PDA

View Full Version : Windows cannot find the printer.


Micky
May 15th 17, 02:51 PM
I wanted, at least in Theory, to install my landlady's printer, on my
XP box. She has an HPInkjet940C, so I went to Printers and Faxes /
Add Printer / A network printer or a printer attached to another
computer, and the first bubble was checked, Browse for a Printer, so I
used that (next) and I entered the printer name at Browse for Printer.

And it said Windows cannot find the printer.

What happened to the list, by maker?

May 15th 17, 04:45 PM
On Mon, 15 May 2017 16:51:54 +0300, Micky > wrote:

>I wanted, at least in Theory, to install my landlady's printer, on my
>XP box. She has an HPInkjet940C, so I went to Printers and Faxes /
>Add Printer / A network printer or a printer attached to another
>computer, and the first bubble was checked, Browse for a Printer, so I
>used that (next) and I entered the printer name at Browse for Printer.
>
>And it said Windows cannot find the printer.
>
>What happened to the list, by maker?
>
You don't see that dialog until it sees something that looks like a
printer.
Does she have print sharing turned on?

Micky
May 15th 17, 07:47 PM
On Mon, 15 May 2017 11:45:08 -0400, wrote:

>On Mon, 15 May 2017 16:51:54 +0300, Micky > wrote:
>
>>I wanted, at least in Theory, to install my landlady's printer, on my
>>XP box. She has an HPInkjet940C, so I went to Printers and Faxes /
>>Add Printer / A network printer or a printer attached to another
>>computer, and the first bubble was checked, Browse for a Printer, so I
>>used that (next) and I entered the printer name at Browse for Printer.
>>
>>And it said Windows cannot find the printer.
>>
>>What happened to the list, by maker?
>>
>You don't see that dialog until it sees something that looks like a
>printer.

If it sees the printer, why wouldn't it know what make and model the
printer was? Why do other computesr provide a list of hardware by
make, and within that by model? Aren't printers treated the same way?

>Does she have print sharing turned on?

I don't know and I can't ask her to turn it on, and I don't think I
can even ask her if it is on. She's my landlady and we're not close,
to say the least.

But I distinctly remember installing printers I didn't own, so that I
can use their drivers, or codices, or whatever they are called, when I
print to a file, so that that file can be taken to a computer that has
that printer, and so the control characters in the file will be
appropriate to that printer. Don't I remember that?

VanguardLH[_2_]
May 15th 17, 09:22 PM
Micky > wrote:

> wrote:
>
>> Micky > wrote:
>>
>>> I wanted, at least in Theory, to install my landlady's printer, on
>>> my XP box. She has an HPInkjet940C, so I went to Printers and
>>> Faxes / Add Printer / A network printer or a printer attached to
>>> another computer, and the first bubble was checked, Browse for a
>>> Printer, so I used that (next) and I entered the printer name at
>>> Browse for Printer.
>>>
>>> And it said Windows cannot find the printer.
>>>
>>> What happened to the list, by maker?
>>
>> You don't see that dialog until it sees something that looks like a
>> printer.
>
> If it sees the printer, ...

That is NOT what you said. You said that *YOU* entered the printer
name. That means the browser did not find the printer.

> ... why wouldn't it know what make and model the printer was?

How would it? It is a networked device. Until you install a driver on
YOU computer to define the OS to hardware interface, your computer would
only know a host exists - but not that it had a printer unless that host
shared it.

> Why do other computesr provide a list of hardware by
> make, and within that by model? Aren't printers treated the same way?

So you are in some dialog where you choose to change/update the driver
for the device and the type of device is not listed or the maker? Well,
those are the drivers that came with Windows. Obviously it cannot list
anything that was created after the release of Windows XP, or even close
to the release of Windows XP. Install the driver for that printer on
your computer.

>> Does she have print sharing turned on?
>
> I don't know and I can't ask her to turn it on, and I don't think I
> can even ask her if it is on. She's my landlady and we're not close,
> to say the least.

If you cannot ask, and since it is obviously NOT the default to share
devices connected to a printer, you don't get to share her printer. If
you're not close, just why would you think she would let you waste her
ink and paper and wear on her printer?

You can buy an HP inkjet for $30 at Bestbuy. Start using coupons, plan
your meals around sales at the grocery store, skip a meal, especially
for dining out, turn off the lights in rooms where you aren't, turn down
the heat and wear sweaters, or whatever to penny pinch for a couple
months to buy a new but cheap printer. Or start hunting on Craigslist
and eBay (local pickup only) for sales on used printers. Some cities
have refurbishers or recyclers that sell printers for cheap. Some
libraries let you send a print job from your smartphone, tablet, or
laptop to their wireless printers (but just like with your landlady, you
need to install the driver on your computer for whatever printers they
have). There is likely a cost per page. Kinkos, now FedEx (business
centers), has copiers with a wireless print function. An Internet cafe
store (not just some restaurant's or retail store's wi-fi hotspot) may
have printers you can use.

> But I distinctly remember installing printers I didn't own, so that I
> can use their drivers, or codices, or whatever they are called, when I
> print to a file, so that that file can be taken to a computer that has
> that printer, and so the control characters in the file will be
> appropriate to that printer. Don't I remember that?

You know her printer. She doesn't have to provide you the driver. Go
to HP's web site to get the printer driver but for your OS. She still
still has the choice to share her printer with you or not.

J. P. Gilliver (John)[_4_]
May 15th 17, 09:53 PM
In message >, Micky
> writes:
[]
>But I distinctly remember installing printers I didn't own, so that I
>can use their drivers, or codices, or whatever they are called, when I
>print to a file, so that that file can be taken to a computer that has
>that printer, and so the control characters in the file will be
>appropriate to that printer. Don't I remember that?

I vaguely remember that, I think - but basically, you're talking about
creating a raw data file that you then copy directly to the printer when
you get the chance. Not only is this rather fragile (and I think liable
to produce rather big files), but I think trying to do the Windows
equivalent of "copy <filename> prn:" is more trouble than you'd expect.

A much simpler way is to use a .pdf "printer": I use PDF995, but there
are lots of them out there. This will produce a .pdf file, which you can
print when you get to the [computer that's attached to] the printer; it
also has the advantage of being able to produce output you can print on
a computer that doesn't have the software. (I use it a lot for genealogy
output - emailing it too.)

Or are you planning to access the printer remotely and without the
owner's knowledge/permission?
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Every time I think I know where it's at, they move it.

Google