Windows Xp Forgets About Printer

[David]

My workstation runs Win/XP pro SP2. I have an Ink Jet Printer that
connects to the workstation using a USB port. Normally, everything
works fine.

However, it too much time goes by, Win/XP seems unable to communicate
properly with the printer. The Remove Hardware feature that lets me
"stop" a USB peripheral still recognizes the printer. However, Office
2007 will not print to that printer. The print window opens when I
try to print, I can set any desired options, but no printing. If I
reboot the workstation, printing resumes working.

1. Does anyone know why this happens?
2. Is there any utility, O/S feature, etc. I can use to restart the
printer without rebooting the workstation?


Dave

 

[DL]

You've checked the Event logs?

 

[Unknown]

Have you gone to control panel---printers---and checked the settings there?

 

[David]

I just checked the Application Event Log and found 3 entries that
appear to be related to this issue. They are in chronological order
with the first entry being the oldest. The first two appear each time
I try to use the printer, whether or not things work. The third only
appears when Xp/Pro will not print to the printer.


Information HP Port Resolver
The description for Event ID ( 0 ) in Source ( HP Port Resolver )
cannot be found. The local computer may not have the necessary
registry information or message DLL files to display messages from a
remote computer. You may be able to use the /AUXSOURCE= flag to
retrieve this description; see Help and Support for details. The
following information is part of the event: Service started.

Information HP status Server
The description for Event ID ( 0 ) in Source ( HP Status Server )
cannot be found. The local computer may not have the necessary
registry information or message DLL files to display messages from a
remote computer. You may be able to use the /AUXSOURCE= flag to
retrieve this description; see Help and Support for details. The
following information is part of the event: Service started.

Error Application Hang
Hanging application rundll32.exe, version 5.1.2600.2180, hang module
hungapp, version 0.0.0.0, hang address 0x00000000.


It appears obvious to me that there is a problem after reading the 3rd
event log, but I don't know how to procede from here.