Can no longer print

I have lost the ability to print anything from any app. I even bought a new printer but it does the same thing. The first printer is an older printer but it copies and scans along with printing. I can still copy and scan but not print. The new one is just a printer. I've connected both wirelessly and directly by usb, same issue both ways.

When clicking on "Print" it says "Getting ready to print", then it just quits, no error, no "end print" nothing. The print queue never opens nothing.

The printer is listed in the "Devices and Printers" and running troubleshooter shows no errors. I don't know what else to check. The last time I printed something was about two weeks ago and all worked as it should, the next time nothing.

What other information do you need?

Caledon Ken said:

Hi RobbyK.

Here is how I would go about this. Uninstall all software associated with both devices. Then find the devices and remove them. Disconnect cables. Restart computer.

I would then concentrate on new printer. Head to vendor site and get the latest software/driver.

Now a number of printers can't be connected until software is install, HP and Canon's fall into this category.

By the way what kind of printer is this?

So I would start my install and when installation says it can't find printer connect USB cable. (I guess I shouldn't be assuming it wired but I will for now).

Complete install and test.

Then proceed with old device minding when you should connect.


Ken

I really don't do a good job of expressing myself when typing into a forum I try, it just doesn't work out.

But I have tried all of that on both printers, (both are Cannon's (strictly by accident)) making sure to use the device manager to uninstall completely including driver information.

I'm afraid it's my old laptop, but printing is a software issue not a (pc) hardware so that shouldn't be it....

Thank you Ken for your reply, I will appreciate any other ideas.

Copy is not a function of the computer but Scan is. If one can scan it usually means the printer is communicating with the PSC device. I have had call-outs where the Default printer was changed in Control Panel, Devices and Printers to something else and not caught by the user/client.

Berton said:

Copy is not a function of the computer but Scan is. If one can scan it usually means the printer is communicating with the PSC device. I have had call-outs where the Default printer was changed in Control Panel, Devices and Printers to something else and not caught by the user/client.

Thank you for your reply, I have checked that several times.

Try this, Robby. Go to Control panel, right click on your default printer, click "Printer Properties" (Note: NOT Properties), click on Advanced Tab and then select "Print Direct to the Printer", click Apply and OK. If at first it doesn't work, try a restart after toggling the setting again.

C.B.

cbwilsha said:

Try this, Robby. Go to Control panel, right click on your default printer, click "Printer Properties" (Note: NOT Properties), click on Advanced Tab and then select "Print Direct to the Printer", click Apply and OK. If at first it doesn't work, try a restart after toggling the setting again.

C.B.

Correct Answer

Another question, why would after several years would it change from needing to be spooled to direct print?

I have no idea. I am a Windows 10 Insider tester and this happened to me and many other testers about 5 or 6 builds ago and that's when we discovered this fix. A few builds later, I switched back to spooling and everything was working again. If I were you, after the next major update, I would try switching back.

C.B.

Well, got up this morning and the new printer would not connect to the wifi at all. The old one said it was connected but would not print. That's when I had an idea, I used my cell phone to set up a network, connected both printers to it and they both printed first try.

Seems my slow satellite internet isn't maintaining a fast enough connection for the printers to stay connected. Why not at times I can't surf the internet.

Satellite Internet service in my area is somewhat spotty in that there's an upward transmission and a downward receive. I had a client try to use MagicJack and the slight pause between up and down would disconnect the phone service every time, doesn't maintain a connection handshake.