Z
Zane
I have been running an HP Laserjet 5 jetdirect network printer on my LAN
with the standard Windows XP drivers for about a year with no problems.
I recently installed the drivers for an HP Color Laserjet 5500 printer
(networked over a VPN with work) - Ever since then I have had major printing
problems with my HP 5 (not positive it's related but it's very suspect).
Anytime I try to print to the HP 5 printer from ANY application, the print
fails, and the application closes. I can only print a test page from the
printer properties (which prints successfully)..
The hp 5 driver has always been installed locally (so it isn't trying to
find a network driver it can't connect with - a problem which exhibits a
very similar symptom to the one I'm having)..
Figured the HP 5500 corrupted some type of driver/file/reg-entry so I've
tried many options within Windows XP to solve the problem:
1) Removed all drivers from the HP 5 and HP 5500 (using "Printer and
Faxes"-> File -> "Server Properties" menu), rebooted, then reinstalled the
HP 5 driver (didn't work)
2) Installed HP 5 printer drivers from WinXP install CD - didn't work
3) Installed HP 5 printer drivers directly from HP - didn't work
4) Used the HP 5 drivers from another XP machine (copied them in safe mode -
didn't work)
5) Restored the computer to a time when the HP 5 printer worked fine (didn't
fix it because Restore doesn't effect printers - great feature). Tried
multiple restores to other points - no success.
6) Connected the HP 5 to LPT1 and installed drivers - still doesn't work
7) Reinstalled Windows XP SP1 - didn't fix it
8) Removed all printer drivers again. Installed Lexmark X63 drivers (my
second printer). Installed HP 5 drivers - Lexmark printer works, HP 5 still
crashes any app I try to print from. Actually, most other networked printers
I tried from my office print fine - the HP 5 is the only one that seems to
have a problem.
9) Switched the HP 5 driver to other HP Printer drivers (HP 4000, 5000,
etc).. It seems that any derivative of an HP printer using unidrv.dll will
crash applications when I try to print.. I've looked for posts on errors
with unidrv.dll and have not seen any related problems.
NOTE: When the apps crash when printing, there is NO ERROR CODE DUMPED - not
in the event viewer, and DR. Watson isn't catching anything (that's what's
making this so difficult to troubleshoot!!). I don't think I've ever had a
problem this difficult to identify (and I've seen some weird ones), and
without an error code I'm at a loss!!!!
Any help would be greatly appreciated.. I also DO NOT want to reinstall
windows (which I'm sure I'll be forced to do!) - just did it a few months
ago and I have so many apps on my machine, it takes me forever to get my
system restored!!
with the standard Windows XP drivers for about a year with no problems.
I recently installed the drivers for an HP Color Laserjet 5500 printer
(networked over a VPN with work) - Ever since then I have had major printing
problems with my HP 5 (not positive it's related but it's very suspect).
Anytime I try to print to the HP 5 printer from ANY application, the print
fails, and the application closes. I can only print a test page from the
printer properties (which prints successfully)..
The hp 5 driver has always been installed locally (so it isn't trying to
find a network driver it can't connect with - a problem which exhibits a
very similar symptom to the one I'm having)..
Figured the HP 5500 corrupted some type of driver/file/reg-entry so I've
tried many options within Windows XP to solve the problem:
1) Removed all drivers from the HP 5 and HP 5500 (using "Printer and
Faxes"-> File -> "Server Properties" menu), rebooted, then reinstalled the
HP 5 driver (didn't work)
2) Installed HP 5 printer drivers from WinXP install CD - didn't work
3) Installed HP 5 printer drivers directly from HP - didn't work
4) Used the HP 5 drivers from another XP machine (copied them in safe mode -
didn't work)
5) Restored the computer to a time when the HP 5 printer worked fine (didn't
fix it because Restore doesn't effect printers - great feature). Tried
multiple restores to other points - no success.
6) Connected the HP 5 to LPT1 and installed drivers - still doesn't work
7) Reinstalled Windows XP SP1 - didn't fix it
8) Removed all printer drivers again. Installed Lexmark X63 drivers (my
second printer). Installed HP 5 drivers - Lexmark printer works, HP 5 still
crashes any app I try to print from. Actually, most other networked printers
I tried from my office print fine - the HP 5 is the only one that seems to
have a problem.
9) Switched the HP 5 driver to other HP Printer drivers (HP 4000, 5000,
etc).. It seems that any derivative of an HP printer using unidrv.dll will
crash applications when I try to print.. I've looked for posts on errors
with unidrv.dll and have not seen any related problems.
NOTE: When the apps crash when printing, there is NO ERROR CODE DUMPED - not
in the event viewer, and DR. Watson isn't catching anything (that's what's
making this so difficult to troubleshoot!!). I don't think I've ever had a
problem this difficult to identify (and I've seen some weird ones), and
without an error code I'm at a loss!!!!
Any help would be greatly appreciated.. I also DO NOT want to reinstall
windows (which I'm sure I'll be forced to do!) - just did it a few months
ago and I have so many apps on my machine, it takes me forever to get my
system restored!!