Printer/Printer driver

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

Guest

We have an XP Pro PC that detects and install the same usb printer
model/driver many many times in a day, about 60. After a couple of months
the PC is slow at detecting and installing the same usb printer, it takes
about 5 mins when it gets really bad. A reload of the system is the only
remedy that we have performed (ghost image). Does XP have limitations on
detecting and installing printer/drivers? Are there other solutions?
 
We manufacture our own printers. Fargo printers.

Is there a limitation on how many printers can Windows XP detect and install?
 
If they are USB and have their own power resource, you can install
up to 127 printers. Is that enough?
 
tvang said:
We manufacture our own printers. Fargo printers.

Is there a limitation on how many printers can Windows XP detect and install?
Click to expand...

Do you have sp2 installed? MS has made many USB-related fixes in both sp1 and
sp2.

Why does it detect and install the same printer 60 times a day? Is the printer
being disconnected and then re-connected to a different usb port? Do you get any
error messages?

You might get some help here: http://www.usbman.com/index.htm
 
XP Pro allows 10 simultaneous connections, XP Home allows 5. Are you
rebooting in between each install to allow XP to 'lose' the connection?
 
If the printer has built-in serial number encoding, then the Plug and Play
detection system can recognize that the "new" device is actually the same
device. Design the device with serial numbers.

The next issue is why 60 times? Plug and Play detection occurs when a new
device is plugged in. It sounds like the device is going offline (does it
go to sleep??) then reconnects and since it does not have the serial number
Plug and Play CANNOT determine that this is the same device.

You will probably need to attach some line analyzer to the USB input to
determine if there is some drop in voltage that would cause the offline
state.

--
Alan Morris
Windows Printing Team
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
 
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