Canon Pixma ip5000 is unable to print

[wolluf]

Background. Old Compaq P600 machine. Developed a problem - wouldn't load the desktop, various error messages. Could start in safe mode. Ran chkdsk, it found errors, booted ok, then wouldn't again. Disk was failing - so I replaced it, doing a clone of failing disk. This was successful - and everything appeared to be working ok. Then customer rang saying one of his printers wasn't working (as well as the canon, he has old B&W olivetti) - his son-in-law had tried various things (like uninstall & reinstall) - no use.

As the machine's manual had no details of how to self print, I connected it to another machine, where it printed fine. After trying the XP troubleshooter, I also uninstalled & reinstalled, no different. I then did a complete manual uninstall (ie, deleted all the drivers from \windows\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86). I also uninstalled & reinstalled all the USB drivers. Rebooted and tried again - still won't print (says its unable to, with several basic suggestions, no details of why unable). One 'improvement' - originally the printer's maintenance functions wouldn't work - but now they do. So I can initiate head cleaning - and print a pattern check from XP - so obviously the o/s can talk to the printer ok, but not in normal mode (can't test print, print from notepad, word, command prompt).

Other points - before the machine went wrong & replaced HD, user said printing had not been working properly all the time - sounded like some sort of intermittent issue, on both printers, but if he kept trying, it would print.

The old Olivetti printer is now working properly (its a parallel connection, canon is USB).

Nothing useful in event log.

Have run sfc /scannow, but haven't done a repair reinstall.

Suggestions appreciated - anyone with similar experience, who fixed it very welcome!

 

[linney]

Short of doing a repair install of XP which may be the next step, perhaps reading "Bcastner's" post in this thread and trying that might get it going?

Stopping of the Print Spooler
thread779-686557

HP have a diagnostic print utility, I don't know if it will work on old Compaq's, perhaps you can chase up something similar on the HP (Compaq) site?

HP Printing Diagnostic Utility

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...n&cc=us&dlc=en&product=305375&os=2093&lang=en

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:&q=compaq+printer+support+OR+forum&btnG=Search

 

[wolluf]

thanks for the links linney - I've already been through a similar course to the stuff in bill's post unfortunately - and its a canon not an hp printer, and I couldn't find anything pertinent on the Canon site. And though its a Compaq machine, its just got a plain install of XP - originally machine had 98 on it.

I was presuming that the problem with the original hard drive had corrupted driver files for this printer - but have definitely removed and replaced the driver files now. And the other printer does work, USB is working and I can make this printer print a nozzle check pattern. Its confusing! (the printer has been working properly on this machine - though there were some issues prior to hard drive problem - though they may have been early symptoms of that problem). I think a repair reinstall may be only option left to try - but I don't hold out too much hope. The other problem of course is I've no idea if another printer would work with this machine either. A clean install might be best option - user hasn't much on machine so it wouldn't be too big an issue to back up and restore after.

 

[wolluf]

Postscript. A repair reinstall fixed the problem.