Microsoft KB Archive/315325

Knowledge Base

You cannot print documents after upgrade to Windows XP

Article ID: 315325

Article Last Modified on 10/31/2005

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APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Windows XP Professional
• Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

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This article was previously published under Q315325

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to print a document, it may not be printed. The document is displayed in the printer queue, but it is never printed.

This behavior may occur even though you have reinstalled the printer.

CAUSE

This issue can occur in the following situation:

• The printer is connected to the parallel port on the computer.
  

-and-

• You upgrade the computer to Windows XP.

This issue occurs because the printer port is not correctly detected during the upgrade to Windows XP.

RESOLUTION

To troubleshoot this issue, use the following methods in the order in which they are presented.

Method 1: Reinstall the Printer Port

Remove and reinstall the parallel port. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Create a restore point in order to undo the changes that you are about to make. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. Quit all running programs.
   2. Click Start, and then click Help and Support.
   3. Under Pick a task, click Undo changes to your computer with System Restore.
   4. Click Create a restore point, and then click Next.
   5. In the Restore point description box, type prior to printer port reinstallation, and then click Create.
   6. Click Close, and then close the Help and Support Center dialog box.
2. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
3. Click Switch to Category View if Category View is not already enabled.
4. Click Performance and Maintenance, and then click System under or pick a Control Panel icon.
5. Click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.
6. Expand Ports (COM & LPT), and then right-click the printer port.
7. On the shortcut menu that appears, click Uninstall, and then click OK on the "Confirm Device Removal" message that appears.
8. On the Action menu, click Scan for hardware changes.
   
   The printer port is detected and reinstalled.
9. On the File menu, click Exit, and then click OK in the System Properties dialog box.
10. Restart the computer.

If the issue is not resolved, proceed to the following method.

Method 2: Reinstall the Printer

Uninstall and reinstall the printer. Follow the instructions from the printer manufacturer to install the printer.

For information about how to contact printer manufacturers, click the appropriate article number in the following list to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

65416 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, A-K

60781 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, L-P

60782 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, Q-Z

If the issue is not resolved, proceed to the following method.

Method 3: Verify Parallel Port Settings

Ensure that the Parallel port is set to use the input output (IO) address of 0378h from within the computer Basic Input Output System (BIOS) Setup utility.

For additional information about how to use the computer Setup utility to modify the BIOS settings, contact your computer manufacturer.

For information about how to contact computer hardware manufacturers, click the appropriate article number in the following list to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

65416 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, A-K

60781 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, L-P

60782 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, Q-Z

WARNING: Incorrect settings in the computer BIOS may render the computer inoperable.

You may also have to edit the port settings in Windows XP. To do this:

1. Click Start, click Run, and then type devmgmt.msc in the Open box.
2. Expand Ports (COM & LPT).
3. Right-click the printer port, and then click Property.
4. Click the Port Settings tab.
5. Click Use any interrupt assigned to the port.
6. Click to select the Enable legacy Plug and Play detection check box, and then click OK.
7. Try to print from any word processing software.
   

Note: You may have to reinstall the most recent drivers for your printer.

For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

314085 Troubleshooting general printing problems in Windows XP

314067 How to troubleshoot TCP/IP connectivity with Windows XP

If the issue is not resolved, go to the next method.

Method 4: Modify the Parallel Port Mode

Uninstall the printer, and then modify the parallel port mode from within the computer Basic Input Output System (BIOS) Setup utility. Select a parallel port mode other than the currently selected mode, and then restart the computer. Reinstall the printer.

For additional information about how to use the computer Setup utility to modify the BIOS settings, contact your computer manufacturer.

For information about how to contact computer hardware manufacturers, click the appropriate article number in the following list to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

65416 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, A-K

60781 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, L-P

60782 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, Q-Z

WARNING: Incorrect settings in the computer BIOS may render the computer inoperable.

Keywords: kbprb kbprint KB315325

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