[clarky23]

OK....I have a client who upgraded to a Dell Dimension running Windows XP SP2. They wanted to keep their older but working great HP 4 in 1 printer. (Think modal is C740, 4 in 1 scan, fax, copy, print) I had to install a parallel port card since there was no USB on the printer. When you turn the printer on, it's like Windows sends a print job and get lost in the printer's print queue. You have to manually cancel the print job from the printer, turn the printer off, then back on and it's fine and will work. Also, no print job ever shows in Window's print queue. Any suggestions. Thanks.

Edited by clarky23, 19 January 2006 - 10:28 AM.

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are you charging for tech support to this client?

[dsenette]

are you charging for tech support to this client?

[clarky23]

no, I'm not qualified enough to charge tech advice. I do graphic design for their company and am helping them on their computer issues strictly on a courtesy basis, instead of them taking their computer to a shop. Very dime us small folks can save.

[dsenette]

right click my computer > manage > device manager do you see any yellow ? or !

[clarky23]

no...device manager shows everything working good...at least it did when I was there 3 days ago. They are located about 45 miles from me and have no DSL/Cable options. I guess I was looking for a couple of options to check. I remember when the ZIP drives first came out that some parallel ports had problems with bi-directional communication. Could this printer have the same issues?

[dsenette]

it is possible....

so you installed a pci parrallel port?
the computer didn't have an lpt port at all?

[clarky23]

Computer had 2 usb, video, sound, ethernet port and modem. No other ports available. In fact it only had two pci slots and the modem was in one of them. This machine was definately not made to be upgrade friendly, no AGP port even.

[dsenette]

ive never seen a machine without an lpt port...that's stupid hehehehe....

there are some of those pci parrallel ports that for some reason have a non usable parrallel port...doesn't make sense to me...but they have em...

when you set up the printer as a local printer...did you create a custom port? or just find that parrallell? there may be something in that pci card's setup that makes it an lpt port instead of a standard parallell

[clarky23]

after I installed the drivers for parallel port (compUSA brand FYI) XP pretty much took over and found the printer and installed drivers. Printer is set as default. I never thought to look to see if it was listed as a lpt port. I can check that when I'm there this weekend.

[dsenette]

ah...so you let xp set the printer up how it saw fit? most of thos all in ones prefer that you cancel the windows autodetect deal...then use their cd

[clarky23]

I'll see if they have a CD driver and reinstall the printer. It will be Saturday before I can do this. Will update then. Thanks for all your help.