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Date Created:
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Computers & Internet
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Technical hiccups? Error messages? 'How to' questions? We'll do our best to help. Please visit our Online Community FAQ for quick answers to common questions. You may also post your question below, including specifics about the operating system, browser version, and type of computer you are using. You are also welcome to contact us at community@aarp.org. Thanks in advance for your patience as we look into the issue.
  Post to Topic     Print   printer not working
http://www.aarp.org/community/groups/displayTopic.bt?groupId=1&topicId=5417322
mil2al said:
on November 8, 2009 04:28 PM ET

My computer went wacky.  The repairman said it was a virus.  Everything seems to be working fine now except the printer.  I can get no response out of the printer at all.  The green "on" light is lit on the printer and the "printer/fax" screen  shows my printer as being connected and also lists it as my default printer.  Can anyone help me?   I'm go frustrated at this point!!!!!  Thanks in advance.

 

PS The priter is HP Deskjet 5440 and is less than 2 yrs old. Computer is Compaq.
6 posts by 4 users
mil2al
Post #6
mil2al said:
on November 12, 2009 10:28 AM ET
edited on November 12, 2009 10:29 AM ET

Many, many thanks to all who offered suggestions.  I had already tried most of what was suggested.  The repairman, who is a very nice and knowledgeable man, came to my house (without charge) and installed the printer.  For some reason, the pc would not read the CD that came with the computer.  The CD is not damaged in any way.  Anyway he finally got the printer installed and he put the info that is on the CD into My Documents folder so I don't have to get a new CD.   Thanks again - you guys and gals are the greatest.

PS I just posted a question about an online Scrabble game that was (and continues to be) lost because of the pc virus.  If you have time, please read my question and send any suggestions - even if the suggestion is "Forget that game, it's lost forever."   Also let me know if you know of an online Scrabble game that looks like the board game, that is, without little people faces etc around the playing area.  

 

 

 


miketaylor12
Post #5
miketaylor12 replied to cancersurvivor4's Post #4 :
on November 9, 2009 08:29 PM ET
edited on November 9, 2009 08:37 PM ET

Do you have a HP Laserjet 1100A printer?  Is your OS XP pro?

*

If you google [ your printer name and model ],

*

the manufacturer will list different ways to fix your problem.

*

Provide us with printer name and your OS.

*

p.s.  A clean uninstall is necessary before you reinstall.

*

Also run your anti virus several times.

*

Also run Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware

http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html

*

"C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbam.exe"


cancersurvivor4
Post #4
cancersurvivor4 said:
on November 9, 2009 07:48 PM ET

Hello,

 

I am most anything but computer smart, so I recently had to have my computer wiped clean and everything reinstalled - because I did something that messed it up and I don't know what I did - but I definitely messed my computer up!

 

When it came to the printer - I reinstalled it and still nothing - I clicked on the tutorial - and it said to try unpluging the printer for 10 seconds and plug back in.  This is just a suggestion to go along with the other kind folks that gave you great information - they have helped me many times.

 

Sincerely,

Charline


BigToe
Post #3
BigToe said:
on November 8, 2009 10:30 PM ET

Did the repair person do a reformat of your hard drive and reinstall your operating system - something they tend to do and not clean using software programs? Then you will need to reinstall the printer, as you would have had to reinstall your software programs and any other hardware you have with the computer.

 

If there was a real virus or malware, and just a program was used to quarantine or delete any problem file(s) causing your earlier difficulties, then it could just be a hic-up that is coincidental. You could just uninstall the printer via the Printer area of your Control Panel, unplug and disconnect the printer, reboot your computer and reinstall the printer just like it was a new printer again. The drivers for the computer can be found on your installation disk from when the printer was new or the operating system will get the drivers for it.

 

In either instance, if you paid someone for the earlier repair they should really be responsible for putting the system back together again and assuring all is working as it should be or at least as it did before they took action. I'd suggest you contact them, letting them know the printer has not worked at all since the did their repair and you'd appreciate and expect them to return the printer to its previous functioning status.


miketaylor12
Post #2
miketaylor12 said:
on November 8, 2009 09:01 PM ET

 

Solution two: Resolve the issue manually
Follow these steps to resolve the issue manually if the tool did not resolve the issue.
Step one: Restart the computer and check the print queue
  1. On the Windows taskbar, click Start ( ), and then click Shut Down ( ).
  2. From the What do you want the computer to do? drop-down list, click Restart , and then click OK .
  3. After the computer restarts, double-click the printer icon ( ) in the lower right corner (the notification area) of the computer. The print queue opens.
    Figure 2: The printer icon in the notification area
    Illustration of the printer icon in the notification area
    No printer icon in the notification area?

    If you do not see the printer icon, click Start ( ), click Control Panel , double-click Printers and Faxes , and then double-click the icon for your product ( ).
  • If there are no print jobs in the print queue , you resolved the issue and you do not need to continue troubleshooting.
  • If the print jobs remain in the print queue , continue to the next step.
Step two: Check the USB cable
  1. Disconnect the USB cable from the back of the HP product.
    Figure 3: Disconnect the USB cable from the back of the HP product
    Illustration of unplugging the USB cable
  2. Disconnect the USB cable from the back of the computer.
  3. Wait five seconds.
  4. Reconnect the USB cable to the product and the computer. Apply some pressure to secure the connections.
      NOTE: The product must connect directly to the computer with a USB cable or a powered USB hub. If you are using a nonpowered USB hub, or if you do not know the type of hub, connect the product directly to the computer.
  • If the print jobs in the print queue begin printing , you resolved the issue and you do not need to continue troubleshooting.
  • If the print jobs remain stuck in the print queue , continue to the next step.
Step three: Check the print driver and the port
If you ever installed more than one HP product on the computer, the product might not be the default printer, or the wrong print driver might have been configured. Follow these steps to check the print driver configuration.
  1. On the Windows taskbar, click Start ( ), click Control Panel , and then double-click Printers and Faxes . The Printers and Faxes folder opens.
  2. Look for a black checkmark ( ) next to the product icon. This checkmark indicates which product is the default printer.
    Figure 4: Example of default printer icon
    Illustration of the default printer icon in Windows XP
    • If the wrong product is the default , right-click the icon for the correct product, and then click Set as Default Printer .
    • If the correct product is the default , continue to the next step.
  3. Right-click the icon for your product ( ), and then click Properties . The printer Properties window opens.
  4. Click the Ports tab.
  5. Look for your product under the Description column, and then view the Ports column to the left.
    There should be a checkmark next to the DOT4 port or the USB00X (where X indicates a port number) port.
    Figure 5: USB00X and DOT4 ports (in English)
    Illustration of the USB00X and DOT4 ports
  6. Look under the Printer column and make sure the product listed matches your product. This indicates that the print driver is correct.
    If the port setting or the print driver is not correct, you must reinstall the HP software. See the instructions in this document to remove and reinstall the HP software.
  7. Restart the computer, and then try the print job again.
Step four: Determine whether the printer is paused or offline
  1. Return to the Printers and Faxes folder that you opened earlier in this document.
  2. Right-click the name of the product, and then click Open .
  3. Click Printer .
  4. On the print queue menu bar, click Printer , and then look for the Pause Printing and Use Printer Offline items in the menu.
  5. Make sure there is no checkmark next to either item. If a checkmark displays next to either item, click to clear it.
Step five: Manually clear the print queue
  1. Return to the Printers and Faxes folder that you opened earlier in this document.
  2. Right-click the name of the product, and then click Open .
  3. Click Printer , and then click Cancel All Documents .
  4. Click Yes to confirm the action.
  5. If documents remain in the print queue, restart the computer.
  6. Try printing again.
Step six: Restart the Print Spooler device
  1. On the Windows taskbar, click Start ( ), click Control Panel , and then double-click Administrative Tools .
  2. Double-click Services .
  3. In the list of Services , double-click Print Spooler . The Print Spooler Properties window opens.
  4. Click Stop to stop the Print Spooler.
  5. Click Start to restart the Print Spooler.
  6. Click OK .
  7. Restart the computer.
  8. Try printing again.
Step seven: Check the software program
If print jobs from one specific software program are getting stuck in the print queue, the issue might be with the software program or the print driver.
  1. Close the software program from which you are trying to print, and then open it again.
  2. Print a document from the software program.
  3. If the print job gets stuck in the print queue again, try printing a document from Notepad to determine whether the problem is with the program or the driver:
    1. Repeat the steps earlier in this document to manually clear the print queue.
    2. On the Windows taskbar, click Start ( ), click All Programs , click Accessories , and then click Notepad .
    3. Type a test message in Notepad.
    4. Click File , and then click Print .
    5. Select your HP product from, and then click OK to print.
    If you can print the document from Notepad, but not from the software program, contact the software program manufacturer for assistance.
  • If these steps resolved the issue , you do not need to continue troubleshooting.
  • If the issue persists , continue to the next solution.
Solution three: Remove and reinstall the HP software

miketaylor12
Post #1
miketaylor12 said:
on November 8, 2009 08:38 PM ET
edited on November 8, 2009 08:39 PM ET

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SupportTaskIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&taskId=110&prodSeriesId=445466&prodTypeId=18972&supportTaskId=22986



http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SupportTaskIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&taskId=110&prodTypeId=18972&prodSeriesId=445466

 

 

 

No response
Title Date posted
HP Single-Function Printers - Print Jobs are Stuck in the Print Queue and Will Not Print with a USB Connected Printer in Mac OS X v10.5 or v10.62 Nov 2009
HP Single-Function Printers - 'Printer is offline' Message Displays on the Computer and the USB Connected Product Will Not Print in Mac OS X v10.5 or v10.62 Nov 2009
HP Single-Function Printers - Print Jobs are Stuck in the Print Queue and Will Not Print with a USB Connected Printer in Windows Vista27 Oct 2009
HP Single-Function Printers - Print Jobs are Stuck in the Print Queue and Will Not Print with a USB Connected Printer in Windows XP27 Oct 2009
HP Single-Function Printers - 'Printer is offline' Message Displays on the Computer and the USB Connected Product Will Not Print in Windows Vista27 Oct 2009
HP Single-Function Printers - Cannot Print PDFs from Adobe Reader20 Oct 2009