[Zaffy]

I have connected my Packard Bell laptop, Windows 2003 XP to an old Epson 460 printer via a usb parallel cable. I used the Wizard set up and it did not work. I downloaded a driver from Epson and it did not work. Please note, I do not know what I am doing. Control panel > printers and faxes has an icon of a printer which says Epson Stylus Color 460 ESC/P 2, it also has a white tick in a black circle. When I click print, a message comes up 'this document failed to print'. Pending print says error. Thank you.

Edited by Zaffy, 03 September 2011 - 11:21 AM.

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Welcome to GeekstoGo

Please go Start, right click My Computer and click Properties.
Then click the hardware tab and device manager and see if there is any warning against any entry.

Is this the driver you downloaded ensuring that it was for XP 32 bit.
http://www.epson.co....TEGORY_CODE=DRV

Here is your setup guide for that printer
ftp://download.epson...epson8950eu.pdf

I recommend you download it and follow the instructions.

When you post back I may need some more information, but on an early appraisal the problem MAY be this
Installing in Windows for USB interfaces
When the optional USB conversion cable is connected, the EPSON USB
printer driver and printer software contained in the CD-ROM supplied with
the printer cannot be used. Instead, install the EPSON USB printer driver
and printer software supplied with the USB conversion cable. The method
of installation is the same; however, refer to the USB User's Guide supplied
with the USB conversion cable for further details.

We can explore further when you have completed my recommendations in this post.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 03 September 2011 - 01:04 PM.

[Macboatmaster]

Welcome to GeekstoGo

Please go Start, right click My Computer and click Properties.
Then click the hardware tab and device manager and see if there is any warning against any entry.

Is this the driver you downloaded ensuring that it was for XP 32 bit.
http://www.epson.co....TEGORY_CODE=DRV

Here is your setup guide for that printer
ftp://download.epson...epson8950eu.pdf

I recommend you download it and follow the instructions.

When you post back I may need some more information, but on an early appraisal the problem MAY be this
Installing in Windows for USB interfaces
When the optional USB conversion cable is connected, the EPSON USB
printer driver and printer software contained in the CD-ROM supplied with
the printer cannot be used. Instead, install the EPSON USB printer driver
and printer software supplied with the USB conversion cable. The method
of installation is the same; however, refer to the USB User's Guide supplied
with the USB conversion cable for further details.

We can explore further when you have completed my recommendations in this post.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 03 September 2011 - 01:04 PM.

[Zaffy]

The set up guide says:
A USB connection is only possible with Windows 98 pre-installed PCs, and
with iMac and G3 series Macintosh computers.

I have Windows 2003, maybe this is the problem.

What about this page? http://xpdrivers.com...460/_5_1720.cfm

Will it help? Although I am worried about the message 'this type of file can harm your computer. Are you sure etc....

Edited by Zaffy, 03 September 2011 - 03:06 PM.

[Macboatmaster]

A USB connection is only possible with Windows 98 pre-installed PCs, and

The printer is old and that advice re Windows98 is of no relevance to this issue.
It means - not on software pre- Windows98.


Please do as I asked in my previous post

Please go Start, right click My Computer and click Properties.
Then click the hardware tab and device manager and see if there is any warning against any entry.

Is the device shown, or is there an unknown device listed.

When you connect the USB to the computer, did the computer find the NEW hardware - bottom right of the taksbar and did this then indicate that it was successfully installed.

What other USB connections, if any, do you have on the laptop.

[Zaffy]

Device Manager tells me I do not have privileges and I should log in as administrator.

At the moment, no other USB connections on the computer. I sometimes use a USB mass storage device but that is all.

[Zaffy]

Instead, install the EPSON USB printer driver
and printer software supplied with the USB conversion cable. The method
of installation is the same; however, refer to the USB User's Guide supplied
with the USB conversion cable for further details.

The cable came in a box with no instructions and no printer software.

[Zaffy]

Sorry, but I think I have wasted your time.
Stage four of the Epson pdf instructions say
'After connecting the printer to your computer, you need to install the
software included on the “Printer Software for EPSON Stylus COLOR 460”
CD-ROM shipped with your printer' I would not know where to find this. I shall get back to you if it turns up.

[Zaffy]

Amazingly, I found the old Epson CD. Unfortunately, when I inserted it, a message popped up saying 'incompatible'.

Edited by Zaffy, 03 September 2011 - 04:44 PM.

[Macboatmaster]

We need to go back a few steps.
Firstly you need to be logged on as an Administrator.
Open Congtrol Panel, User Accounts and see if you have an established Admin Account.
If you do when you are presented with the log on screen, one of the options will be the Admin Account, sign in to that account.#

If you do not use the built in admin account and here is how to do so.
The built-in Administrator account is hidden from Welcome Screen when a user account with Administrator privileges exists and enabled. In Windows XP Home Edition, you can login as built-in Administrator in Safe Mode only. For XP Professional, press CTRL + ALT + DEL twice at the Welcome Screen and input your Administrator password in the classic logon window that appears.

Now please check device manager.

Please post back on what is shown in there. and we will proceed to the next step.

[Macboatmaster]

I am signing off now.
I will be back about 1800hrs UK time.

Once you are signed on as Admin - you must be administrator to install new hardware try this
Setting Up the Printer Device
Follow the steps below to connect your printer to the USB port of your PC:
1. Turn off your printer. Plug parallel to usb cable into your printer. Turn on the printer.
2. Turn on your computer and plug in the USB connector of the USB-Parallel cable into
the USB port.
�� If you have already installed a printer.
a) Click Start. Control Panel Printers.and faxes Right-click the default printer icon
and select Properties. The Properties dialog box will appear.
Click the Port tab..
Under Print to the following port, select USB001: Virtual Printer Port for USB.

If you still have problems reinstall that driver from the link I sent you in my post 2. Do not install from the link you sent in post 3 please.

Also re this on one of your posts

Sorry, but I think I have wasted your time.
Stage four of the Epson pdf instructions say
'After connecting the printer to your computer, you need to install the
software included on the “Printer Software for EPSON Stylus COLOR 460”
CD-ROM shipped with your printer' I would not know where to find this. I shall get back to you if it turns up.

You do NOT need the other software for the printer to work only the driver, but the other software is on the driver link I sent you, simply click on the blue coloured. The other software is only various enhancements to the printer.
http://www.epson.co....tOSId=3&target=

Edited by Macboatmaster, 03 September 2011 - 05:37 PM.

[Zaffy]

I think I have carried out your suggestions accurately and the printer is responding, but it stops after about four lines. The printer icon in the systems tray says failed to print almost immediately upon clicking print and a takes a long time to respond to cancel document printing request.

Edited by Zaffy, 04 September 2011 - 08:51 AM.

[Zaffy]

Driver properties details say: Epson Stylus color 460ESC/P2 Version Windows 2000 or XP Environment Intel.

Edited by Zaffy, 05 September 2011 - 08:01 AM.

[Macboatmaster]

I am sorry I have not replied for a few days.
I have in fact NOT been online since Sunday due to unforseen circumstances here.

Could you please tell me from my post 9 and 10, what exactly you have done.
Were you signed on as an Admin Account.
HAVE you now installed the driver from the link I sent you.

The one you asked me about, was as I presume you found out a driver provider link, requiring registration etc. You should never use these, always get your driber from the computer manufacturer or the item manufacturer, ie in this case Epsom.

Going back to your post 1.

I downloaded a driver from Epson and it did not work

was this, you now know, because you did not have admin rights or DID the driver install but the printer fail to work.

Will a test page print., that is Control Panel, Printers and faxes, right click the printer, click properties and there on the general tab, you will probably find print test page.

[Zaffy]

Just realised I have windows xp and have posted this topic on the wrong forum page, sorry about that.
I downloaded driver from Epson website. I tried Epson support but they would not help becuause I am using a smart cable.
I have deleted and reinstalled printer and driver several times.
I have tried reinstalling driver via my laptop because the printer/driver is listed on this system but now things are worse. I had a pop up message about the cable not being recognised and nothing prints at all.
Sorry, but can't talk computer language so hope I have made myself clear.

[Macboatmaster]

You are in fact doing well.
I appreciate how difficult this can be, as you have of course admitted that you have little knowledge.
Do not worry please just take this one step at a time.

1. Returning to my earlier post - are you NOW signed in as an administrator

2. When we reached the end of my post 10, your reply indicated a slight improvment in that the printer would then accept a command and print some lines before an error message was received. Is this correct.

3. Please download this file, save it to a location
http://www.epson.com...dows32&x=18&y=7

4. Download again the driver for the printer from Epsom. and save that file.

5. Uninstall the printer in Control Panel.

6. Reboot the computer - when the notification that new hardware has been found appears - do not allow windows to install the hardware but open Control Panel Printers anf faxes and click on the left pane - Add a Printer, then click Next on the window that opens and then click the circle to check Local Printer attached to this computer, DO not check the box on that entry, automattically detect and install my plug and play printer. Then click NEXT on the entry Use the folowing port scroll down to the USB entry and select that. Then click Next and then click Have Disk.
Now in the window that opens go to where you saved the driver downloaded from Epsom - the one on the link I sent that you have previously installed before.

Then when you have that installed and the printer is recognised, reboot the computer and install the software you have downloaded from the link at 3 on this post.

When you have done that, and tried to print a test page as previosuly described please post back, with the results

Edited by Macboatmaster, 09 September 2011 - 06:15 AM.