Thread: Installing A Printer...should Be Easy Right?

HI guys.

I'm having trouble reinstalling my printer to my computer. I had to disconnect it all when my computer crashed last year.

I've followed all the instructions to the letter, and it just comes up with a screen saying' your printer is not responding, please ensure it is connected correctly and turned on.'

I haven't done anything daft like connect the printer before using the install disk that came with it, so i'm just wondering what i'm doing wrong.

I'm wondering if there are files left over somewhere and it's getting confused...or maybe a loose connection.

Have you deleted the old printer profile from before? Just one possibility, but the new install might be creating a new printer profile, while the old one remains the default.

Is it a USB printer? If so, is your computer detecting new hardware when you plug it in?

I wonder if you have to update the drivers as well? You should be able to download them from the manufacturer's website.

How old is the printer in question, and is it serial or USB? 'Cuz most modern ones should be plug-and-play...
'Course, could just be that the printer's just busted.
Provided it's not a really expensive printer, it could just be easier to buy a new one if it's more than a year or two old. And with the cost of ink cartridges, a new printer that comes with ink usually winds up being cheaper than buying a couple of new ink cartridges anyway.

There are times when a computer , for what ever reason does not recognize a device.
If you are lucky, you can manually direct the computer to the source of the printer to activate it.

ok howie, that sounds like a good idea, how do i do it?

and now it's been mentioned, my computer isn't coming up with that 'new hardware' detected bubble.

and it's a usb, so it should be easy.

Originally Posted by irishcream

ok howie, that sounds like a good idea, how do i do it?

and now it's been mentioned, my computer isn't coming up with that 'new hardware' detected bubble.

and it's a usb, so it should be easy.[/b]

Generally you can go to your control panel. There should be Printers and other hardware.
If not you can go to add and remove programs. In that list there should be a printer device.

If this seems vague or does not work, ask one of the more savvy computer users above.

Good luck

Originally Posted by irishcream

I haven't done anything daft like connect the printer before using the install disk that came with it, so i'm just wondering what i'm doing wrong.[/b]

So you haven't connected it? Or...

My suggestion would be to, er, plug it in. Most computers should be able to recognize it quickly, provided that the printer is turned on as well.

I was following the setup instructions which clearly stated that i wasn't to connect the printer to my computer before i'd inserted the software disk. Only to connect it when prompted. Which i did, and then i hit problems.

I tried howie's suggestion last night of plugging it in the back first, and then it took me through a wizard to set my computer up. It was totally different to the setup instructions that came with my printer...

So, now it's all working fine. Thanks for all your help guys.

Another sorry example of where, sometimes, for some reason, the manufacturer seems to understand their hardware less than the OS does.

Still, just for the record, when instructions say "DO NOT PLUG ANYTHING IN UNTIL THIS STEP", it tends to be you can plug it in: it'd be some crap hardware if it was going to explode if you only plugged it in at a certain step (let's face it, a lot of people would never see the warning) and everything you do is ultimately reversible.

Originally Posted by Kaniaz

Another sorry example of where, sometimes, for some reason, the manufacturer seems to understand their hardware less than the OS does.

Still, just for the record, when instructions say "DO NOT PLUG ANYTHING IN UNTIL THIS STEP", it tends to be you can plug it in: it'd be some crap hardware if it was going to explode if you only plugged it in at a certain step (let's face it, a lot of people would never see the warning) and everything you do is ultimately reversible.
[/b]

yeah, i see that now Kaniaz.
And thanks for the tip, i'll bear that one in mind in future...
I guess i was kinda scared of having a 'half installed' printer on my computer, and that making things go screwy on me...

But god, if i'd realised it was that easy to fix, i'd have had a printer six months ago!
Duh!