WinME USB printer support

[Two_dogs]

G'day All

Can someone help me with Windows ME USB printer support. Recently bought an Epson C45 USB printer (it was cheaper than replacing black\colour cartridges on my current printer), and can not get it to work.

I have USB enabled and currently run USB ADSL, Fuji Camera, Garmin update etc.

I have tried installing the printer driver and printer support several times and in different install order with no success.

When the printer is connected to the USB port a 'new hardware found' dialogue opens and installs the printer, which then appears in device manager as EPSON USB Printer [EPUSB1:] Although it appears with a generic icon rather than the usual USB icon)

When the printer properties dialogue is opened, the 'print to the following port' drop down list only shows, COM 1, COM 2, COM 3, Print to file, and LPT 1. The USB port does not appear.

Microsoft say this is normal and to add a new local printer, and name it USB_Printer. I have done this and selected this port to print to. The port appears as 'USB_Printer (unknown local port)'. If I click on 'Port Settings' a new window opens advising 'There is nothing to configure for this port'.

When trying to print all appears normal with the document appearing to spool on the printer dialoge, and then I get a 'communication error' dialogue box opening advising a communication error.

I'm pretty sure the USB cable is OK as I have swapped it to the ADSL and it works fine.

Signed
Dazed and Confused

[ExSimGuy]

Don't know about your Epson specifically, but many USB devices need the software to be loaded BEFORE the device is plugged in.

You might try de-installing as much of the Epson software as you can, loading the software that came with it according to the instructions, then plugging in the printer again. (assuming that you didn't follow the step-by-step instructions in the first place)

"If all else fails, RTFM"!

Good luck

[Conan the Librarian]

Think I might retreat to the Epson website and check if they have any other drivers for ME. If not, then try those for Win 98, and all should work pretty well from there.

Conan

[Two_dogs]

I finally fixed the problem before I trashed the new printer. First I performed some pruning in the registry, deleting all Epson entries.

I then found some info on the net that advised to turn the printer on, plug the USB cable into the printer and, then and only then, plug the USB cable into the computer. This worked with the printer now appearing in device manager with the correct USB icon. It then asked for the printer software, which installed correctly.

The setup guide (written in Japenglish) that came with the printer called for powering the printer up and pressing the maintenance button (this charges the print head), power down the printer, connect the printer to the computer, and install the software and then power up again.

It did have the printer support and the software installed, but they just weren't talking to each other.

It now prints just fine but is about twice as noisy as the faithful old Canon 265SP. Of course I'd gone and got some new ink cartridges for the Canon when I couldn't get the Epson to work, so I now have a choice of printers. Both are entry level printers but thats about all I need.

Two Dogs.

[Feline]

Got to comment that USB doesn't seem to be quite as reliable and fool proof as I would like ... and have learnt (the hard way!) that the best course of action is to simply to get into device manager and simply delete any USB device with a yellow exclamation mark -- and then re-install the device. And as a general rule (particularly with devices that install more than one type of device in hardware manager - typically printers install USB ports as well as USB devices), you need to install the software before plugging in the device. Plug & Play ain't always what its name implies!