can't view or set printer properties

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

After reinstalling my HP all-in-one I haven't been able to access printer
properties.
Whenever I click "Properties" nothing happens. I have windows XP
professional and
everything worked fine before. Now I can print but I am not able to set
properties
no matter which program I try to print from.I would appreciate any help as I
have
already spent hours trying to uninstall and reinstall the HP properly
following all the instructions.Thanks.
 
Why did you reinstall the all in one? SP-2 install perhaps?
Since the reinstall did not provide all the previous features--
Was the same version driver and application software reinstalled? Is a newer
version available on HPs web site?
Is a network interface such as ethernet or wireless involved (built in the
all in one for instance?)
Did HP mention a "cleanup" utility that needed to be run before you
reinstalled? One may be available on the HP web site.
Did you uninstall the old all in one driver and software before you
reinstalled, or just do a reinstall over the old?

What usually happens in cases like yours is that the registry entries
associated with the all in one get damaged, or a bare bones driver gets
installed by mistake.
Often, a reinstall over the old install (for whatever reason) does not
properly overwrite the old entries. and just adds new entries or leaves the
old ones in place..

When all else fails, a possible cure is to uninstall the port and port
controller driver software (USB usually). When windows restarts, it
normally reinstalls the port and controller. If the all in one was
disconnected, and the all in one driver and possibly HP application software
was uninstalled prior to shutdown-restart, the USB port and controller
driver reinstall generally causes enough of a change to set things up for a
successful reinstall of the all in one software and drivers.

There are some cautions--
You may need a PS-2 interfaced keyboard and mouse instead of USB.
Your motherboard may require the reinstallation of chipset specific drivers
instead of the generic windows USB drivers.
Follow the all in one install instructions exactly. Connect the all in one
only when told to do so.

Manual registry editing is possible, but is very unforgiving, and can cause
other more serious problems. Thus it is more or less a last resort.
The basic idea used in manually editing the registry is to remove any
entries associated with the all in one. Finding the entries is a fairly
major effort, and involves entries referenced by other entries. It's not
uncommon to find multiple, almost duplicate entries, due to the presence of
multiple USB ports.
 
Thanks for replying.
Initially I decided to uninstall and reinstall the all-in-one as a solution
to "Copier disconnected or not responding" problem when I tried to make
copies through the HP Director.
I have actually tried all these (uninstall utility,usb etc) following HP
instructions very carefully. I haven't tried registry editing though.
The strange thing is I cannot view or set properties for any of the printers
(PDF,SnagIt,Fax) in the printers and faxes folder.
Another interesting fact is that during installation there was a dialogue
window asking for a .sys file which was located in the dot4/Windows2000
folder on the CD.
I would really appreciate any helpful suggestion. Thanks again.
 
Hi Elsa,

I have exctly the same problem and have not found a solution yet. Have you
had a backdoor trojan recently, as my problems seemed to arrive about the
same time?

Nev.
 
Hi Nev and Elsa,

I am having the exact problem as well. 2 days after installing the
drivers for a Brother MFC-425CN printer. Now I can print to both of my
printers but cannot edit properties either from the print dialog or
from the printer icon under Printers and Faxes.

Yes I did have a trojan earlier. Any info would be appreciated thanks.

Eric
 
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