XP won't communicate w/ printer

  • Thread starter Thread starter terry b.
  • Start date Start date
T

terry b.

Hello, All
'Bout a week ago started having erratic problems getting my hp 5510
to print from an open document. Got worse & worse 'til it would never
print...
Thought it was the printer. Went out & spent $200 on new unit. No
Joy!
Symptoms:
a)When I try to print from MS Word I get an error window telling
me "Windows cannot print due to a problem with the current printer
setup...." (etc.)
b)When trying to print frm a text editor I get an error that says
"Can not start printer document."
c)When trying to print a test page (after rt-clicking on the
printer in Printers & Faxes then choosing Properties) I just get a
generic error msg ("Test page failed to print....Operation could not be
completed.")


What I've already tried:
1) Tried totally un-installing & re-installing the printer
software (multiple times, both with hp printer & the new one)
2) Have deleted printer (from Control Panel>Printers and Faxes,
then gone through steps in the Add Printer routine.
3) Have deleted the "USB Printing Support" device in Device
Manager (both the old & new printers were USB 2.0 units, installed on
"USB001"), then restarted computer to have port freshly recognized.
4) Have started Windows Recovery Console & run "chkdsk /r". Seemed
to run fine but no improvement.
5) Have gone through the Printer Troubleshooter multiple times.
6) Have tried a brand new USB cable, and a different port on rear
of unit.

My gut feeling is that it's not a printer setup problem, but with
Windows--maybe the registry. Also, I tried Sys Restore; no help.

Anybody good with XP printer troubleshooting? Any ideas?
Thanks for your time [:-)

terry b.
 
Cari said:
With a printer like the 5510, you shouldn't even be touching the Add Printer
Wizard, you should just be running the installation software from the HP CD.

http://www.coribright.com/windows/Article One.htm
Click to expand...

Cari,
Thanks for taking the time to reply... But can we take it from the
present point? The hp printer has been uninstalled & physically removed
from the scene. Right now there's a Canon MP450 installed, and when I
go to Device Mgr and click on that unit XP informs me that "This device
is working properly." Also, please be advised that the error msgs that
are coming up when attempting to use the Canon are exactly the same
msgs that I was getting from the hp. I'm pretty sure it's a
computer--and not a printer--problem.

When I installed the Canon (which I've done twice now) I follow the
manufacturer's instructions & the unit acts like it's installing O.K.

Any other ideas?

terry b.
 
OK, we'll ignore the old HP....

Disconnect the printer from the PC.

From the Control Panel, use Add/Remove Programs and uninstall the MP450
software. Ensure there are no entries in that list for the HP and its
respective software.

http://www.coribright.com/windows/Article One.htm

As per my article above, ensure there are no drivers left in the Server
Properties section.

Under Control Panel, Printers & Faxes, there should now be NO printers...
except perhaps 'virtual' ones like Acrobat Writer, MS Image Writer etc.

Reboot the PC.

Download a new set of the software from the Canon website... should be
version 1.0 for XP.

Install the software. Do NOT reconnect the printer until the software tells
you to do so. When it tells you to reconnect the printer.... do so.... in
the System Tray, an icon saying XP has found new hardware should appear and
then you should see a box installing the drivers.

Any change in behavior?

If there are error messages, please post back with the EXACT text of the
message.
--
Cari (MS-MVP)
Printing & Imaging
 
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