[RESOLVED] Disappearing drivers

[Gimpy]

I have a Dell Latitude C500 with Winnt SP6, drivers for a HP all in one Laserjet 3100 and a Canon BJC-85 printers installed, attached to LPT1. When trying to print from Outlook 2k for exchange with the HP 3100 set as the default printer the print job will appear in the printer's queue, but the queue will read BJC-85 and the print job will disappear with a message stating that the device was not ready (only the HP 3100 is connected, directly to LPT1. The the best part happens. If I would go to start-settings-printers the only icon would be "add new printer" After reboot the drivers would reappear. But the problem would still exist. This only happening from Outlook 2000, everything else is fine. The only way that I get it to print to the HP 3100 is by uninstalling the drivers for the Canon BJC-85. The user needs the drivers to use both printers Any thoughts- I'm out

[DonJ]

You might check out <a href="http://www.hp.com/cposupport/printers/support_doc/bpl04699.html#P83_4797" target="_blank">HP LaserJet 3100 and 3150 Products - E-mail Program Configuration Requirements</a>. It lists step-by-step procedures for configuring Outlook 2000.

Also, are these printers hooked up via a switch box? HP highly recommends against using these with their all-in-one products...it interferes with the bi-directional communication capabilities.

Also, go here for the <a href="http://209.85.7.18/techsupport.php?q=download&p=bjc85" target="_blank">latest drivers from Canon</a>. Looks like they are fairly recent.

Just a couple of ideas...let us know how it goes.

[Draggar]

You said the LJ3100 is hooked up to the parallel port, how is the Canon? USB? Or is there a switch between the two?
Automatic switch or manual?

There is a possibility it might be Outlook 2000, also.

I'd say remove all the drivers for both devices, set up the default first, then the other and try it.

If not, reinstall Outlook.

[Draggar]

[quote]Originally posted by DonJ:
<strong>Also, are these printers hooked up via a switch box? HP highly recommends against using these with their all-in-one products...it interferes with the bi-directional communication capabilities.
</strong><hr></blockquote>

The IEEE1284 switch boxes should work OK. Belkin has a manual one that starts about $60, and an automatic that starts about $100.

But make sure its IEEE1284 compliant. The cheap ones aren't.

[Sunshine]

I had a problem similar, but not exact, to the one you've described. My problem didn't just occur in Outlook though, it happened no matter which program the user was in. After a little research through TechNet, I copied over a newer spoolss.dll, and haven't had a problem yet. It may not help you, but you never know. Good luck.

[Gimpy]

No there is not a switch box. The printers are attached seperatly at different time. (The 3100 is for the office and the BJC-85 is for the field) I have tried setting up the 3100 by itself and it works then tried installing the BJC-85. It then has the prob I discribed before. The drivers were off of the shipped cd. We have 200-300 of these laptops with the same load on them (drive image) and have not herd of a similar problem (I asked around. And yes Outlook has been reinstalled, twice

[Draggar]

Let me get this straight,

You have a laptop that you take with you. In your office you have a 3100, but in your car you have the 850 that you take with you.

While you're in the field, you have no problems, only when you try to use the 3100 with Outlook in the office.

OK, try this. Completely uninstall both printers.
Install the 3100 first, all devices (scanner, fax, copier, printer, or at least the ones you use). Test it and make sure it works on Outlook without any issues.
Then, install the Canon drivers.

If you still have issues, go to <a href="http://www.hp.com" target="_blank">www.hp.com</a> and download the lastest drivers for the LJ3100.
Uninstall the old oones, then reinstall the new ones.

Did that help?

[Gimpy]

yep about right. Only difference is that I can only have the Hp drivers OR the cannon drivers installed otherwise is will try to print to the other printer (the one not set as default)If I only have one driver loaded printing is fine. The HP drivers only come on cd (no downloads) I did try to reinstall each set of drivers. Bah!!!

[Draggar]

I'd double check on the HP drivers being non-downloadable...
I never had an issue downloading drivers for my printers (722, 970 and 1100Axi).

It works with one, but not both.
I'm assuming when you get your print screen up, you see which printer it is trying to print to and make sure its the correct one?
When both drivers are installed, do you see both listed there?

[DonJ]

[quote]Originally posted by Draggar:
<strong>I'd double check on the HP drivers being non-downloadable...</strong><hr></blockquote>

<a href="http://www.hp.com/cgi-bin/cposupport/swindex.pl?p=hplaserjet5838&l=en&c=MicrosoftWindowsNT40" target="_blank">Drivers for LaserJet 3100 all-in-one for WinNT4.0</a>

[Gimpy]

Yes I can see both driver in the selection box and the correct one is listed. As for the Hp drivers check out <a href="http://www.hp.com/cgi-bin/cposupport/swindex.pl?p=hplaserjet5838&l=en&c=MicrosoftWindowsNT40" target="_blank">HP</a>
at the top is says no downloads

[DonJ]

That link says that...

"A LaserJet 3100 print driver only is not available from this web site for the following reason. The LaserJet 3100 does not have a print driver only solution. The JetSuite Pro software was not developed with the capability to separate the driver from the rest of its software components. To install the printer driver, utilize the JetSuite Pro CD-ROM shipped in box with the LaserJet 3100. The complete JetSuite Pro software must be installed in order to install the LaserJet 3100 print driver and the complete version is not contained on the web. If a replacement CD or newer version of the LaserJet 3100 printer driver is needed, click here to order."

Go here for <a href="http://www.hp.com/cposupport/printers/software/lj203.exe.html" target="_blank">HP LaserJet 3100 JetSuite Pro Patch Service Release 179.5</a>. Maybe the Patch will help out...

[Gimpy]

Well I finally figured it out. Installed new version of BJC-85 driver and had user print using File-print instead of the icon. Sometimes when using file-print the driver choosen in the drop down box was wrong. Once that was changed everything worked great.