USB Printer Problems

[Kevin Altizer]

Computer: Compaq k6 amd 533 mhz 128 ram win98se
Printer: Lexmark X1150 All -in- One

I bought the printer, it worked fine for several months. Got a virus,
restored my machine, which I've done several times. I've updated the BIOS
ROM, updated the USB drivers, ran scanreg / fix and fixed registry. The
computer does not see the printer. I tested the printer and cable on
another machine, worked fine.

When I power the printer up, plug in the usb cable, I get an extra usb hub
listed in device mgr. under usb controllers. I already have four there, two
USB Root Hubs and two VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB hubs. The extra one that
comes up when the printer is plugged in is a Generic USB Hub. I've tried
right-clicking this and updating the driver with the lexmark cd, didn't
help. I've tried add printer from control panel. When trying that way, I
get to the port dialog box and it shows an online printer port, a print to
file entry, and the LPT1 printer port, and also the COM1 port, but no USB
port. I've done the live chat thing with compaq with about five different
people. They've given up. The person that has a positive solution for this
printer/computer problem deserves a silver star medal.

Any takers?
tia kevin

 

[Pen]

try deleting ALL the USB items in device manager
and then reboot. Let the system rediscover everything.

 

[Pen]

Further. With the computer already on then connect the printer
to the machine, cancel any MS install frames that come up. Then
insert the cd with the drivers on it and install from that disk. Do not
use any windows install methods, only the Lexmark one.

 

[kony]

Computer: Compaq k6 amd 533 mhz 128 ram win98se
Printer: Lexmark X1150 All -in- One

I bought the printer, it worked fine for several months. Got a virus,
restored my machine, which I've done several times. I've updated the BIOS
ROM, updated the USB drivers, ran scanreg / fix and fixed registry. The
computer does not see the printer. I tested the printer and cable on
another machine, worked fine.

You mention several changes but not at which point the printer
stopped working. It isn't a good idea to mske so many changes of
system without checking for proper function in-between each.

For starter, try enabling legacy USB support in the BIOS... might
be attached to a setting for keyboard or mouse or worded
differently, but usually "legacy" is part of the wording.

When I power the printer up, plug in the usb cable, I get an extra usb hub
listed in device mgr. under usb controllers.

If printer has aux functions like card reader or another port,
that may be a correct detection.

I already have four there, two
USB Root Hubs and two VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB hubs. The extra one that
comes up when the printer is plugged in is a Generic USB Hub. I've tried
right-clicking this and updating the driver with the lexmark cd, didn't
help.

Did it have an exclaimation mark next to it?
There is little point to trying to force a driver, you may be
making things worse. Super 7 chipsets like that used in your
Compaq are prone to more incompatibilities to being with, be sure
that if you try a setting and it doens't work, that you revert
back to how it was previously.

I've tried add printer from control panel.

Won't work, don't try that. The printer is a virtual device
enabled by it's driver, there is no "printer" you can add
manually to resolve this.

When you unplug and replug printer in different USB port, what is
detected?

When trying that way, I
get to the port dialog box and it shows an online printer port, a print to
file entry, and the LPT1 printer port, and also the COM1 port, but no USB
port.

Not relevant, you could get that far with no printer at all
attached. Forget about this type of attempt to add printer
manually.

I've done the live chat thing with compaq with about five different
people. They've given up. The person that has a positive solution for this
printer/computer problem deserves a silver star medal.

Try the legacy usb bios setting I mentioned and if all else fails
revert back to older bios, same configuration under which it
worked previously, keep it in that config until it works again
then only update system one change at a time, rechecking printer
after each.

I'm assuming you also installed the motherboard chipset drivers,
as new a version as possible (which probably won't be found from
Compaq but rather the chipset manufacturer's website). Although,
this is a step to try on system as it sits, ultimately if you
revent system back to old drivers and bios etc, you should use
same old chipset driver that prevously worked before trying new
chipset driver.

Also try disabling "Error detection" on the usb controller's
properties page in Device Manager.

 

[Trent©]

Computer: Compaq k6 amd 533 mhz 128 ram win98se
Printer: Lexmark X1150 All -in- One

If WE solve the problem, can you get us a job at Compaq?! lol

I bought the printer, it worked fine for several months. Got a virus,
restored my machine, which I've done several times. I've updated the BIOS
ROM, updated the USB drivers, ran scanreg / fix and fixed registry.

A scanreg after a restore? Why would you need to do this?

When you get a chance, I'd repartition...then do all the above
again...and go to Trend Micro and run their Housecalls program.

It should be very unusual for anyone to need to run
scanreg...especially after just doing a restore. It makes me wonder
if you don't have a virus lurking...maybe a boot sector virus.

The
computer does not see the printer. I tested the printer and cable on
another machine, worked fine.

You need to determine if the problem is with the USB port on your
computer. There is an Intel utility to check the
ports...usbready.exe...or you can sometimes just plug another USB
device into the port. If the new device is detected, you should hear
that 'ping' that yer probably used to hearing.

If a different device is also not detected, check to see if the USB
ports are enabled in the BIOS. Most times, the BIOS reverts to its
default settings after an update...which may be 'off' in your case.

When I power the printer up, plug in the usb cable, I get an extra usb hub
listed in device mgr. under usb controllers. I already have four there, two
USB Root Hubs and two VIA Tech 3038 PCI to USB hubs. The extra one that
comes up when the printer is plugged in is a Generic USB Hub.

It sounds like yer ports are turned off in the BIOS.

How many ports do you have?...just the 2 on the back of the machine?

I've tried
right-clicking this and updating the driver with the lexmark cd, didn't
help. I've tried add printer from control panel. When trying that way, I
get to the port dialog box and it shows an online printer port, a print to
file entry, and the LPT1 printer port, and also the COM1 port, but no USB
port. I've done the live chat thing with compaq with about five different
people. They've given up.

You should have gotten their names...so you could call them back and
tell them how you fixed it. lol

BTW...you probably shud have mentioned some of the things that they
tried.

The person that has a positive solution for this
printer/computer problem deserves a silver star medal.

You've got to work from the computer going out, Kevin. First make
sure the USB ports are working. Then make sure the printer is
working...turned on, etc. From that point on, it might be a driver
problem.

Recapping...get hardware resolved first...then software.

Good luck...let us know.



Have a nice week...

Trent©

NUDITY...birth control for folks over 50!

 

[Kevin Altizer]

Thanks for all your replies. I have a Fuji digital camera that shows up as
a portable storage device and it uploads perfectly through all four usb
ports. And no, the generic usb port does not have an exclamation mark
beside it. I got the virus, SomeFool.p, so I just restored the machine
again. I've restored it several times in the past year. The printer has
not worked since that restore. I've even restored again. The BIOS upgrade
is the same one that I did over a year ago. I did it again anyway. The
people at Compaq told me to do the scanreg /fix. I've already tried the
delete the usb ports and reboot letting the machine find them, but I'll try
again.

Here's a point I'd like to make; If I restore the machine, put the BIOS in
a configuration that worked before and updated the chipset drivers,
shouldn't it work? I mean if the camera works, the darn printer should,
looks like to me. Maybe the legacy thing in the BIOS needs deleted...?

 

[Pen]

Did you do the printer install as I described in my earlier post.
The printer installs you described will NOT work RTFM.

 

[kony]

Thanks for all your replies. I have a Fuji digital camera that shows up as
a portable storage device and it uploads perfectly through all four usb
ports. And no, the generic usb port does not have an exclamation mark
beside it. I got the virus, SomeFool.p, so I just restored the machine
again. I've restored it several times in the past year. The printer has
not worked since that restore. I've even restored again. The BIOS upgrade
is the same one that I did over a year ago. I did it again anyway. The
people at Compaq told me to do the scanreg /fix. I've already tried the
delete the usb ports and reboot letting the machine find them, but I'll try
again.

Here's a point I'd like to make; If I restore the machine, put the BIOS in
a configuration that worked before and updated the chipset drivers,
shouldn't it work? I mean if the camera works, the darn printer should,
looks like to me. Maybe the legacy thing in the BIOS needs deleted...?

If same bios version is used as previously worked, system is
restored to how it worked previously, and same drivers were used,
i'd suspect a low 5VSB, that you now have more USB devices
attached and the motherboard's jumper is set to "power on by
keyboard/mouse". If it is set this way, set jumper back to 5V,
non-powered on, not 5VSB.

I don't know what you mean by "legacy thing in the BIOS needs
deleted". If you have it set to enabled and it's not working,
you could try disabled, but of the two (enabled/disabled) odds
are higher that it'd need enabled than that it'd need disabled.

Recheck all bios settings... just because you reflashed same bios
version doesn't mean same settings are saved to nvram.

There are entire websites devoted to usb issues, you might follow
their procedures,
http://www.usbman.com/
and do Google Groups search for that particular (and other
similar) printer.

 

[Kevin Altizer]

Pen, I have used both methods you described in earlier posts at least five
times. I wish I could get a windows install box! Even that would be
progress. The Lexmark software will NOT install without the printer being
connected! I tried deleting all usb entries in device mgr. again. I'm
going to try some other things, I will post my progress.

 

[Trent©]

Pen, I have used both methods you described in earlier posts at least five
times. I wish I could get a windows install box! Even that would be
progress. The Lexmark software will NOT install without the printer being
connected! I tried deleting all usb entries in device mgr. again. I'm
going to try some other things, I will post my progress.

Recapping (correct me if I'm wrong)...

USB ports work (camera works)

Printer works. Power to the printer comes on...and I'm assuming the
power for the printer is somehow from a wall plug...not just USB
driven.

Make sure the printer is online.

If all sounds okay, I'd guess that you simply need to install the
printer driver. Go to Add New Printer...and use the driver that
originally came with the printer if you have it.

If I remember 98 correctly, you don't even need the printer connected
to add the printer. Just do the install...then reboot.

If you have any optical drives, re-letter them to the end of the
alphabet...R for ROM, W for Writer. This will head off any possible
drive letter conflicts later on.

Good luck...let us know.



Have a nice week...

Trent©

NUDITY...birth control for folks over 50!

 

[Trent©]

Thanks for all your replies. I have a Fuji digital camera that shows up as
a portable storage device and it uploads perfectly through all four usb
ports.

These are all ports on the computer...correct? Yer not usin' a
hub...correct?

And no, the generic usb port does not have an exclamation mark
beside it. I got the virus, SomeFool.p, so I just restored the machine
again. I've restored it several times in the past year.

Probably not related to your problem, but you should NOT be restoring
on a regular basis. In general, yer doin' somethin' wrong...and on a
regular basis.

The printer has
not worked since that restore. I've even restored again. The BIOS upgrade
is the same one that I did over a year ago. I did it again anyway.

From a floppy?...write protected? Did you check it for a virus?

The
people at Compaq told me to do the scanreg /fix. I've already tried the
delete the usb ports and reboot letting the machine find them, but I'll try
again.

Here's a point I'd like to make; If I restore the machine, put the BIOS in
a configuration that worked before and updated the chipset drivers,
shouldn't it work?

It should, yes. But do you check the drive for a virus first before
you do the restore? And have you checked your restore media for a
virus?

I mean if the camera works, the darn printer should,
looks like to me.

Usually...but not always, of course...especially if yer connecting
thru a hub.

Maybe the legacy thing in the BIOS needs deleted...?

What do you mean by that?

Do you have your printer port enabled in the BIOS? Do you have it
using an IRQ?



Have a nice week...

Trent©

NUDITY...birth control for folks over 50!

 

[kony]

Recapping (correct me if I'm wrong)...

USB ports work (camera works)

Printer works. Power to the printer comes on...and I'm assuming the
power for the printer is somehow from a wall plug...not just USB
driven.

There's a key point we might need to recheck...
Does printer work?
Maybe it does and I overlooked it?
Must get more sleep.

Make sure the printer is online.

If all sounds okay, I'd guess that you simply need to install the
printer driver. Go to Add New Printer...and use the driver that
originally came with the printer if you have it.

If I remember 98 correctly, you don't even need the printer connected
to add the printer. Just do the install...then reboot.

Good ole winprinters often need to find printer while installing
software/driver.

I do recall needing to enable legacy USB setting on one system to
get an HP to work, and on a different system I just gave up and
used a parallel connection instead, which was the better choice
anyway but user didn't have a parallel cord and me with enough
that I could supply them as jumpropes to kids in the
neighborhood.

If you have any optical drives, re-letter them to the end of the
alphabet...R for ROM, W for Writer. This will head off any possible
drive letter conflicts later on.

But whatever will I call my Ramdrive?

 

[kony]

Probably not related to your problem, but you should NOT be restoring
on a regular basis. In general, yer doin' somethin' wrong...and on a
regular basis.

The "something" could be a Compaq Super 7 system. It you get one
working well it's best not to sneeze in that general direction.