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Printers and Faxes is empty?

Discussion in 'Windows XP' started by WorldBuilder, 2013/08/10.

  1. 2013/08/10
    WorldBuilder

    WorldBuilder Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Hi all,

    Been building/fixing PCs for the better part of a quarter century, but am stumped on one. My son uses an XP SP3 machine I built a few years ago.

    It has two printers installed.

    1 - HP P1005 installed via USB.
    2 - Brother MFC-9970 installed from network.

    Both work fine. I can print anything to either printer at any time. HOWEVER...

    When going to Printers And Faxes, there is nothing listed. It's as if they aren't there, but I know they are. I can run the "Add Printer Wizard ", and I can right-click and see the drivers in "Server Properties ".

    They are there, but not. Weird??!!

    Normally, I wouldn't care, but the Brother is currently set as the default printer and that is on a totally different floor in the house. So I want to make the HP the default, but can't because neither printer is listed in Printers and Faxes.

    I have run CCleaner. I have checked for virii. I have restarted services and rebooted completely. I have run every single tool in my arsenal to no avail.

    Help!!!

    Thanks, all.
     
    WorldBuilder,
    #1
  2. 2013/08/11
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    Does the account have rights to modify the printers? If not, logon using an admin account or the admin account.
     
    TonyT,
    #2


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  4. 2013/08/12
    WorldBuilder

    WorldBuilder Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    His local account has admin rights, and I have also tried logging in directly as administrator. No difference. I even created a new account and nothing there, either. Damndest thing!
     
    WorldBuilder,
    #3
  5. 2013/08/12
    Steve R Jones

    Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

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    Is the "Print Spooler" service running? That seems to be the most common problem after googling-> Printer and Fax empty
     
    Steve R Jones,
    #4
  6. 2013/08/12
    WorldBuilder

    WorldBuilder Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Yep, service is running without issue. I CAN print and have NO issues other than the fact that the window does not display any actual printers. It's weird and rather irritating.

    OK, so lemme ask you this. Is there any other way to change the default printer (since I can't see it to right-click)?
     
    WorldBuilder,
    #5
  7. 2013/08/12
    Steve R Jones

    Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

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    One place to try out...after backing up up the registry:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers\Settings\Wizard
     
    Steve R Jones,
    #6
  8. 2013/08/12
    SpywareDr

    SpywareDr SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    I don't see that key in XP Pro here. I do see the printers in "Printers and Faxes" listed in the following keys though:

    Code:
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Devices
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\PrinterPorts
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Print\Printers
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Print\Environments\Windows NT x86\Drivers\Version-3
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Print\Printers
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet003\Control\Print\Environments\Windows NT x86\Drivers\Version-3
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\Windows NT x86\Drivers\Version-3
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers
HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Printers\DevModes2
HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Devices
HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\PrinterPorts
HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-18\Printers\DevModes2
HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-18\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Devices
HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-18\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\PrinterPorts
HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-19\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Devices
HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-19\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\PrinterPorts
HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-20\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Devices
HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-20\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\PrinterPorts
HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-1353925066-2175644250-2039720423-1003\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Devices
HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-1353925066-2175644250-2039720423-1003\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\PrinterPorts
     
    SpywareDr,
    #7
  9. 2013/08/12
    WorldBuilder

    WorldBuilder Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    And what would I specifically be looking for IN these places, guys?
     
    WorldBuilder,
    #8
  10. 2013/08/12
    Steve R Jones

    Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

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    You'd be looking for a place to do this:

    EDIT: On my XP machine there is a setting-> Set as Default
     
    Steve R Jones,
    #9
  11. 2013/08/12
    SpywareDr

    SpywareDr SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    FWIW, in my XP's "Printers and Faxes" I see two printers listed as "Microsoft XPS Document Writer" and "PDF995 ". When the first one is selected as the default printer, the "Device" in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows" is "Microsoft XPS Document Writer,winspool,Ne00: ". And when the second one is the default printer, the "Device" changes to "PDF995,winspool,Ne01: ".
     
    SpywareDr,
    #10
  12. 2013/08/13
    WorldBuilder

    WorldBuilder Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Thanks, Doc. I'll have a look.
     
    WorldBuilder,
    #11
  13. 2013/08/13
    SpywareDr

    SpywareDr SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    SpywareDr,
    #12
  14. 2013/08/13
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    run this command: (Start > Run)
    rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /?
    If no printers listed then you have a damaged or missing printui.dll.
    A backup printui.dll can be found in the \WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386 folder.
     
    TonyT,
    #13

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