Are you using a printer driver that is compatible with Windows XP?

Are you using a printer driver that is compatible with Windows XP?

Important

• The following procedure might require you to restart your computer, which will close this troubleshooter. If possible, view this troubleshooter on another computer while you perform the steps on the computer you are troubleshooting. If no other computer is available, write down the instructions on this page before you restart your computer.
  
  After your computer restarts, reopen this troubleshooter and answer each question as you answered it initially. When you reach this page again, answer the question at the bottom, and then click Next.

If you cannot install your printer, it might be because you are trying to use a printer driver that is not compatible with Windows XP. For example, the drivers that were created for Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Millennium Edition (Me) are not compatible with Windows XP.
When you install your printer, try using one of the printer drivers that comes with Windows XP.
First, make sure that you do not have any old printer drivers installed, and then use the Add Printer Wizard to install a Windows XP driver.

To remove old printer drivers

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Printers and Other Hardware, and then click Printers and Faxes.
2. If an icon for your printer appears in the Printers and Faxes folder, right-click the icon, click Delete, and then click Yes. If you do not see an icon, continue to the next step.
3. Close any programs that might be trying to use the printer.
4. Close any printer properties windows that are open, including the print queue window. Leave the Printers and Faxes window open.
5. On the File menu, click Server Properties, and then click the Drivers tab.
6. Under Installed printer drivers, look for any drivers that have the same name as the printer you are trying to install. If you see a driver for your printer, click it, click Remove, and then click Yes.
   
   If you are unable to remove the driver, try the following:
   • Close all open programs, and then try to delete the driver.
   • Restart your computer, and then try to delete the driver.
   If you still cannot delete the driver, contact your network administrator or a computer support professional for more assistance.
7. If more than one driver is installed for your printer, repeat step 6 for each driver.
8. Click Close to close the Print Server Properties window.

To install a Windows XP printer driver

1. In the Printers and Faxes folder, double-click Add Printer to start the Add Printer Wizard. Follow the instructions to complete the wizard, and use one of the following options to install a Windows XP driver:
   • If your printer is Plug and Play, select the Automatically detect and install my Plug and Play printer check box at the beginning of the wizard.
   • If your printer is not Plug and Play, select your manufacturer and printer from the lists in the wizard, and do not click Have Disk. This will cause your printer to be installed with one of the Windows XP printer drivers. If your printer is not listed in the Add Printer Wizard, check whether it is on the Windows Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) for Windows XP.
     
     Notes
     • If you follow this link, when you return to this troubleshooter you will have to start over from the beginning and answer each question as you answered it initially.
     • If you do not have Web access, contact the manufacturer of your device to find out if it is compatible with Windows XP.
     Your printer might be listed here with a Windows XP-compatible driver that you can download and use to install your printer.
     If your printer is not listed, Microsoft cannot guarantee that it will work with Windows XP. However, you might be able to obtain an updated driver from the manufacturer of your printer that is compatible with Windows XP. Contact the manufacturer, or visit the manufacturer's Web site, for more information about updated drivers.
   
   

Search Post

Label :