Canon S500: The handle is invalid
Almost always when I try to print anything, XP informs me that "the handle is invalid". First this started to occur after XP had been up too long, about two hours or so, and later it became a problem that wouldn't get fixed even if PC got rebooted.
I learned that it has something to do with print spool service. Restarting this service helps once in a while, but usually it requires something more drastic like reinstalling printer drivers.
I've also read that having some HP printer drivers on computer may cause this with other printers. However, I do not have any such drivers. But: I am using HP's PC, and I've found some HP software on my hard disk installed by default. I guess it could therefore be possible that there were some hidden HP drivers on the PC, but I do not know where to look. And in any case I find it doubtful that any of such drivers were active. But you newer know...
So, if anyone can help me, I'd appreciate it.
I am using: XP Home SP1, Canon S500 and the latest drivers, and (I'm telling this because McAfee has caused some similar problems) Norton Internet Security (AV is 2004, firewall 2003), which didn't cause any problems on my previous PC and with the current printer.
'Extra' .. as she beat me to this one again ..
Many bioses have a setting 'ecp/epp' (so both at 'once') for lpt1, if you can then use this setting, as it gives you benefits both ways around, it'll first try & use the simplest way & only call extended fuctions when the port signals 'no function' back, as a rule of thumb (when its present) its good, its how I set bios in any new board when I don't know what might get connected to it (Hp printers will always try & use ecp fuctions as they wrote the standard a very nerdy link about ecp - they don't however write very good drivers to use with their own stuff :eek2: ).
handle is not valid Lexmark x6100 printer
I had searched just about every forum fro a fix. I tried all the suggested fixes to no avail.
I had recently upgraded my free avg from ver. 8 to ver. 9 .
S0, I uninstalled AVG 9.0, uninstalled my Lex x6100 driver software, deleted my printer, ran several regstry cleaners.
Disconnected my printer from the USB port. Restarted Windows XP Pro, created a system restore just to have it in this setup state.
Printer still not connected.
Ran my printer install software.
During the installation it say to be sure all printer cables are connected and if a windows install hardware pops up,
CANCEL IT!
That's what happened and I canceled it and clicked continue until all drivers were install. ( I did need to insert my Windows XP Pro setup disk to install a certain file and also go to WINDOW/System32/drivers to install one other file).
Restarted Widows. EUREKA!
No more "handle is not valid"
I am assuming that AVG 9.0 thinks that one or more of my printer driver files were viruses.
I reinstalled the older version of AVG. So far so good.