Why Do Epson Printers Never Work with XP?

[Sam Goddard]

Hello,

I have a problem with an Epson Printer attached to an XP machine. It is not
the first such problem I've had with an Epson printer.

For some reason the Epson installation sequence & the Wondows method of
installing new hardware are set up in conflict with each other & everything
gets rather confusing.

The result is that I am left, after having tried to install the printer
using the Windows 'Add Hardware' method & the Epson Disk method in many
differend variations with word sending the document to print, giving the
little blue bar at the bottom of the screen, having the printer appear at
the bottom of the Word Window, having the printer appear in the task pane
for a split second & then disappearing again, having lost the print job.

This printer is an Epson Stylus Photo 790 attached via parallel cable to the
printer although, to be honest, it could be any and every Epson printer in
the world.

Can anybody tell me why this might be, what I have done wrong & how I might
set this right?

Thanks

Sam

 

[Terry]

On 11/18/2004 4:15 PM On a whim, Sam Goddard pounded out on the keyboard

Hello,

I have a problem with an Epson Printer attached to an XP machine. It is not
the first such problem I've had with an Epson printer.

For some reason the Epson installation sequence & the Wondows method of
installing new hardware are set up in conflict with each other & everything
gets rather confusing.

The result is that I am left, after having tried to install the printer
using the Windows 'Add Hardware' method & the Epson Disk method in many
differend variations with word sending the document to print, giving the
little blue bar at the bottom of the screen, having the printer appear at
the bottom of the Word Window, having the printer appear in the task pane
for a split second & then disappearing again, having lost the print job.

This printer is an Epson Stylus Photo 790 attached via parallel cable to the
printer although, to be honest, it could be any and every Epson printer in
the world.

Can anybody tell me why this might be, what I have done wrong & how I might
set this right?

Thanks

Sam

I have installed over a dozen different Epson printers using XP and have
never had a problem. If you follow the instructions in the order they
lay out, the install works flawlessly.


--
Terry

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[Sam Goddard]

Well thanks for that Terry, but I've done the same & had a problem with
every one.

Furthermore, the instructions for this particlar printer are obscure at best
& the process does not go as the instruction manual says.

In this respect, thank you for your response, but I'm afraid your good
experiences do not help me to work out what might be wrong in this instance.

Sam

 

[Pop]

I've installed many an Epson printer and never had a problem with
any of them save one that had a broken link in the head band.
So, you are wrong.

If Epson printers never work with XP, why would you even bother
trying then?

No, it couldn't be any Epson printer in the world; that's silly.

And, you're not being "honest" as you intimate.

Go learn some interpersonal skills, then try again.




| Hello,
|
| I have a problem with an Epson Printer attached to an XP
machine. It is not
| the first such problem I've had with an Epson printer.
|
| For some reason the Epson installation sequence & the Wondows
method of
| installing new hardware are set up in conflict with each other
& everything
| gets rather confusing.
|
| The result is that I am left, after having tried to install the
printer
| using the Windows 'Add Hardware' method & the Epson Disk method
in many
| differend variations with word sending the document to print,
giving the
| little blue bar at the bottom of the screen, having the printer
appear at
| the bottom of the Word Window, having the printer appear in the
task pane
| for a split second & then disappearing again, having lost the
print job.
|
| This printer is an Epson Stylus Photo 790 attached via parallel
cable to the
| printer although, to be honest, it could be any and every Epson
printer in
| the world.
|
| Can anybody tell me why this might be, what I have done wrong &
how I might
| set this right?
|
| Thanks
|
| Sam
|
|

 

[Gary R.]

Download the correct drivers from Epson; don't use the install CD for the
drivers. Actually, this goes for about any piece of hardware.

Then, completely remove your Epson software and printers, have it remove the
files also. Then follow the install instructions exactly. Install the
Epson status monitor if it's called for. One way many mess up with USB
printers is to plug it in before installing drivers...you need to follow the
procedure exactly. I don't know if the same goes for parallel, but I have 3
Epsons (2 parallel, one USB) working off of several XP machines networked
and they work without problems of any sort, and have all along.

The Add Hardware method will use the Windows drivers which usually have
fewer features than the Epson ones; but if you end up with both installed,
you can choose which drivers to use in the printer properties dialog boxes.

You also may want to check in device manager or your bios setup that your
printer port is in the right mode for the printer's requirements, usually
ECP or EPP/ECP seems to work fine.

If all else fails, Epson has a good knowledge base for problems, as well as
good customer support after you plow through the basics.

Gary

 

[Michael Stevens]

Hello,

I have a problem with an Epson Printer attached to an XP machine. It
is not the first such problem I've had with an Epson printer.

For some reason the Epson installation sequence & the Wondows method
of installing new hardware are set up in conflict with each other &
everything gets rather confusing.

The result is that I am left, after having tried to install the
printer using the Windows 'Add Hardware' method & the Epson Disk
method in many differend variations with word sending the document to
print, giving the little blue bar at the bottom of the screen, having
the printer appear at the bottom of the Word Window, having the
printer appear in the task pane for a split second & then
disappearing again, having lost the print job.
This printer is an Epson Stylus Photo 790 attached via parallel cable
to the printer although, to be honest, it could be any and every
Epson printer in the world.

Can anybody tell me why this might be, what I have done wrong & how I
might set this right?

Thanks

Sam

I have had the same experience as your other replies related. Follow the
excellent advice Gary R gave you and try again from scratch.
You might try switching to a USB cable, but for the cost of the cable you
could almost replace the printer. LOL
--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[Sam Goddard]

Thank you for your advice Gary & Michael, I'll follow it, altohugh I have
tried to install this particular printer several times. Windows XP also
flagged the printer as a possible cause for a concern when my friend
upgraded his computer. Furthermore, the drivers from the Epson were not
digitally signed.

I'm not sure why this thread provoked such a negative response. I was merely
relaying my experiences & frustrations about the problems tha tI have had
with Epson printers. I know at least two other people in my neighbourhood
who have had the same problem & it is one of them that I am trying to help.

I shall try this procedure again & see what happens, but it seems to me that
the computer thinks the printer is installed and yet the printer will not
print. Is there any reason that this might be?

Thanks

Sam

 

[Ross Durie]

Exact error message please!

--
Ross

Thank you for your advice Gary & Michael, I'll follow it, altohugh I have
tried to install this particular printer several times. Windows XP also
flagged the printer as a possible cause for a concern when my friend
upgraded his computer. Furthermore, the drivers from the Epson were not
digitally signed.

I'm not sure why this thread provoked such a negative response. I was merely
relaying my experiences & frustrations about the problems tha tI have had
with Epson printers. I know at least two other people in my neighbourhood
who have had the same problem & it is one of them that I am trying to help.

I shall try this procedure again & see what happens, but it seems to me that
the computer thinks the printer is installed and yet the printer will not
print. Is there any reason that this might be?

Thanks

Sam

 

[Sam Goddard]

Ross,

There is no error message, that is part of the problem. The program sends
the file to the printer & queues it for printing then the file disappears
from the queue as if it has been printedbut without it haivng been printed.

Sam

 

[Bob Davis]

| I have a problem with an Epson Printer attached to an XP machine. It is
not
| the first such problem I've had with an Epson printer.

I have two attached to this computer, an ancient dot-matrix (parallel) and a
Stylus Photo 2200 (USB), and neither have given any trouble in XP-Pro SP2.
I also have another printer, a Brother laser attached on the second parallel
port.

 

[norm]

Hello,

I have a problem with an Epson Printer attached to an XP machine. It is not
the first such problem I've had with an Epson printer.

For some reason the Epson installation sequence & the Wondows method of
installing new hardware are set up in conflict with each other & everything
gets rather confusing.

The result is that I am left, after having tried to install the printer
using the Windows 'Add Hardware' method & the Epson Disk method in many
differend variations with word sending the document to print, giving the
little blue bar at the bottom of the screen, having the printer appear at
the bottom of the Word Window, having the printer appear in the task pane
for a split second & then disappearing again, having lost the print job.

This printer is an Epson Stylus Photo 790 attached via parallel cable to the
printer although, to be honest, it could be any and every Epson printer in
the world.

Can anybody tell me why this might be, what I have done wrong & how I might
set this right?

Thanks

Sam

880 worked on XP USB , but had to give it network access, probably
'cos a parallel cable attached to printer.
Norm

 

[Terry]

On 11/19/2004 1:03 AM On a whim, Sam Goddard pounded out on the keyboard

Thank you for your advice Gary & Michael, I'll follow it, altohugh I have
tried to install this particular printer several times. Windows XP also
flagged the printer as a possible cause for a concern when my friend
upgraded his computer. Furthermore, the drivers from the Epson were not
digitally signed.

I'm not sure why this thread provoked such a negative response. I was merely
relaying my experiences & frustrations about the problems tha tI have had
with Epson printers. I know at least two other people in my neighbourhood
who have had the same problem & it is one of them that I am trying to help.

I shall try this procedure again & see what happens, but it seems to me that
the computer thinks the printer is installed and yet the printer will not
print. Is there any reason that this might be?

Thanks

Sam

Hi Sam,

Any negativeness you may have picked up was probably from your blanket
statement, "... to be honest, it could be any and every Epson printer in
the world." Usually someone frustrated with a particular product will
include their feelings about the product at the time in the post. As you
can see, most users don't have the issue you have experienced.

Have you ruled out the cable? You mentioned that Windows thinks it has
installed the driver but it won't print. Can you hook up another printer
using the same port, same cable and have it print? Have you tried a USB
cable (the installation instruction is different for USB I believe).

Report back with your findings.

--
Terry

***Reply Note***
Anti-spam measures are included in my email address.
Delete NOSPAM from the email address after clicking Reply.

 

[Sam Goddard]

There is no exact error message, I'm afraid, the printer just drops the job.

Thanks

Sam