Cannot install ANY printer drivers!

[Tryforceful]

Hey All:

I've been searching internet tech forums for a solution to my problem, since people usually have the same problem that I do somewhere out there, but I haven't seen a straight answer to this and I've been getting worried. Here's my spheal:


I recently installed a new copy of Win XP (now upgraded to service pack 2) after my system started to fail running Win2k -- possibly a virus or something of that sort, though I believe it was the McAfee Firewall's fault, but that's (I hope) irrelevant. Resulting from that failure, I have a bunch of problems I'm still dealing with... corruption, loss of e-mails and personal settings.... so imagine my angst when I find that Win XP won't allow me to install any of my printer drivers!!! Any at all! I'm trying to install:

HP Deskjet 855C (LPT)
Epson Stylus CX4600 (network share, via a Mac G5)
Kodak Printer Dock + (also network share with Mac)

I know the network works, and as far as I can tell the parallel LPT port isn't the cause of the problem, because no matter which of the above I try to install, I come up with the same error.

"Printer driver was not installed. Operation could not be completed."
(when using "Add Printer Wizard")
"Unable to install <PRINTER>, Windows 2000 or XP, Intel driver. Operation could not be completed."
(when using "Add Printer Driver Wizard")
"There was a problem installing this hardware: <PRINTER> An error occurred during the installation of the device."
(when using "Found New Hardware Wizard" for the HP)

In the Found New Hardware wizard, I select the HP DeskJet 855C (it's from the 850 series) with its XP driver (v5.1.2600.2180) that's located in C:\WINDOWS\INF\NTPRINT.INF. Strangely, when I have my Win XP cd in, it also searches for the driver there, and the CD's version is v5.1.2600.0, which is located in E:\I386\NTPRINT.INF.

In all of the driver installations, the progress of copying the drivers to C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SPOOL\DRIVERS\... goes through almost all the way, i.e. the progress bar fills up all the way. Then I get an error.

XP drivers for HP printers are already on the computer, and I have the cds containing the proper drivers for the Epson and Kodak networked printers. It's not the driver. I can try to install any old driver, and none will work. But I can install drivers for other hardware, just not printers.

I updated my BIOS recently, but if I can remember the problem existed even before that.

I don't get an error with the spooler or RPC.

....help!!!


Thanks in advance to everyone,

Tryforceful

 

[Osiris]

Do you have a usb cable that you can try and connect them too?

 

[EricB]

it sound like you could have a boot sector virus. it that is the case use powermax in my signature to wipe you hard drive clean (use the cd iso file if you can). it can delete the MasterBootRecord (windows ultilities like the xp cd and fdisc can't and won't do that) and when you reinstall XP, it will put a clean one back

 

[Tryforceful]

In terms of USB:
the HP printer is old and only has a parallel input. The other two are connected via my home network -- they're too far away to use a USB cable.

In terms of the boot sector:
...so I need to wipe my drive clean, you say ? heh, I have alot of stuff on here though... and i just reinstalled XP; is there maybe some way I can just clean the MBR and leave the rest alone? I haven't looked at your program yet but I will when I get a chance.

Thanks.

 

[EricB]

In terms of USB:
the HP printer is old and only has a parallel input. The other two are connected via my home network -- they're too far away to use a USB cable.

In terms of the boot sector:
...so I need to wipe my drive clean, you say ? heh, I have alot of stuff on here though... and i just reinstalled XP; is there maybe some way I can just clean the MBR and leave the rest alone? I haven't looked at your program yet but I will when I get a chance.

Thanks.

you would have to back your data first

 

[juicekrew]

WOA! effectively an FDISK->FDISK /mbr ->FORMAT for a printer problem!!?? Sounds Waaay to heavy at first glance. Didn't know "Boot sector viruses" could be so specific....
Tryforce' have you downloaded the drivers from the HP site, unpacked and dumped them into a folder then tried install the printer manually from THAT location? what's the result? You say the spooler's ok, what if u stop the spools service and immediately restart it and do the above?
The Virus teaser might have more credence if it wasn't for the fact that NETWORK printer driver installs are on the fritz as well as the PHYSICALLY attached PRN. M8 here's alink to the HP drivers:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareCategory?lc=en&cc=us&product=59866

give that a try,no joy? we'll try summet else.....

 

[bla!!]

One last thing that no one has said yet, are you an administrator on that box? You cannot install printers as a user or a power user I believe.

I'm not sure about the loosing e-mails problem, but that might help the printer problem.

 

[Redcoat]

Verify that within your computer CMOS (some call BIOS) that your printer port is enabled and installed.

In addition several printers do not work well with ECP mode. It is recommended that you check CMOS (BIOS) and ensure that your printer mode is not set to ECP.

Once this is done go into the boot prompt (F8) and start the computer in DOS mode. When in there type this: dir > lpt1

This will attempt to print to your printer from Dos mode. If this doest work... its possible the cable is bad. If it does work try boot into windows and reinstall the drivers.

 

[daappleby]

ensure the print spooler service is running too, that is what controls all things printer in windows.

 

[juicekrew]

Guys..with the exception of daappleby's post, ur focusing on hardware, sure that's a part of it but from what I understood it's probably more software related, since i assume the hardware (printer) works fine and is recognised by the system. It seems to fall over at the INSTALLATION phase. In this case that's pure windows shenanigans. If the printer was, say, a multifunctin dev then there may be a case for the PC hardware aspect since they are referenced DURING the installation phase, but I think here that's not the case.

Of course, i may be totally wrong, but i think we're startin to bark up the wrong tree D. However, i'm ALWAYS willing to be humbled.....

PS.. oh yea, as BLA rightly said, are u an admin on that box?