How to install a local printer
Thu, 04/24/2008 - 19:38 — Florin
In this tutorial I will show you how to make your printer work with Windows Vista. It doesn't matter if it's a brand new printer or an old one - by the end of this tutorial you will have a working printer. In this tutorial I will talk only about local printers. Network printers will be covered in a separate article.
Local printers are those which you have at home/office, connected directly to the computer on which you are working. After installing the local printer, you can share it with other people that are in your network. They will be able to print but will have to come to your printer to get the pages they printed.
How to plug the printer
First, start your computer and then plug in the cables that came with your printer. You must have at least one cable which connects the printer to your power outlet and one which connects the printer to your PC. After you plugged all the cables, start the printer. To start the printer, you will either find a button that does this or it starts automatically. When it does start, it might do a "warming-up" sound or it might light a led so that you will know that is working.
Installing the printer
Now you have to install the appropriate drivers for your printer. Drivers are programs that drive the communication process between applications and devices such as your printer. If your printer is not detected and installed automatically by Windows Vista, then you will need to install the drivers yourself. They can be found on the site of your printer's manufacturer or on the CD that comes with the printer. If you do not have or cannot install the drivers, then follow this procedure:
Click on the Start button and go to Control Panel.
In the Control Panel window, beneath Hardware and Sound, click on Printer.
In the Printers window click on Add a printer.
In the new window, select Add a local printer.
Now you have to choose the type of connection between your printer and your PC. Choose the type from the scroll down list and click on Next.
If you are not sure what to choose, read the printer's manual. Most modern printers use USB cables to connect to your PC. Older models may use LPT. If the cable looks like the one shown in the picture below, select LPT1.
Now you must go to your printer and check the name of the company that made it (e.g. Lexmark, HP, etc) and the model name & number (e.g. Lexmark Z52, Hp LaserJet 4250, etc). In the next window you will see two columns. Go to the Manufacturer's column and select the name of the company that produced your printer and in the Printers column, select the model. Once you've found it, select it and click on the Next button.
If you cannot find your printer, insert the CD that came along with it, click on Have Disk and Browse to your CD and then click on OK. Windows Vista will search for drivers and try to install them. Another option is to click on Windows Update and have Windows Vista search for drivers on the internet.
Now you can change the printer’s name and assign it as a default printer by checking the appropriate option. When done, click on Next.
The printer will now be installed. At the end you will receive a notification. Click on Finish and you are done.
If it hasn't said "You've successfully added ..." then click on Finish and read the Troubleshooting section of this tutorial.
Troubleshooting
If Windows Vista warns you that the driver you are planning to install can't be verified, click on 'Install this driver software anyway'. However, you should select this only if the driver you have downloaded is created by the manufacturer of your printer, specifically for your model.
If Windows Vista doesn't automatically recognize your printer even after you have installed the driver, the problem might be with the connection cable. Try to plug the printer to another computer and test it there, to be sure that the connection cable is not damaged.
Related articles:
How to share a printer with other computers from your network
How to install a network printer
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 License.
Microsoft, Windows and the Windows logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Microsoft Corporation in no way endorses or is affiliated with www.vista4beginners.com.
All other products mentioned are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of their respective companies.
Comments
vista4beginners.com in German
Is there vista4beginners.com in German language ? i am having a hard time translating English computer words to German, like what a notepad in german , etc. (I am from Germany.)
vielen Dank (thank you.) Auf wiederhören (hope to hear from you again).
@helping out
Use http://www.windowslivetranslator.com and paste the link/text you want to have translated. You can use other but they are all based on Systran (most of them).
Hoffen Sie, dass dieses hilft (Hope it helps).
----------
lorin
ein tausend mal vielen dank
ein tausend mal vielen dank lorin.
Epson Stylus DX7400
In the "Haupteinstellung" of the printer, it says that my ink cartridges are empty. There it is written in a yellow box : Tinten kaufen (buy ink). But that cannot be because I was able to use DX7400 as a copier sucessfully. I used the ink cartridges that came with the printer when I bought it. Also, in the ink cartridges info, it says:
Hersteller (manufacturer) Unbekannt (Unknown)
Tintenart (ink type) Unbekannt
Tintenpatronen code (ink cartridges code) Unbekannt
Herstellung Datum (Date of Manufacture) Unbekannt
Is is the reason why the printer doesn't work ? What to do please ? Thank you very much.
EPSON stylus DX7400
I have found a webpage to direct this problem. It is http://www.epson.com. Have already sent there my problem and they have already answered me. thank you for your time.
Epson Stylis Dx 7400 problem with installation
For more feedback, go to Yahoo Answers. Search for: Epson Stylus DX 7400 problems. Then click on "Why is it such a bad product." Contributor Vinapatt explains clearly how to go about with the problem of how to install this computer. He is an expert on Epson printers since he was a salesman for this company. Hope this helps all those who have this printer.
Trying to install a Lexmark x1150 3in 1 printer
Don't know what else to do!! HELP!! The 3 in 1 worked great on Windows XP, but recently purchased a HP Pavillion dual core 2 with Vista . I have tried everything to get this thing to work. Went into Lexmark to try and load from that, tried the CD, this site Vista for beginners followed it to the max. I have broadband high speed it installed for 2 hours and kept installing. Would not stop, until I stopped it. Still don't have my 3-1 working, Everything else I tried all I got were errors. this time, no errors it just wouldn't quit installing. My patience has wore very thin. All the websites I have been on make it sound so easy. Yeah Right!!Lexmark makes it sound easy. Has anyone any solutions to how to get this printer to work? I have played with this thing for 2 weeks, I need a printer, I am about ready to get rid of this one and get a new one, maybe it will work.
multiple printers at control panel/printer folder
We have problems with HP photosmart c3100 printer connected locally to USB port. Vista home premium at acer aspire 700 computer recognises printer and installs driver automatically, but places a copy of the printer in the printer folder instead of replacing previous copies of the same printer. So every time you install the printer a new copy is created. The copies cannot be deleted. When you print you have to chhose the latest copy. Is this a bug in vista, and is there a workaround to make the printer work stable?
printer not recognized
Thank you for your easy to understand directions to making my Vista laptop recognize my USB printer. I followed the directions to add the driver needed and it works beautifully.
Thank you again, J
Helpful fixes
@everybody. If your printer isn't working after doing all that is humanly possible then you should try the support@your_printer_manufacturer. This is also available for other components.
@pookiehontas. I didn't find that post/article @YAnswers. I found the user but it was @Ytech. Although I do think you shouldn't say bad things about something based on a ex-worker opinion but rather on your own. "the support was fast so it gets A" + "should test the printer text/image/etc to see if it's worth the money you payed" = "your opinion, meaning the opinion that counts". PS: No problem. I'm just glad you solved your problem.
@Trying to install a Lexmark x1150 3in 1 printer
what windows vista do you have currently installed?
see_page_two@comments with subject: @Fax won't work on HP 2510 All-in-One Printer. To use scan search sourceforge "sane", "twain", "flatbed". You'll find programs that are free to download&use. For fax already gave an advice at that comment. Also read other comments here. some might help you.
However if your printer doesn't print then you should ask for support from the manufacturer.
@multiple printers at control panel/printer folder
1. Go to the desired printer you want to have removed and right click->delete. It should work. For a more advance feature (if the delete feature doesn't do the job): http://www.vista4beginners.com/Uninstall-the-driver-of-a-hardware-component and unnistall the printer driver. Afterwards install the printer again (fresh install sounds good) and see if you encounter the problem again. However I would probably use step 2 and 3 (If it works why break it).
2. NoWork@: You have the make default option. Play around with that cause that is your solution to your problem. Guess that also makes it a part of the problem (see above article@last two images for details). To make a printer default right click on printer -> "set as default".
3. Also, you only need to install your printer once the next time(s) it works without installment. Just plug the usb to your computer and it works.
Post new comment