windows 7 not installing printer

Discussion in 'Software' started by steelbull, Jun 20, 2012.

  1. steelbull

    steelbull Private E-2

    i run windows 7 and i'm having a hard time installing a printer. when i connect the printer to my laptop it doesn't recognize it or start to install anything. when i try to print, i get a prompt that offers to install a printer but when i go forward with it i get an error that 'windows cannot open add printer' and that the local spooler service isnt running and to start it or restart my pc. restarting my pc doesnt do anything. i have also tried opening up 'devices and printers' but the green loading bar hangs once it gets near 99%.

    i have installed a printer before and it worked fine but have since lost access to it and so i've uninstalled it, i'm not sure if that process lead to the current state.
     
  2. brownizs

    brownizs MajorGeek

    So, if you are having problems installing a printer, can you post the model & manufacturer of the printer in question. Kind of makes everyone clueless in knowing how to help, other than looking at your post like a rant.
     
  3. steelbull

    steelbull Private E-2

    oh i didnt mean for it to come off that way at all. the printer is a canon pixia iP1700, i didn't list it because i didn't think it was the printer so much as something got messed up in windows when i uninstalled the previous printer, especially with the local spooler service error thingie
     
  4. brownizs

    brownizs MajorGeek

    Problems installing hardware can mean a number of things, and yes it could be a issue with the driver being corrupted. If you are getting a error with the Print Spooler for Windows 7, what does the events show in Administrative tools?

    As for repairing the Print Spooler Look at http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...7/3ae31e43-71ce-4847-ad9e-1d2936eabb83?auth=1 It is a long process to fix the print spooler, and can be done without doing a complete reinstall of the OS.

    If all else fails, and nothing can fix the print spooler, you end up doing a Repair of the OS. Now depending on how many restore points you have, you could try dialing back to see if it fixes, but that is rare.
     
  5. steelbull

    steelbull Private E-2

    here are some of the different errors that show up under admin tools:

    The Print Spooler service terminated unexpectedly. It has done this 6 time(s).

    Faulting application name: spoolsv.exe, version: 6.1.7601.17514, time stamp: 0x4ce7b4e7
    Faulting module name: fdPnp.dll, version: 6.1.7600.16385, time stamp: 0x4a5bdf09
    Exception code: 0xc000001d

    Windows cannot access the file for one of the following reasons: there is a problem with the network connection, the disk that the file is stored on, or the storage drivers installed on this computer; or the disk is missing. Windows closed the program Spooler SubSystem App because of this error.


    i tried both fixes in the link. FixIt went through the repair process without any problems until it offered to install a printer at which I again got the error, "windows cannot open add printer". I restarted Printer Spooler in the Services program and it was already set to automatic but whenever I try to install a printer it stops itself and must be restarted.

    so I guess the next step is to repair windows 7? It came preloaded on this laptop so I don't have a CD I can boot from, is there another way to do it?
     
  6. Earthling

    Earthling Interplanetary Geek

    When installing a USB printer like the Pixma you have to install the drivers before you connect the USB cable. Windows will automatically find and install drivers for many devices but for a USB printer you have to do a little work yourself ;)
     
  7. steelbull

    steelbull Private E-2

    i was searching around for a driver for windows 7 but canon doesn't have one (last driver update was in 2006) but it is supposedly compatible and one site stated

     
  8. brownizs

    brownizs MajorGeek

    If the last driver was for Vista, it can be used with 7. Canon is pretty bad about updating their drivers. The state unit I came from, uses Canon 300ii microfilm/fiche scanners, and them along with other government agencies have tried to push Canon to put out a app for these legacy devices that will work properly with 7, so that they can start moving off of XP. Of course, you can figure what Canon told them, and now my state is looking at ditching Canon for another manu. who can not only support 7, but also Linux.
     
  9. steelbull

    steelbull Private E-2

    wow, strange decision by canon

    the latest driver is for vista but i just tried to install it and got an error that the program is "only for 32-bit Intel compatible platforms"
     
  10. brownizs

    brownizs MajorGeek

    Tell me about it. This is why people have stuck with either HP printers, or end up upgrading to a new printer about every year or two. I ended up buying a new HP Officejet, due to I got tired of having to go across the house to turn on the workstation to print something, so ended up getting a Officejet with WiFi capabilities built in.
     
  11. pwillener

    pwillener MajorGeek

  12. tgell

    tgell Major Geek Extraordinaire

    I am pretty sure that driver for Windows 64bit is an add-on after the initial driver is installed via Windows Update. Windows Update is the only way to get the basic Windows 7 64bit driver.

    Edit: Maybe the Vista 64bit driver would work but I am not sure. I think the OP tried to install the 32bit version and that was the reason for the error.

     

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