HP scanjet 5550

[Sy Portnoy]

According to my deskjet 5550 manual, the parallel cable is okay for XP. I
already had the cable from another printer; that's why I used it. Do you
think a USB cable would work?

"Quaoar" <jwglasspeAT@attbiDOT.com> wrote in message
news:zT7Ka.13088$e26.9933@rwcrnsc52.ops.asp.att.net... Ben Myers wrote: Perhaps "safe mode" is a misnomer? How about "Less hostile but somewhat crippled mode"? ... Ben Myers On Tue, 24 Jun 2003 21:15:53 GMT, "Quaoar" <jwglasspeAT@attbiDOT.com> wrote: Sy Portnoy wrote:> Q, tried to follow your directions. One problem: when I tried to> remove the driver in Server Properties, I got the msg that it can't> remove it because the printer is currently in use. I rebooted. Same> thing. I've disconnected the cable from the computer. Any> suggestions> on how to get rid of the driver in Server Properties?>> "Sy Portnoy" <syport@rcn.com> wrote in message> news:bd7nuc$t7e$1@bob.news.rcn.net...>> Q, I went to the site, but can't find an answer to my problem.>> Nearest had to do with the spooler, but everything's working fine.>> The printer's fine. I even disabled the yellow question mark, but>> when I rebooted, I got the "found new hardware" msg then the error>> msg from Found New Hardware Wizard that it can't find the file. Any>> other suggestions?>>>> "Quaoar" <jwglasspeAT@attbiDOT.com> wrote in message>> news:WoEJa.1027147$OV.1123409@rwcrnsc54...>>> Sy Portnoy wrote:>>>> The printer works fine. However, in Device Manager, there's a>>>> yellow question mark next to the printer, so I reinstalled.>>>> Question mark is still there. Double-clicking on it tells me that>>>> the drivers are not installed. I put in the CD, clicked Reinstall>>>> Driver, and the Hardware Manager said cannot find file. I've got>>>> the current driver. As I said, the printer's working well. How>>>> can>>>> I get rid of the yellow question mark? Every time I boot, Windows>>>> tells me there's new hardware. Using XP. Thanks.>>>>>> This is an artifact of incorrect printer installation in XP. Go>>> to this site; follow the instructions precisely (Cori is an MS>>> MVP):>>>>>> http://www.coribright.com/Windows/>>>>>> Q I've done this many times and never had this message. Boot to safe mode and try it again so that USB is not loaded. I have had some questions about whether or not disconnecting the printer is a wise thing to do as she suggests (she does have the benefit of contact with MS itself on this procedure). It is better, IMO, with other USB devices to leave the connection intact until everything is removed. I'd try safe mode. Q Q slaps forehead! Parallel port?!? OK, so, parallel port. All bets off. Kill the thread! Mea Culpa. XP has crippled parallel port utility and does not support bi-directional communications any more. The port designation EPP, ECP, etc. mean nothing in XP, according to Cari. Soooo..... If the printer is working on the parallel port, then it's probably wise to leave well enough alone and pretend that yellow bang doesn't exist. The usual case is that the printer just won't work, prints volumes of single-character pages, etc. I think you are just plain lucky you have gotten the printer to work. In the meantime, I'm going to review that definition of "assume". I hope that all of this hasn't screwed up your working printer. Q

[Quaoar]

Sy Portnoy wrote: According to my deskjet 5550 manual, the parallel cable is okay for XP. I already had the cable from another printer; that's why I used it. Do you think a USB cable would work? "Quaoar" <jwglasspeAT@attbiDOT.com> wrote in message news:zT7Ka.13088$e26.9933@rwcrnsc52.ops.asp.att.net... Ben Myers wrote: Perhaps "safe mode" is a misnomer? How about "Less hostile but somewhat crippled mode"? ... Ben Myers On Tue, 24 Jun 2003 21:15:53 GMT, "Quaoar" <jwglasspeAT@attbiDOT.com> wrote:> Sy Portnoy wrote:>> Q, tried to follow your directions. One problem: when I tried to>> remove the driver in Server Properties, I got the msg that it>> can't remove it because the printer is currently in use. I>> rebooted. Same thing. I've disconnected the cable from the>> computer. Any suggestions>> on how to get rid of the driver in Server Properties?>>>> "Sy Portnoy" <syport@rcn.com> wrote in message>> news:bd7nuc$t7e$1@bob.news.rcn.net...>>> Q, I went to the site, but can't find an answer to my problem.>>> Nearest had to do with the spooler, but everything's working>>> fine. The printer's fine. I even disabled the yellow question>>> mark, but when I rebooted, I got the "found new hardware" msg>>> then the error msg from Found New Hardware Wizard that it can't>>> find the file. Any other suggestions?>>>>>> "Quaoar" <jwglasspeAT@attbiDOT.com> wrote in message>>> news:WoEJa.1027147$OV.1123409@rwcrnsc54...>>>> Sy Portnoy wrote:>>>>> The printer works fine. However, in Device Manager, there's a>>>>> yellow question mark next to the printer, so I reinstalled.>>>>> Question mark is still there. Double-clicking on it tells me>>>>> that the drivers are not installed. I put in the CD, clicked>>>>> Reinstall Driver, and the Hardware Manager said cannot find>>>>> file. I've got the current driver. As I said, the printer's>>>>> working well. How can>>>>> I get rid of the yellow question mark? Every time I boot,>>>>> Windows tells me there's new hardware. Using XP. Thanks.>>>>>>>> This is an artifact of incorrect printer installation in XP. Go>>>> to this site; follow the instructions precisely (Cori is an MS>>>> MVP):>>>>>>>> http://www.coribright.com/Windows/>>>>>>>> Q>> I've done this many times and never had this message. Boot to safe> mode and try it again so that USB is not loaded. I have had some> questions about whether or not disconnecting the printer is a wise> thing to do as she suggests (she does have the benefit of contact> with MS itself on> this procedure). It is better, IMO, with other USB devices to> leave the connection intact until everything is removed. I'd try> safe mode.>> Q Q slaps forehead! Parallel port?!? OK, so, parallel port. All bets off. Kill the thread! Mea Culpa. XP has crippled parallel port utility and does not support bi-directional communications any more. The port designation EPP, ECP, etc. mean nothing in XP, according to Cari. Soooo..... If the printer is working on the parallel port, then it's probably wise to leave well enough alone and pretend that yellow bang doesn't exist. The usual case is that the printer just won't work, prints volumes of single-character pages, etc. I think you are just plain lucky you have gotten the printer to work. In the meantime, I'm going to review that definition of "assume". I hope that all of this hasn't screwed up your working printer. Q

Absolutely use the USB. I would, though, download the 7.1.0 version of
the drivers if you don't have them. Back to the original
recommendations, remove all traces of the parallel printer before trying
to connect to USB, and follow HP's instructions for installing the
printer. Don't connect the printer before installing the drivers if you
can avoid it.

http://h20015.www2.hp.com/en/softwareList.jhtml;jsessionid=RITGYYOMZHQAVQEXGR5UNZQ?reg=&cc=us&prodId=hpdeskjet571896&lc=en&softitem=Microsoft%20Windows%20XP&sw_lang=en

Q