Getting Rid of Drivers

Troops:
First question
It is my understanding that removing a printer does not necessarily get rid of the driver associated with that printer. Is this true? If so, how does one truly get rid of the printer driver.

Second question
For remote use of a printer can one install on an XP system a printer driver used on Windows 98? This is to say the remote system is Win 98. The local system is Win XP. The printer is physically connected to the Win XP system. It is to be network shared by a Win98 system. It is my understanding that the Win XP system has to have a Win 98 compatible driver installed in it. Is this correct?

 

I can answer your last question...the drivers for the printer must be for the operating system the drivers are installed on, not the system the printer is connected to.

 

Thank you for the fast response. But I am still a bit confused. Suppose we have a shared system set up. The printer is connected to an XP OS. Suppose the remote system is WIN98. What would be the driver set up in both computers to have a file on the WIN98 system be printed?

As I understand your remark you would install a 98 driver in the 98 system and a XP driver in the XP system. Is this correct?

David

 

PeteC:

I appreciate your answer but in looking over the populated Add/Remove List I do not see any printer listed there. How do I remove a printer using the Add/Remove program?

David

 

Hello David, you don't.

Printers are deleted via Control Panel > Printers and other Devices > right click on the Printer > Delete.

The Printer's software may be in the Add/Remove. One of my printers is an Epson and there is an Add/Remove entry labeled "Epson Printer Software ".

If you have no entry for your printer, then as Pete mentioned, XP's generic driver sufficed.

The name of the printer and it's software my not conveniently match as in my case, so it would help if you named the printer.

Regards - Charles

 

Am i understanding correctly that the printer is physically connected to the comp running XP? If so, the 98 driver as well as the XP driver needs to be installed on the XP comp. You should find that option under the printer's properties. You might have to enter the printer cd or the win98OS cd.

JC

 

The Win98 driver for the printer needs to be on the Win98 machine, not on the WinXP machine.

B

 

The difference then may be that I had the Epson there from WinME, with a software update for XP.

Regards - Charles

 

JDC
You say the XP and 98 drivers should be on the computer (XP OS) interfacing with the driver.

Mr. B. says the 98 driver should be on the remote (Win98 OS) machine.

Should I be confused? Is there an authoritive reference on a question of this type?

David

 

Every computer (whether XP or 98) must have the correct printer driver installed in order to print. It doesn't matter where the physical printer is located or how its connected. I hope it answers your question.

 

Hehehe .........
Who to believe? Ask for a few different opinions and then how does one sort it all out? Everyone is trying to help, but I'll agree - its pretty confusing to read through this thread. So - just what you don't need - another "here you go ". Regardless, here you go ........

To remove those remaining drivers, printer program bits and pieces & registry entries, one can try an uninstall or removal utility from the printer Mfg's website - yes they do exist. One can also download and install RegCleaner and use it to remove any remaining vestiges of that printer and with this approach, one can also go back and delete any remaining file folders previously associated with the printer and its software. If you have any specific questions re: how to use this tool, post back.

Now, as to the drivers for the Win 98 remote to print to an attached or networked printer on the XP machine. You will get an option when installing the printer the for the first time in XP to install additional drivers for other operating systems. These would then be available for your 98 box assuming you loaded drivers when given this opportunity. Now for the confusion - if you didn't avail yourself of this option then one way or another, you'll need to get drivers that are compatable to that 98 machine. Then, the easiest way to do this will be to install them directly to the 98 machine. Both answers you got previously were technically correct even though they seemed to be contradictory.

Are we having fun yet? Good Luck - let us know how you make out.

 

This option is driver specific & all the drivers do not give you this option. The better way is to load the driver on all the machines individually.

 

New News? Maybe I missed it but I don't believe this is driver specific. This is or was an XP feature. If you look under your printer options, on the sharing tab, you will see that you can install extra drivers for computers on your network that are NOT running windows XP.

 

I believe this option loads the printer driver into any computer connecting to the PC that has the printer connected. Drivers are still being installed - the only thing is that its being done transparently without any user intervention.

 

I have been following this thread and it brings back some unpleasant memorys about Printer SHARING.

I have 3 machines on a LAN using a Router. This XP Pro and two 98SE. I HAD an HP 5550 Printer connected to this XP Pro. Where exactly the drivers were I do not recall. But I do know that it was a BIG PAIN if I forgot and turned this machine off. And even if it was on SOMETIMES the printer would work for the other machines and sometimes it would not. It was as tempermental as its' owner.

I got discussed and went out and got an HP 5850 and connected it directly to the Router.

Over time it has proven well worth the extra cost of the router, cables, printer etc. as no one machine depends on any other for anything. No worry about on-line, printing or anything.

OOPS !! I just looked up and see ( via the switch lights ) that the printer is ( was ) shutdown.

BillyBob

 

The Rockster2U

Yeah! This indeed is turning out to be fun. First, though let me thank you for the RegCleaner suggestion. It looks like a vey nice program. I just cycled through it. I have not used it as of yet but it looks like it has a great many capabilities

But on to the games. When we get to the "Adding the additional drivers" screen and select Win98 OS and indicate where the driver is located (full path) we get the response "This is an usigned driver. Dire things may happen if loaded...and something about sticking bambooshoots under your grandmother's fingernails."
What do you advise when using an unsigned program in XP? Would you proceed with the loading?

A second situation develops as follows: As you know I want to install and operate a printer in a remote location.
The only way I can install this printer is to use the "install" disk provided by the manufacturer. This does not provide for a remote installation. If I do install using the mfg installation disc and do locate the driver can I use this information to install a remote printer? If so how do you recommend this be done?

 

Let the games begin ......

OK, a couple of quick comments. First, re: RegCleaner - yes its a nice little tool and I use it all the time as a quick way to clean up leftover registry entries after an uninstall. Caution here however - be careful and if you don't know that something has beeen uninstalled, don't remove any of the leftovers - error on the side of caution because this is a powerful little tool - don't let its size fool you. Secondly, re: the unsigned drivers - I can't say yes or no without knowing a whole lot more - you will have to make your own decisions here. Just make it an informed decision and do some research first. Google it along with the word problems. Having said that, unsigned drivers aren't necessarily bad - it just means that haven't been Certified by microsoft yet. If they are strictly video drivers (you haven't actually said), you should be able to do a driver rollback or use something like Driver Cleaner (another great utility) to rescue yourself and pull the bamboo out from under Granny's nails if things go bust. Lastly, as to accessing the printer and installing drivers to your 98 Box, If you look under your printer options in the XP machine with the printer attached, on the sharing tab, you will see that you can install extra drivers for computers on your network that are NOT running windows XP. Then if you go back to the 98 machine and add the networked printer, you should be able to print (reference rsinfo's last post too). My earlier suggestion may still be the easiest - map the printer through the network while on the 98 machine and just install the 98 drivers when prompted. Pretty straight forward.



Quick afterthought edit: re: second comment - unsigned drivers - since your using 98, driver rollback isn't going to be an option but as BillyBob will guide you when and if things go bad, you should be able to restore your earlier settings using scanreg /restore from a command prompt. Win 98 also has a skip driver agent that can be used if you get stuck with the new driver and its a problem child. Lastly, you may want to do a driver backup before you start this whole process of installing the questionable driver. That is definately the safest way to proceed.

 

Do we have some mis-understanding here ?

I do not believe I can help much with something that I could never make work properly myself.

I believe David Favin is trying to SHARE a printer. I believe this because I take it that the printer is actually connected to the XP machine. And that machine must be on in order for other machines to use the printer. As I wrote in my previous reply I could never make that work properly.

Now that I have a 5850 plugged directly into the LAN Switch/Router it is no longer shared. Each individual machine MUST have the proper drivers installed. And I do not need any certain machine to be on.

BillyBob