Re: XP doesn't see hardware

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

It's not that the printer cannot be seen by XP, it's more that it cannot be
identified. All USB devices are hard coded with information so that they
can 'tell' the PC what they are.

The DEC printer cannot have this information... it's much too old.... USB
hadn't been thought of when it came out. Therefore even if the USB adapter
was working correctly, the poor old notebook has absolutely no idea what is
at the other end of the adapter. Hence the problem. Since one cannot go
'in' to the printer and 'add' this information, I'm afraid it's time for
retirement!

It's time for something a little newer. Canon make a very nice range of
portable printers. Not that I can afford one, but having seen them recently
at CES, I was full of jealousy for anyone that could!

Cari
www.coribright.com

"Ron G" > wrote in message
...
> XP Home edition. Sony VAIO subnote.
>
> In preparation for a trip where it might needed I hauled my trusty seven
> year-old DEC portable 90iP inkjet printer out of the closet, and using a
> parallel ---> USB connector (which Device Manager seemed to think was
> working ok) hooked up the printer. Nothing. Nada. No new hardware found.
> Rebooted. Ditto.
>
> I had loaded some drivers in a folder and then tried to install the
> printer, but I kept getting a message that there was no information on the
> hardware (no new printer found?) so we could not go forward. And, this
> despite the fact among the printers listed by XP was the HP Deskjet Plus
> printer, the drivers for which were identical to those I installed.
>
> Unfortunately, I have not yet been able to find XP drivers for the printer
> (the ones I have seem to be for Win 3.1) but I am curious to know why the
> hardware itself was not seen by XP. Is there any way to fix this so I can
> face further frustration...or is there some old hardware that XP can't see
> regardless of drivers?
>
> My computer does print well over a home network and it otherwise works
> well with scanners and other hardware devices.
>
> Thanks.
>

[Ron G]

Cari:

Thanks a lot. Interestingly, I was subsequently able to get the printer
to work perfectly in Win98SE, using the same USB device. I simply asked
it to install a generic printer and when it asked for drivers I pointed
to some files on my 'A' drive. Voila!

My problem in XP is that I simply cannot get my subnote to see the
drivers on my 'A' drive floppy, when I tried to install a generic
printer. Keeps telling me the hardware is not identified.

I agree about a new printer. I had one of the first little Canons and
loved it, and purchased the DEC after the Canon was dropped. It is a
beautiful tiny printer for which I can still get bulk ink (it seems to
be an Olivetti) and cartridges, and it has a really fine external
battery system that even gives me the opportunity to use NiMh AA's!
Unfortunately, I've torn my hair out trying to find XP drivers and it
just doesn't look like there are any. But even were I to find them I
still have this hardware recognition problem....

..ron

Cari (MS-MVP) wrote:

>It's not that the printer cannot be seen by XP, it's more that it cannot be
>identified. All USB devices are hard coded with information so that they
>can 'tell' the PC what they are.
>
>The DEC printer cannot have this information... it's much too old.... USB
>hadn't been thought of when it came out. Therefore even if the USB adapter
>was working correctly, the poor old notebook has absolutely no idea what is
>at the other end of the adapter. Hence the problem. Since one cannot go
>'in' to the printer and 'add' this information, I'm afraid it's time for
>retirement!
>
>It's time for something a little newer. Canon make a very nice range of
>portable printers. Not that I can afford one, but having seen them recently
>at CES, I was full of jealousy for anyone that could!
>
>Cari
>www.coribright.com
>
>"Ron G" > wrote in message
...
>
>
>>XP Home edition. Sony VAIO subnote.
>>
>>In preparation for a trip where it might needed I hauled my trusty seven
>>year-old DEC portable 90iP inkjet printer out of the closet, and using a
>>parallel ---> USB connector (which Device Manager seemed to think was
>>working ok) hooked up the printer. Nothing. Nada. No new hardware found.
>>Rebooted. Ditto.
>>
>>I had loaded some drivers in a folder and then tried to install the
>>printer, but I kept getting a message that there was no information on the
>>hardware (no new printer found?) so we could not go forward. And, this
>>despite the fact among the printers listed by XP was the HP Deskjet Plus
>>printer, the drivers for which were identical to those I installed.
>>
>>Unfortunately, I have not yet been able to find XP drivers for the printer
>>(the ones I have seem to be for Win 3.1) but I am curious to know why the
>>hardware itself was not seen by XP. Is there any way to fix this so I can
>>face further frustration...or is there some old hardware that XP can't see
>>regardless of drivers?
>>
>>My computer does print well over a home network and it otherwise works
>>well with scanners and other hardware devices.
>>
>>Thanks.
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>