Microsoft KB Archive/104323

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Works Err Msg: Printer Is Not Connected to a Valid Port

Article ID: 104323

Article Last Modified on 9/26/2003



APPLIES TO

  • Microsoft Works 2.0 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Works 2.0a



This article was previously published under Q104323

2.00 2.00a WINDOWS kbprint

SYMPTOMS

You will get the error message "Printer is not connected to a valid port" when the line corresponding to the assigned port is missing from the [ports] section of the WIN.INI file. For example, if the printer is connected to LPT1, the line

   LPT1:=
                

must be present in the [ports] section of the WIN.INI file. You will be unable to print until this is corrected.

For the Panasonic KX-P6100 driver for Windows 95 the following port must be added:

KXPGDI:=
                

To print to the Panasonic KX-P6100 printer, Works 2.0 needs this specific port listed.

RESOLUTION

You can correct this by connecting the printer to a port that is present in WIN.INI, or add the appropriate LPT1:= line to WIN.INI, using the following steps:

  1. Open Notepad from Program Manager (or any text editor).
  2. In Notepad, choose Open from the File menu.
  3. In the File Name box, type "win.ini" (without the quotation marks) and choose OK.
  4. From the Search menu, choose Find.
  5. In the Find What box, type "[ports]" (without the quotation marks) and select the Find Next button.
  6. Under the [ports] section, add the line

          LPT1:=
                            

    or add the name of the port to which your printer is attached.

  7. From the File menu, choose Save.
  8. Exit Notepad.
  9. Restart Windows.


MORE INFORMATION

This problem is most prevalent with FAX software connected to COM ports and can be caused by any reference to the COM port missing the colon. One key WIN.INI entry that can cause this problem is:

   [WINDOWS]
   device=<printer name>,<driver name>,<port>:
                

If the colon is missing this problem will occur. To correct the problem, add the colon.


Additional query words: invalid

Keywords: KB104323