Dual Printer Conflict HP1320 & Lexmark Z715 USB 1

[baseballbob]

HELP! Lexmark Support Can't help me! HP Support wants to charge me! I have a Windows XP system (desktop) with an HP 1320 Laserjet printer attached (Port DOT4_001). The HP works fine by itself. I tried to attach a Lexmark Z715 USB printer so that I could print in color too. The Lexmark port is USB001. The system sees the Z715, but when I try to print a Test Page (or anything for that matter) I get a window that says that there is a Communications Problem (even when I set the Z715 as the default printer). I also get a quick flash of the HP printing window (although it doesn't print anything to the HP). There seems to be a conflict somewhere. Can I assign the HP 1320 to a different port (i.e. LPT1? If so, how? And could that help fix this problem?

 

[SirBlack]

I'm assuming you used the Add Printer Wizard when you attached the new printer. Did you install the driver & check for updates for it? Have you tried a different USB port for the Lexmark?

Bob B-)

 

[baseballbob]

Just in case anyone else should encounter this problem (and you will!), here's the answer to getting both printers operable on the same computer (or at least, here's what I did that worked!).

The first step was to go to the Device Manager and reassign the DOT4_001 port for the HP 1320 to LPT1:. To do this click CONTROL PANEL, PRINTERS & FAXES, Right Click on the printer that's assigned to the DOT4 (in my case it was the HP 1320), click PROPERTIES, PORTS, check the box for LPT1: and Click APPLY. This reassigns the HP1320 to the LPT1: port. It doesn't fix the problem, yet.

The second step is to DISABLE the DOT4_001 Port. To do this go to CONTROL PANEL, SYSTEM, HARDWARE, Find the DOT4 device assignment (somewhere near the D's in the alphabetical list). Click the + sign to see what's in the menu below it and you'll see the DOT4 port. Right Click on that line and you'll open a window in which one of your options in DISABLE. Click DISABLE. A red "X" should appear through the icon nect to the DOT4 line.

Now go back and try printing to each of your printers. They should both work.

Thanks to EVERYONE who tried to help me with this. Even though you may not have directly solved the problem, something you said led me to the solution. Sometimes we are given answers, sometime answers find us, and sometimes we have to go out seeking the information needed to develop the answers ourselves. The latter, is often the case with computer problems. It is only when we give up that the answer will seldom reach us.

BoaseballBob