Install multiple printers on XP Home..

[transconaman]

I have a Lexmark Z55 set up on my XP home machine...I installed an HP F4200
series all in one printer on the same machine - both USB connected. I want my
Z55 to be the default for the 3 XP machines and I want the HP to be the
default for my vista 64 machine as there is no driver for it for Vista. After
installing the HP printer - it seems to have taken over. I can print from any
machine to the HP but when trying to print from any machine the Lexmark comes
up with an error that it is powered off or disconnected??? I unplug the new
HP printer and the lexmark is fine.
Is there some conflict or something with installing multiple printers in XP
home?
Thanks!

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

No, there is no problem with multiple printers on XP, the trouble lies with
the printer manufacturers where some manufacturers insist on their unit
being the default, and since it's in their software, there's not much you
can do except complain loudly to the manufacturer in question. I presiume
the Lexmark is not an all in one... XP does have a problem wtih more than
one scanner attached.

 

[transconaman]

The Z55 is just a printer - no scanner. The z55 is about 6 years old - so are
the chances that I have to complain to HP? Anyone know if there is some
utility that can override this? Re-intslall in a different order? I guess
moving to XP Pro won't help either then...

 

[Lem]

I have a Lexmark Z55 set up on my XP home machine...I installed an HP F4200
series all in one printer on the same machine - both USB connected. I want my
Z55 to be the default for the 3 XP machines and I want the HP to be the
default for my vista 64 machine as there is no driver for it for Vista. After
installing the HP printer - it seems to have taken over. I can print from any
machine to the HP but when trying to print from any machine the Lexmark comes
up with an error that it is powered off or disconnected??? I unplug the new
HP printer and the lexmark is fine.
Is there some conflict or something with installing multiple printers in XP
home?
Thanks!

I read your post about 5 times before I concluded that the "it" in the
following sentence must be the Lexmark Z55:

I want the HP to be the default for my vista 64 machine as there is no driver for it for Vista.

If there is no Vista driver, you can't print from a Vista machine, no
matter where the printer is physically located (but there *is* a Vista64
driver for the F4200 series).

I suspect the problem with the Lexmark showing as powered off or
disconnected when the HP is connected has something to do with how you
installed the HP on the XP box. You can take a look at the Properties of
each printer and check the Ports tab to see if for some peculiar reason
they are using the same port (probably not).

If I were you, I'd try completely removing at least the Lexmark (and
probably both) from the XP box following the directions on Bruce
Sanderson's site (read the note about Lexmarks):
http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/CleanPrinterDrivers.htm
Then install the HP first followed by the Lexmark.

OTOH, if you really want to print to the Z55 from the Vista box, try
this (no personal experience, just something I found with Google):

download:

http://downloads.lexmark.com/cgi-pe...282&searchLang=en&download=yes&fsize=10771456

from lexmark, run the .exe and extract to hard drive, open control panel and select printers, right click add printer, local printer, select the USB port, when asked browse to the extracted folder, install, set as default if needed. You wont have all the whistles and bells, but you will be able to use your Z55.

The above is to install the Z55 locally to the Vista box. Change as
appropriate for shared printer install.
--
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