If we have bought a new printer and we want to connect it to the computer, the first thing we must do is make sure we have an Internet connection. In this way, Windows will search for, download and install the drivers automatically from Windows Update so that we do not have to install any other drivers by hand. If the printer is connected by cable, that’s it, we won’t have to do anything else. But, if we connect it via Wi-Fi, we will have to download and install its program, thanks to which we will be able to detect, link and configure the printer with our computer.
HP is the only one of the main printer manufacturers that has its own app in the Microsoft Store to simplify this process for both Windows 10 and Windows 11. For the rest of the brands we will have no choice but to insert the printer CD, or download the utility from the web.
And, of course, if we already have it connected to the router, but we haven’t added it to the PC, we can do it very easily from the Windows configuration menu.
Troubleshoot problems installing a printer
Next, we are going to see the most common causes for which we can have problems when making a printer work on our computer and how to solve these common problems. These can be given for various reasons or elements. The cause of these problems can be the printing device itself, the operating system, or even ourselves.
Update the Windows operating system
On many occasions, although surely less than we would like, we tend to acquire the latest technological products launched on the market. That is not always possible, but from time to time we allow ourselves a whim in this regard. This is something that also affects the device we are focusing on right now, the printer. Therefore, on certain occasions it may be the case that, when trying to install the new printing product in our Windows PCthis gives us some problems with the drivers.
Well, if it is a very modern printer, we add to that the fact that it has been a while since we updated the operating system of those of redmond, there we can have the problem. That is why we recommend, first of all, update Windows and install its most recent version released. This is something that we can easily achieve from the Settings application. Specifically, we will only have to situate ourselves in the section of Update and security /Windows Update. From there the operating system will start downloading and installing what we need.
It is true that these elements that Microsoft itself sends us to improve its operating system are involved in much controversy. This is largely due to the constant crashes that are sometimes encountered by multitudes of users around the world when updating. But with everything and with this we must keep in mind that these updates are essential for the software itself. And not just to resolve driver issues like we’re seeing right now, but much more. They also send us the latest developed functions, or patch the most recent ones vulnerabilities detected by the firm.
Delete the print queue
One of the most common problems that we face when printing documents is the print queue, a queue that fills up with documents but does not go to the printer at any time. Unfortunately, restarting the PC is not the solution to this problem, since the print queue will still be waiting to output all the documents that are inside it. Turning off and turning on the printer again will not do anything other than prolong, even more, the agony that we are suffering by not continuing to print.
If we want everything to work as before, that is, to be able to print without problems, we must purge the print jobs so that they are deleted and Windows restarts the server used to send the documents to the printer. To kill all pending jobs, first of all, we need to open CMD with administrator permissions and run the following command to stop the server:
net stop spooler
Next, we have to reactivate the server for which we will use this command:
net start spooler
Once we have put the print server back into operation, we can print again without problems.
Uninstall the latest update
Windows is an operating system designed to work with a large number of computers, all of them completely different, a problem that macOS confronts us with, which is why it has always been said that Windows is less stable with the Mac operating system without taking into account this aspect. Taking into account the necessary compatibility of Windows with a large number of devices, it is not strange that, from time to time, it stops working for an apparent reason or that one of the devices stops working.
Sometimes, the reason is found in the latest system update, an update that has probably touched something that it shouldn’t and, in this case, has left the printer not working. The first thing to do, after checking that we do not have any updates pending to be installed, is to uninstall the latest update that has been installed on the computer to check if it is the source of the problem. To do this, we must go to Windows Update within the Windows configuration options (Win + i) and click on Installed Updates. Next, we write down the code of the last installed update (it starts with KB followed by 7 numbers) and, from the same window, click on Uninstall updates.
Next, we double-click on the update that we want to uninstall and, once the process has finished, if the computer does not invite us to do so, we must restart the computer. If the printer works again, we have already found the source of the problem. What we should do next is wait a few days for Microsoft to release a new update that fixes this error, since, most likely, we are not the only users who have not been well served by the latest update.
Check connection cables
At first it may seem too obvious, but it is a much more common mistake than we might imagine. Specifically, we have referred to the fact that the failure can be caused by something as simple as the connection cables that we use between the PC and the printer. Therefore, we must first make sure that the device as such is working and when starting it and its corresponding leds they turn on Once we know the printer receives electrical current, we are going to check that the connection cable, generally via USB, is correctly plugged in.
In the event that we have verified that the connection through these ports is correct but the printer still does not work, we can opt for another alternative solution. We refer to the possibility of trying with some other computer USB port that we have free And it is that sometimes we can find that some of these connectors do not work correctly, and the same could even happen with the cable that we are using. Once we have verified that everything is fine here, we are going to review other elements that may be to blame for the failure.
Problems with print drivers
Therefore, if we find the aforementioned error with the printer driver in the operating system, the first thing we should try is to reinstall it. For this we have the possibility of installing the driver from the device manufacturer’s website, or using the Device Manager. We access this by typing the command devmgmt.msc in the Win + R run box.
Here we look for the input of print queues, we locate the specific printer, and with the right button we select Uninstall. Then we restart the computer, after which Windows will then try to reinstall the driver. In this way we will see that the Windows update service will search for an official driver to install.
We can also try using the controller the same Microsoft, we are talking about the generic printer driver. In fact, this can be a very effective solution, as these drivers are offered by Microsoft in case there are no official drivers available. we return to Device administrator and locate the printer as before.
Next, we right-click on the entry and select Update Driver. We do this now manually to be able to choose Let me choose from a list of drivers available on my computer, and opt for the Generic.
Windows Firewall blocking
But if this doesn’t work and we have a network printerthe device may be locked by the Firewall. It may be the case that the IP address of the printer is the cause of the failure. The first thing we need is to find the IP of the printer and then access the Windows Firewall. We do this from Settings / Update and security / Windows Security. So we will have access to the Firewall and protection section grid. Then we can check if the port or IP used by the printer has been blocked here.
Printer setup error
On the other hand, we will tell you that it can also be the case that we are trying to make an old printer that we had stored work. Therefore, if the problem lies precisely in this, in windows we can do the following. The first thing we must do is access the Configuration section through Win + I. After that we go to Devices / Printers and scanners, where we click on Add a printer or scanner.
So, when the screen shows the message that says The printer I want is not on the list, click on it. In the next window that will appear, we can already see one of the options that says My printer is a little older. Help me find her. As you can imagine, this will be very helpful when looking for Models older in this sense.
And it is necessary to take into account that Microsoft itself maintains a very large database of drivers. This is something that is carried out through the update service that implements the OS. Therefore, and thanks to all this, we have the possibility of using somewhat old devices in the most recent version of the same system. In addition, this is not only valid for the printers we are dealing with now, but it is extensible to many others. devices compatible.
Driver incompatibility with some program
It may also be the case that this error with the printer drivers is caused, not by the operating system as such, but by some program that we have installed. This wants…
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