USB printer ignored.

[Malcolm]

When I plug a Lexmark Z601 printer into my desktop USB port (OPTi82c861 chip
on a plugin PCI card) via a 4 port hub, to try and install it under Windows
98, nothing happens except a momentary busy mouse pointer. It's like it
thinks "OK I know you've just plugged this thing in, but I'm going to ignore
it".

The printer and USB cable are fine - I've installed in on a laptop (running
Win2K) no problem.

The Desktop USB port and the 4 port hub are fine - Mouse and webcam both
work through them.

I've tried different cables, swapping the USB card to a different PCI slot,
checking all the ports on the hub, plugging directly into the PCI card,
reinstalling drivers, but nothing seemingly will allow this printer to be
recognised.

Any ideas please?

 

[Noozer]

USB + Win98 = Buggy

....and for USB you install the software BEFORE you connect anything.

 

[Malcolm]

USB + Win98 = Buggy

Yep I know

...and for USB you install the software BEFORE you connect anything.

Hmm, not really in this case - instructions are to connect up first, cancel
the Windows driver routine that should kick in, then run the installation
off the CD. In my case the Windows driver routine wasn't kicking in and if I
tried running the installation anyway, it said there was no printer attached
to the USB port.


Anyway, academic now as I have solved the problem, albeit very much more
luck than judgement.. I had a search through the registry and found a branch
in HKLM\enum\usb which included references to Lexmark Z600 series,
presumably a legacy of one of our earlier attempts to install the printer. I
deleted the branch and the printer was recognised properly as soon as I
plugged it back in. Yippee!.

Bit obscure though.