Windows XP doesn't like my printer.

[pkme2]

My problem is that Windows XP Pro SP2 is telling me the printer I have attached to my LPT1 port is conflicting with my O/S.

It keeps knocking off any printer attached to LPT1 port and the new XP driver for Epson will not load because I don't have the proper printer.

I've downloaded Win 2000 driver, it worked for a while, but Windows crashed and said that Win 2000 driver was causing instability problems.

If I leave the printer on and attached, Windows will reboot forever.

Do I need to buy a USB ported printer, or trod along until a cure is found?

I appreciate any imput to solve problem. Thanks.

 

[andrewbabcock]

You can probably just get a usb cable for it can't you?

 

[Lemon law]

Sound to me like you have a printer driver problem---not a port problem---and if they don't have a XP driver for that printer by now---they probably never will.

You need to deal with Epson.---they may have a work around. --try e-mail support to avoid a fee for out of warranty items. Works for Canons---not sure on Epsons.

And if the LPTI port has a problem---it should show in device manager or in system info as
forced hardware. You could try a USB cable---but do make sure if the printer requires usb 1.1
or 2.0---in rare cases using a usb-2 cable on usb-1 printer can also cause problems.

 

[pkme2]

Originally posted by: Lemon law
Sound to me like you have a printer driver problem---not a port problem---and if they don't have a XP driver for that printer by now---they probably never will.

You need to deal with Epson.---they may have a work around. --try e-mail support to avoid a fee for out of warranty items. Works for Canons---not sure on Epsons.

And if the LPTI port has a problem---it should show in device manager or in system info as
forced hardware. You could try a USB cable---but do make sure if the printer requires usb 1.1
or 2.0---in rare cases using a usb-2 cable on usb-1 printer can also cause problems.

Thanks, in checking my Epsons, I discovered the USB port and solved my dilemna. Boy, am I red-faced.

 

[pkme2]

Well, back again. Thought the USB port would have solved my problem. It didn't. Win XP SP2 does not want that Epson as a printer.

Well I gotta go to Costco on Wednesday. Maybe by that time, I might get lucky and find a solution.

 

[Lemon law]

For what OS's do printer drivers exist for that particular Epson printer?---and sometimes the drivers within XP will work---but a specific printer driver is always better.

But if you are really determined to save that printer---you could set up dual boot system---using an OS for which a printer driver exists.

But I am really guessing that your printer is so old---Epson just didn't write an XP driver for it.---and USB or parallel---no XP driver---no printing from XP.

Have you bothered e-mailing Epson yet?---or tried googling the printer to check for drivers on the web?---maybe the driver off another Epson printer might work.

 

[pkme2]

I've downloaded the Win 2000 driver and it worked for a while until I got the error screen and incompatible message from Win XP.

I'm guessing you're right that the Epson is too old. I did email Epson and maybe I'll get a heads-up from them.

 

[Lemon law]

To pkme2,

Epson should give you a definitive answer---but if you end up in the new printer market---you are likely to find almost all new printers are usb interface only.

And sadly almost all new inkjet printers are going to be chipped and feature fairly high ink consumable costs. I really recommend you research which printer to buy
before you buy. I recommend the nifty stuff forums or steves digicams---most cnet type printer reviews are fluff pieces totally unconcerned about consumable costs.
After all, its you that will have to buy the consumables---not the reviewer.

 

[vailr]

The printer, connected only by USB, may still work, if you were to do a clean install of WinXP.
Disable the parallel port in bios setup.
I'd also suggest trying FinePrint as the default printer.
http://www.fineprint.com/index.html

 

[pkme2]

Got to get this working. Costco and Office Max only had the high priced printers available. Don't need a color laser or a $300 version.
Where's the $150 versions when you need them? Well, that's because everybody else are buying them. Patience and wait!
Maybe I'll get it working this weekend..........

 

[Lemon law]

To Pkme2,

With a budget of no more than $150, you would get a bunch of change back on a monochrome laser. In a inkjet it would be hard to beat a Canon ip4200 or ip4300---where careful shopping would get change back from a $100.---and even if they are chipped printers--they offer the lowest consumable costs of any currently producted inkjet.

And for a printer---costco is the last place I would look for an inkjet.

 

[pkme2]

I agree that my options maybe limited on Maui, but its either Office Max or Costco. Walmart doesn't have too much of a choice instore to pick from.
Though Office Max has a wider variety offered, their prices are about 25% higher than Costco.
I just got a 22" Viewsonic LCD last week for $299.99 and is very pleased with the selection.

Costco's return policy is unbelievable and that's another thing in their favor. Oh, well hope another shipment of printers gets in.

 

[Zepper]

Win XP should come with the drivers for older Epson printers - uninstall the Win 2k drivers, shut down, disconnect the printer, reboot-go into XP-make sure it shows no printer installed-make sure your parallel port is configured properly-should be set to ECP/EPP (set in the BIOS setup) with the default DMA channel selected (or check your printer manual to see what it needs if you can get away with less - say, ECP or EPP instead of both or maybe yours can work with just bidirectional) - make sure the LPT port is locked to the standard properties (not set to Auto) Port-378, IRQ-7. Then shut down again-reconnect the printer to parallel-boot up-when printer is detected and hardware install dialog pops up, choose to select printer from list - see if your printer isn't there. If it isn't, cancel out and get the latest file of integrated drivers for XP from the M$ site and install per instructions and then try again to select from list. Even my Win 2k has a long list of Epson Stylus and Stylus color integrated drivers.

I also looked thru my list of printer drivers in Start > Settings > Printers and found that I have a Fax "Printer" driver linked to LPT1: (not in use on my machine) - theoretically that shouldn't interfere as long as both aren't trying to control that port at the same time. But get rid of any such Fax virtual printers linked to your parallel port to see what happens.

Wish we knew exactly which printer we're talking about - would make things much easier...

.bh.

 

[pkme2]

I'm using Epson Color Stylus 740. I deleted all printers and drivers from computer.

On boot, Win XP saw the printer on USB and started downloading drivers. Afterwards when that was done and at point of initialization. Windows say error occurred and cannot install printer.

As I said earlier, when Win 2000 driver was downloaded, the printer installed, communication was AOK, and printing was fine until reboot. Since then all drivers have been purged and printers deleted from computer. Strange happening. Printing is not critical at this point. 4th printer in use.

 

[Zepper]

May need to do a "repair" install of XP. I think there is also a program that comes with XP that allows you to check the system files. And check in Device Manager to be sure nothing else is trying to share the port and IRQ I mentioned above.

.bh.

 

[Lemon law]

To pkme2,

When I googled Xp printer drivers for epson 740---------I got pages and pages of hits--if nothing else you may not be the lone ranger---but I do post one possibly promising link I found.
If you can't find your holy grail in all those hits---you may just be plain ole screwed---but I will let you wade in--its your ox being gored.

But on the Epson site itself--no joy--and its pretty certain Epson itself wrote no XP driver
for the printer--and don't support post script for it either.


http://www.topdownloads.net/software/browse.php?category=382&start=31

 

[Zepper]

M$ integrates the Stylus Color 740 right in XP - all you have to do is pick it from the list in XP

.bh.

 

[Lemon law]

To Zepper,

To a certain extent what you say is true Zepper--but one thing my search seemed to establish is that the driver for the Epson Stylus 740 in XP did not seem to work very well.
And other people were experiencing problems similar to pkme2 when using that driver.

 

[vailr]

Do a clean install of WinXP, if necessary.
With my Epson Stylus 740 (USB), the Win2000 drivers install and work fine.
Note: the driver installer .exe file is picky about where it's located.
Must reside in the "C:\Epson\SC7402K5BES2" folder to work.