WinME cannot detect printer anymore

[Mike Arroyo]

My printer worked fine last year. But after not using it
for a long time, I found out yesterday that my computer
cannot detect the printer anymore.

So I tried to fix the problem.

First, I went to the "Add Printer" folder and removed the
installed printer driver. Then I used the "Add New
Hardware" in the Control Panel to automatically detect my
printer.

It couldn't, so I manually selected the hardware (printer)
from a list. I used Epson LX-300 (the printer I have) and
it installed okay. But when I tried to print a test page,
the message I got was "Windows unable to print test page".

So I removed Epson LX-300 driver and used a generic/text
only printer. I was able to install it too but still, it
couldn't print a test page.

======

On the other hand, I was able to print a text file from
the MS-DOS command prompt using the same printer.

copy c:\windows\testfile.txt lpt1

This command copies the file's contents to the printer.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-
us;128345#15



What do you think is the problem?

[Mary Sauer]

Maybe a driver from Epson. There is one for the 300+ but not for the 300. There are
support documents as well on the Epson site.
http://tinyurl.com/59sjb

--
Mary Sauer MS MVP
http://office.microsoft.com/
http://www.mvps.org/msauer/
news://msnews.microsoft.com
"Mike Arroyo" > wrote in message
...
> My printer worked fine last year. But after not using it
> for a long time, I found out yesterday that my computer
> cannot detect the printer anymore.
>
> So I tried to fix the problem.
>
> First, I went to the "Add Printer" folder and removed the
> installed printer driver. Then I used the "Add New
> Hardware" in the Control Panel to automatically detect my
> printer.
>
> It couldn't, so I manually selected the hardware (printer)
> from a list. I used Epson LX-300 (the printer I have) and
> it installed okay. But when I tried to print a test page,
> the message I got was "Windows unable to print test page".
>
> So I removed Epson LX-300 driver and used a generic/text
> only printer. I was able to install it too but still, it
> couldn't print a test page.
>
> ======
>
> On the other hand, I was able to print a text file from
> the MS-DOS command prompt using the same printer.
>
> copy c:\windows\testfile.txt lpt1
>
> This command copies the file's contents to the printer.
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-
> us;128345#15
>
>
>
> What do you think is the problem?

[Mike Arroyo]

Thanks Mary. I've already fixed the problem.

It had something to do with win.ini. Mine was too big,
more than 64kb (the maximum allowed for the file to
function properly). So i deleted a few duplicate entries
inside and voila, the printer is now working.

Here's the solution page from Microsoft
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=224169
>-----Original Message-----
>Maybe a driver from Epson. There is one for the 300+ but
not for the 300. There are
>support documents as well on the Epson site.
>http://tinyurl.com/59sjb
>
>--
>Mary Sauer MS MVP
>http://office.microsoft.com/
>http://www.mvps.org/msauer/
>news://msnews.microsoft.com
>"Mike Arroyo" > wrote
in message
...
>> My printer worked fine last year. But after not using it
>> for a long time, I found out yesterday that my computer
>> cannot detect the printer anymore.
>>
>> So I tried to fix the problem.
>>
>> First, I went to the "Add Printer" folder and removed
the
>> installed printer driver. Then I used the "Add New
>> Hardware" in the Control Panel to automatically detect
my
>> printer.
>>
>> It couldn't, so I manually selected the hardware
(printer)
>> from a list. I used Epson LX-300 (the printer I have)
and
>> it installed okay. But when I tried to print a test
page,
>> the message I got was "Windows unable to print test
page".
>>
>> So I removed Epson LX-300 driver and used a generic/text
>> only printer. I was able to install it too but still, it
>> couldn't print a test page.
>>
>> ======
>>
>> On the other hand, I was able to print a text file from
>> the MS-DOS command prompt using the same printer.
>>
>> copy c:\windows\testfile.txt lpt1
>>
>> This command copies the file's contents to the printer.
>>
>> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-
>> us;128345#15
>>
>>
>>
>> What do you think is the problem?
>
>
>.
>

[Noel Paton]

Duh?? - there's nothing there about there being a maximum size to win.ini!!

What it does say, is
"If the file is too large to open in Notepad, click Yes to the following
message to open the file in WordPad" - which is a totally different thing,
and not a problem of any description ( just that Notepad is incapable of
reading files greater than 64Kb)

The problem was most likely the fact that you had duplicate entries - and
were therefore loading multiple versions of software, and confusing the heck
out of Windows!<g>


--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"Mike Arroyo" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks Mary. I've already fixed the problem.
>
> It had something to do with win.ini. Mine was too big,
> more than 64kb (the maximum allowed for the file to
> function properly). So i deleted a few duplicate entries
> inside and voila, the printer is now working.
>
> Here's the solution page from Microsoft
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=224169
>>-----Original Message-----
>>Maybe a driver from Epson. There is one for the 300+ but
> not for the 300. There are
>>support documents as well on the Epson site.
>>http://tinyurl.com/59sjb
>>
>>--
>>Mary Sauer MS MVP
>>http://office.microsoft.com/
>>http://www.mvps.org/msauer/
>>news://msnews.microsoft.com
>>"Mike Arroyo" > wrote
> in message
...
>>> My printer worked fine last year. But after not using it
>>> for a long time, I found out yesterday that my computer
>>> cannot detect the printer anymore.
>>>
>>> So I tried to fix the problem.
>>>
>>> First, I went to the "Add Printer" folder and removed
> the
>>> installed printer driver. Then I used the "Add New
>>> Hardware" in the Control Panel to automatically detect
> my
>>> printer.
>>>
>>> It couldn't, so I manually selected the hardware
> (printer)
>>> from a list. I used Epson LX-300 (the printer I have)
> and
>>> it installed okay. But when I tried to print a test
> page,
>>> the message I got was "Windows unable to print test
> page".
>>>
>>> So I removed Epson LX-300 driver and used a generic/text
>>> only printer. I was able to install it too but still, it
>>> couldn't print a test page.
>>>
>>> ======
>>>
>>> On the other hand, I was able to print a text file from
>>> the MS-DOS command prompt using the same printer.
>>>
>>> copy c:\windows\testfile.txt lpt1
>>>
>>> This command copies the file's contents to the printer.
>>>
>>> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-
>>> us;128345#15
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> What do you think is the problem?
>>
>>
>>.
>>