send Fax Wizard then opens to help you send
the fax, with a cover page if required. "

That sounds to me as if I should be able to open my document and then click

 

[Hal Hostetler [MVP P/I]]

Yes, you do have an appropriate fax modem installed and Device Manager is
happy with it. You may have Security Database corruption, a common problem
experienced by many who attempt to re-install the Fax service after applying
SP2; I've seen several reports that lead me to think the same thing might
happen after SP3 is installed, but the jury is still out on that. In these
cases there is no error message during the installation (distinguishing this
from the very common problem where the installation routine states it cannot
find the necessary files). The installation appears to proceed without
error, but when it is over there is no fax printer listed in Printers &
Faxes and any attempt to send a fax results in the error message "Fax
server information cannot be retrieved. The Fax Wizard will now close." This
problem appears to occur because the security data base is corrupted as
documented here:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/884018/EN-US/
You cannot add a Windows component in Windows XP

This article describes a hotfix users can obtain that might fix the problem
and states that Microsoft does NOT recommend simply running the Esentutl.exe
utility (also referred to in the article, it can repair/rebuild the corrupt
file) to recover from security database corruption.

You can either:

1. Get the hotfix mentioned in the KB article and install it. Microsoft
waives any charges for support calls to get supported hotfixes
listed in Knowledge Base articles.

2. Try this procedure using the Esentutl.exe utility mentioned in the KB
article to fix the bad database file:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?lc=en&cc=us&docname=c00270202
HP and Compaq Notebook PCs: Unable to Install Windows XP Fax Software

I can report that the Esentutl utility has corrected the problem in a number
of cases, HOWEVER, note that Microsoft recommends against using the utility
and would prefer you try the hotfix.

As to your last paragraph, No, you cannot set your PSC as the "Fax Printer".
The Fax Printer is your phone modem, period. Anything you print to the Fax
Printer from any application gets rendered into a bitmap graphic and sent
down the phone line through your BCM V.92.56K Modem to a fax machine
somewhere. Microsoft would have been better off calling it the "Fax
Machine" instead of labeling it "Fax Printer", it would eliminate this
confusion.

Hal
--
Hal Hostetler, CPBE -- (e-mail address removed)
Senior Engineer/MIS -- MS MVP-Print/Imaging -- WA7BGX
http://www.kvoa.com -- "When News breaks, we fix it!"
KVOA Television, Tucson, AZ. NBC Channel 4
Live at Hot Licks - www.badnewsbluesband.com

 

[Lem]

See replies in-line.

I can't remember for sure, but I think I may have used this computer to send
faxes before, with a different printer.
According to my Device Manager, I have a BCM V.92.56K Modem and it is
working properly. No other description was given so I googled BCM and never
really found anything to say specifically whether or not it is a "fax" modem.
However, I did find a posting by someone who said they had previously used
this modem to send faxes and then suddenly, it would not work anymore to send
faxes. This person was using XP and I am wondering if possibly either SP2 or
SP3 may have messed something up.

As you discovered, "BCM V.92.56K" is too generic to provide any useful
information, although the fact that it doesn't mention fax is not a
helpful sign. Go back to Device Manager, open the properties of your
modem, select the "Diagnostics" tab and click the "Query Modem" button.
About the 3rd entry in the list of commands and responses should be a
line that starts AT+FCLASS=?. What is shown as the response to this
command?

It's unlikely that the installation of SP2 or SP3 affected faxing, but
anything is possible, especially with Windows. I've been using SP2
since it came out and now have SP3 and have sent and received faxes
throughout.

I understand that I cannot print a fax until my fax console has received it,
but the fact that my fax console "File" menu items are all grayed out and I
have the message "No Fax Printer Installed" in the status bar, would lead me
to believe that it is not possible for me to send or receive faxes until that
issue is resolved.

I believe the message "No Fax Printer Installed" means that you (a)
don't have a fax-capable modem or (b) haven't yet configured the one
that you do have. What happens when (in Fax Console) you go to
Tools>Configure Fax and go through the Fax Configuration Wizard?

See
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/learnmore/crawford_02october21.mspx

Items on the Fax Console "File" menu such as "Print," "Save as," and the
like are greyed out unless you have selected a fax from the list in the
right hand pane of the Fax Console. If you haven't received any faxes,
there won't be anything to select. If you hover the mouse over the
"Print" menu command, the Status Bar should read "Print the fax."

Also, the Fax Console "Help" files have the following instructions for
sending a windows document as a fax:

"Send a fax from a Windows application. You can send a fax from a Windows
application by opening or creating a document in the application, and then
printing it to a fax printer. The Send Fax Wizard then opens to help you send
the fax, with a cover page if required. "

That sounds to me as if I should be able to open my document and then click
on print and select the "Fax Printer" but I can't find out how to configure
my PSC as the fax printer.

You got things correct up to this last sentence. The "Fax Printer" is
*not* the printer that you use to print out a received fax on a piece of
paper. The "Fax Printer" is what Windows calls the interface to the
modem. Thus, you *don't* configure your PSC as the fax printer. Windows
configures (creates) the "Fax Printer" when you tell it what fax-capable
modem to use, and you can do that in the Fax Configuration Wizard.

When (if) things are working properly, you can open your document (in,
e.g., Word) and go to the Print menu. In the Print dialog box, there
will be a drop-down box to select the printer. If you click the
drop-down arrow, you will see a list of printers, depending on what you
have installed. There will be at least one line that says "HP PSC 1350"
(or whatever name you gave it when you installed it). If faxing has
been enabled, there will be a second line that simply says "Fax." If
you select "Fax" and then click "Print," the Send Fax Wizard starts.

--
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

 

[Hal Hostetler [MVP P/I]]

BTW, BCM V.92 56K is a Boradcom analog modem. "BCM modems are being bundled
by PC makers including Gateway and Dell."

http://www.modemsite.com/56k/bcm.asp
Broadcom BCM Modem

Hal
--
Hal Hostetler, CPBE -- (e-mail address removed)
Senior Engineer/MIS -- MS MVP-Print/Imaging -- WA7BGX
http://www.kvoa.com -- "When News breaks, we fix it!"
KVOA Television, Tucson, AZ. NBC Channel 4
Live at Hot Licks - www.badnewsbluesband.com

 

[Magsmom]

Lem: See my replies in-line also:-

As you discovered, "BCM V.92.56K" is too generic to provide any useful
information, although the fact that it doesn't mention fax is not a
helpful sign. Go back to Device Manager, open the properties of your
modem, select the "Diagnostics" tab and click the "Query Modem" button.
About the 3rd entry in the list of commands and responses should be a
line that starts AT+FCLASS=?. What is shown as the response to this
command?

Lem: Response was shown as : 0,1,2,2.0,8

I believe the message "No Fax Printer Installed" means that you (a)
don't have a fax-capable modem or (b) haven't yet configured the one
that you do have. What happens when (in Fax Console) you go to
Tools>Configure Fax and go through the Fax Configuration Wizard?

Lem: In the Fax configuration wizard> under routing options for incoming
faxes, there are two check boxes. 1. You can check to have it print on:
(and then it gives you a drop down box with 2 choices: hp psc 1300 series OR
Microsoft XPS Document writer). 2. You can check to have it store a copy of
the received fax in a folder of your choice. I checked the HP psc choice AND
the store a copy boxes.
When the wizard is completed it has a configuration summary that says the
BCM V.92 56 K Modem is configured to both send and receive faxes and says
that received faxes will be printed on the PSC.

See
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/learnmore/crawford_02october21.mspx

Lem: Yes, I had read this article previously and this is where I got the
information that I should be able to send a document by clicking on the
document's "print" icon which should then give me a choice to print, or fax
the document. See the section on Sending Faxes.
I do not have the "fax" option as described when I am in the document and I
also do not have the "send" option when I am in the Fax Console - those
options are grayed out and unavailable.

Items on the Fax Console "File" menu such as "Print," "Save as," and the
like are greyed out unless you have selected a fax from the list in the
right hand pane of the Fax Console. If you haven't received any faxes,
there won't be anything to select. If you hover the mouse over the
"Print" menu command, the Status Bar should read "Print the fax."

Lem: I understand that I can't print out a received fax if I have no
received faxes to select, but even if I did have one, it would seem that I
could not do it because it is telling me I have no fax printer installed.
Also, how in the ?? can I send a fax, if I cannot do it through the fax
console and I cannot do it from the document/print dialogue box.

You got things correct up to this last sentence. The "Fax Printer" is
*not* the printer that you use to print out a received fax on a piece of
paper. The "Fax Printer" is what Windows calls the interface to the
modem. Thus, you *don't* configure your PSC as the fax printer. Windows
configures (creates) the "Fax Printer" when you tell it what fax-capable
modem to use, and you can do that in the Fax Configuration Wizard.

Lem: So I don't really care if my PSC is the "Fax Printer" or not. I am
not really so confused about the fact that Fax printer is not used to
physically print out the fax on a piece of paper, as I am about why I can't
seem to find this mysterious and illusive "Fax Printer". All I know is that
I can't send a fax because I don't have access to the Fax, Fax printer, or
whatever it takes to send a fax. There isn't any FAX PRINTER available to me
anywhere even though I have gone through all the steps to configure the fax
console and fax configuration wizard and I still can't find the alleged "fax
printer" yet all help information etc. tells me that I should simply be able
to follow the steps you indicate below.

When (if) things are working properly, you can open your document (in,
e.g., Word) and go to the Print menu. In the Print dialog box, there
will be a drop-down box to select the printer. If you click the
drop-down arrow, you will see a list of printers, depending on what you
have installed. There will be at least one line that says "HP PSC 1350"
(or whatever name you gave it when you installed it). If faxing has
been enabled, there will be a second line that simply says "Fax." If
you select "Fax" and then click "Print," the Send Fax Wizard starts.

IN summary:
I have fax services component installed and fax enabled
I have fax console configured
I have fax configuration wizard showing everything is a go.
I DO NOT have a fax printer apparently.
So where and how do I get the fax printer installed so that it will show up
in my printer folder?? and so that Fax console will stop telling me there is
no fax printer installed?

 

[Magsmom]

Hal: I wrote a lengthy response to Lem, but in summary:
I have the appropriate fax modem, and you said and Device Masnager is happy
with it. My Computer show that Microsoft Windows Component "Fax Services" is
installed and enabled and I do not get any error messages.
I have configuared my fax console and my Fax configuration Wizard and it
shows that every thing is a go.

Yes the term "Fax Printer" is a really dumb label and no where in all their
help files and knowledge base articles do they tell you just what they mean
when they refer to "Fax Printer" so that I would not have been chasing my
tail trying to configure my PSC. I just want to be able to send a fax and
apparently I need one of those things and I don't have it. One would think
that somewhere in all their help files etc. they would cover this problem.
Simple title: Missing Fax Printer - Hello!

 

[Lem]

Hal is more knowledgeable than I am about some of the intricacies of
Windows XP fax.

Take his advice and try the solutions for security database corruption.

Good luck. If that doesn't work, I'm out of ideas.

--
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

 

[Hal Hostetler [MVP P/I]]

When you set your PSC to print faxes in the routing options of the
configuration wizard, you're telling XP Fax:

"Hey fax service, when you get a fax down the phone line, print me a hard
copy on the PSC after you finish storing the received document in the Fax
Console Inbox".

So, when you DO get a fax, you'll also get a printout on the PSC; naturally,
you can always do this yourself manually from the Fax Console Inbox and Sent
Items folders. Once a fax is in the Console, it can be printed to any
PHYSICAL printer attached to your PC.

Hal
--
Hal Hostetler, CPBE -- (e-mail address removed)
Senior Engineer/MIS -- MS MVP-Print/Imaging -- WA7BGX
http://www.kvoa.com -- "When News breaks, we fix it!"
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