Problems installing printer, regarding USB printing support

Question

Recently after reinstalling my Dell Inspiron 6000 with Windows XPMCE, I have had a problem installing the printer. When I plug it in, instead of accessing the cd drivers, it searches for usb printing support, and then asks for a 'usbprint.sys' file in C:\i386, i used serch and located in C:/Windows/Drivers, and it installs, however when I install the software for the printer, an mesage appears saying that the [rinter coud not be installed, as 'the specified port didnt exist', i tried it with four different USB ports, but with no luck.   Thanx Ewan

Mary G · Answer

Did you reinstall all the drivers, starting with the Chipset drivers & Notebook system software? Look at the Hardware Device Manager to see what hardware has a question mark or error.

dougle_888 · Answer

There are no ?marks next to any of the posts. I reinstalled my system using ctrl F11 during startup so all of this was correctly installed Thanx Ewan

RoHe · Answer

In general, you do not want to connect a USB printer to the PC until you load it's own software from the CD and that software tells you to connect the printer. If you connect the printer first, XP will load the wrong drivers (as you saw) and the printer won't ever work.

If you have a System Restore point before your first attempt to install the printer, restore the PC to that date. Then reinstall any XP updates and fixes that were installed after the restore date. Now load the printer software and wait until it tells you to connect the printer. If you don't have a restore point, you may have to do ctrl-F11 again to get a clean registry. Then reload all the XP updates and ony then install the printer software...

BTW: Look on Dell's download page for your model PC and see if there's an update for it's version of Dell's Desktop System Software. There have been USB updates and fixes for some models that's installed via Desktop System Software updates.

Ron

dougle_888 · Answer

That isnt the case, when I install the hp software dirver, it asks me to plug in the printer and allow he add new hardware to complete, this then attempts to install the software to allow windows to interfacce with the printer. But, it fails after asking for a 'usb print' file, failing to finding it in C:\i386, the hp driver installation the fails to load properly, and windows brings up an error saying that the specified port cant be found. It appears the there is something worng with windows, not the printer driver.

RoHe · Answer

If you reinstalled Windows, did you install the chipset driver immediately after loading the OS? If not, USB won't work correctly on your system. So that's the first thing to look at. Go to Dell's download page for your system and look for chipset installation utility.

Then you can try these 2 things:
Disconnect all USB devices except mouse and keyboard. Open Device Manager and expand list under USB. Right-click and uninstall every USB entry. Exit Device Manager and reboot. XP will reinstall the USB ports.

If that doesn't allow you to install the printer, run a system file check:
click start>run
type in: sfc /scannow
(space between sfc and /)
click OK
Insert XP CD if sfc requests it. Reboot when it's done and try the printer install again.

I'm afraid, though, that will all the failed attempts, you may have some registry issues now. If it's possible, before you do any of the above, do a system restore to the latest date available before your very first attempt to install the printer. If you do the system restore, any XP updates installed after the restore date have to be reinstalled, and that should be done before you attempt another printer installation.

Also, on Dell's download page for your model look for update to their Laptop System Software. There have been some updates for USB made via the System Software.

Ron

Message Edited by RoHe on 06-30-200609:47 AM

Windows General

Problems installing printer, regarding USB printing support

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