Printer requires re-install of driver

[bosloe]

I have a Dell Dimension 8100. Recently I reformatted and loaded Win 2000. I forgot to check/copy the drivers. Now I find I have to use Device Manager to delete "ECP Printer Port (LPT1)" and then reinitialize using the Hardware Wizard every time I reboot. I don't seem to be able to get help from Dell.

Can anyone help?

 

[kestrel1]

Why do you have to delete the printer port?

 

[tekman101101]

Need more information.

But it sounds like you might be having a driver issue.

As you probably know Windows 2000 includes a lot of drivers for many devices including printers.

Are you getting either a yellow circle with a black exclamation mark in it or a red circle with a black X in it in device manager next to any of the hardware deivices that Windows recognizes.

Also some printers require EPP instead of ECP to be enabled in your BIOS.

Hopes this helps, but please include more information about the particular issue that you are having.

 

[bosloe]

NO - I don't seem to have to do anything to the port. After rebooting, the printer still shows and lets me print. Then nothing happens until I reinitialize the driver and print again. Then it prints fine. Printer is an HP laserjet 2100.

 

[diogenes10]

hp shows latest drivers dated april 2003. If you're using older ones you could try the newer one from HP.
You could also consider going from the pcl6 to the pcl5e driver.

 

[tekman101101]

Not sure if you still need help with this but,
Since there is no “reinitialize” button in the driver or in device manager and the information that you have provided so far is rather vague, I have to guess:
Do you mean, reinstall the driver?
Or are you referring to the extra bidirectional utilities that come with the full download of the “Point and Print bundle”? (i.e. HP toolbox)
If the latter I would recommend uninstalling all of the extra bells and whistles using Windows Add and remove in the control panel and just using the plain rap driver:

hp LaserJet 2100 PCL 6 Printer Driver
23 May 2002 4.3.2.201 1.5 MB


Available at:

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...dSeriesId=25469&prodTypeId=18972&swEnvOID=181

The reasoning is…….. the extra utilities sometimes cause issues and they also use up Windows resources.

Hope this helps.

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