USB Printer hell

[Grease Monkey]

OK, here's one for the real boffins amongst you.

I'm baffled, which is rather embarassing as i'm where the buck stops with regards IT problems at work, but there you go.

I have a laptop, A month ago it stopped charging.

As it was 13 months into a 12 month warranty, Dell wanted nothing to do with it unless I handed over 500 notes, so obviously i told them where to shove it.

Simple solution, swap the motherboard. All went well until i tried to print, whereapon the printer refuses to install, claiming 'a USB device attached to your system is not functioning' or words to that effect.

Everything else worked perfectly, even USB cameras, USB key drives etc all work fine, but the 'USB Printer Support' entry will not load.

The printer, cable and power supply are all fine as i've tested them on another PC.

As a last resort i've wiped the PC and have just got it back together, same problem. :angry: :angry:

I HATE MICROSOFT .!!!!!

[kenf]

Adrian,

At the risk of stating the bleedin' obvious...

1 - don't use a hub to install the printer - cable direct to the usb port.
2- are you using the latest motherboard drivers for the usb controller (you can usually download them from the manufacturer's website)
3 - some printers require driver s/w to be installed before you connect and switch on the printer
4 - try to install with no other usb devices attached
5 - try another printer
6 - copy the exact error message to the clipboard and paste it in to Google or similar - try looking at http://www.direcpc.com/customer/genunibusfaq.html for basic info on usb

If all else fails, set fire to it and go for a ride in the cobra... or run over it in the cobra

I hate computers... apart from my nice laptop!

[kevchard]

Have you tried another usb printer (different make / model) in your laptop? To see if there is just an 'incompatiblility' with your 2 pieces of hardware.
Failing that, as suggested, launch it from the nearest window (preferably at B Gates' head).

[Grease Monkey]

To answer some of these points:

The USB hub is all part of the printer not a seperate part. You plug the printer in via a standard USB cable, Windows detects the Generic USB hub, then the printer (Dell A920) then the USB Printing Support driver.

The system has been completely wiped, and reinstalled from the Dell/MS XP CD using all of the proper Dell drivers including the Intel chipset upgrades for the motherboard.

The drivers require the printer to be plugged in to install

Nothing else is plugged in or open during installation, and i have spent quite some time online looking for similar problems.

As for the printer not being compatible, it worked until a month ago !

I'm slowly coming around the the possibility of the USB port having a problem, either that or the rest of the world does.

The most annoying thing is that i KNOW the printer/cable works as i've tested it. (I've also tested another (identical) printer with my system and it gives the same error)

Either that or the way windows detects and loads all the required items, and then removes them and the loads them, then removes them, then loads them.. etc etc....

I know it CAN work with the software and drivers i've got as it was working fine until last month.

Which all points to the motherboard being at fault as its the only item to have changed, and yet it works with other USB devices. :angry: :angry:

I think the solution may be to get a printer with 10/100 Lan or Firewire support and plug it in there instead.

[kenf]

Try plugging the printer in, then going to device manager and 'remove' the usb printer controller(s) and also the root hub (in the 'Universal Serial Bus controllers' devices list), then right-click on your computer name (right at the top of the list) and choose scan for hardware changes. Sometimes using a different port on the latop may help.

If it still don't work, try it again without the printer connected.

Failing that, it's possible to buy a usb to rj45 adapter/convertor (found this on the web; no idea how good or reliable it is/they are, but I'm sure there are other suppliers like Maplins or RS).

[kevchard]

Have you tried a bios update on the motherboard? Have you access to a different make / model of printer to try?

Cheers

[Dutch Paul]

Ahh the Dell Flux Capacitor problem rears it`s ugly head again

Surely one of the neighbours in your street must have a 12 yr old to help out - they understand these personal confusers better than us

[AC427]

this dell printer must be a rebadged version of some sort. find out who makes it and use their oem drivers.

[Grease Monkey]

I can't find an update for the bios, its on the newest version, the printer is a rebadged Lexmark, but its not the actual printer drivers that are the issue, its the usb printer support bit. (Oh and i've been in and out of the system display and registry many times already)

Current position tried yesterday is to attach a Wireless USB Print server to the printer the print to it via the access point on my wireless LAN. After a couple of hours of getting nowhere i looked on the Belkin website to find my USB printer isn't supported by their USB print server. Gits.

Its going back tomorrow to be swapped for a Linksys one. Better quality anyway and will match the rest of the Wireless kit.

We'll see what happens.

[Andy302]

Heres another thought, was the new mainboard you fitted brand new or a refurbed unit? You may not know the true answer to that but in my experience of the industry often "new" boards turn out to be reworked in warranty failures.

Reason I ask; what version of USB does your printer require? Some newer printers like my Canon Pixma iP5000 require USB 2.0 which is not supported by some hardware (I believe the belkin wireless hub being one of them) and it is possible the "new" board you fitted maybe a) an "old" new board which has been hanging around a while or b) a reworked "old" board made to be "new". In either case it is possible to board does not support USB 2.0 and hence the problems you are seeing.

Now this all depends on if Dell changed the board USB support spec during the laptops model life, a quick check on Dell's website might be able to tell you, or call Dell and see what they have to say as it looks like its related to the new mainboard you installed. Given it worked OK before hand it points to either a fault to the mainboard or a spec change. Having said that if the other USB devices work you can almost rule out the USB fault I think, do you know what version of USB your other devices require?

Did you buy the mainboard from Dell or from another source, if not from Dell they may not be too keen to help and this may be why you could have a dodgy mainboard.

Thats all I can think off from the hardware side and s/w is not really my thing Im afraid.