HP printer continuously reinstalls

[KB]

I am having a problem with my HP Photosmart printer. Often times when I turn
off the printer and then turn it on again, the printer tries to reinstall
itself on my computer. When it finishes reinstalling I now have many
"copies" of the printer on my system. The icon on the bottom right of the
computer (and the icon in the printers folder) now says that "copy 2" or
"copy 3" or some other copy is the operative copy. Not sure why the printer
keeps going through the set up process almost every time I turn off the
printer or log on as a different user on the computer. I have talked to HP
and they tell me there might be a bug in my Windows XP system. I have tried
(multiple times) to uninstall and then reinstall the printer, but the same
problem persists. Any advise?

 

[Kelly]

Checkpoint: Unhide Hidden Devices in the Device Manager, view the problem
devices and remove them manually from there.


This workaround is for an HP Printer, use accordingly:

1. When the Found New Hardware Wizard starts at startup of the computer,
click <next>.

2. When it asks you for the HP disk, (the next thing that will require a
response from you probably), click <ok>. However, do NOT insert the disk
into your CD-ROM drive.

3. On the next screen that comes up, there will be a button that is already
highlighted telling the wizard where to find the printer driver (which is
what it is looking for). This button will be pointing it at "other media,
CD-ROM,etc.

The trick is to DESELECT this button. At that point, the button for your C:
drive will become active and you can select the C: drive. It will also
probably be prompting you with the location for the already installed HP
printer driver that is somewhere on your C: drive. (If not, you need to
click browse and locate the driver).

4. After you have deselected the CDROM and selected the C: drive, click
<ok> (or <next>) The Wizard then makes a second copy of your printer driver
(and, by the way, creates a second "installed printer" in your Control
Panel/Printers). And then, the wizard finally completes and tells you that
you have successfully installed the new hardware.

5. On subsequent startup, the Wizard should then NOT run.


--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)

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