Installing a new multi-function printer

[McJim]

Probably the wrong place to ask but some of you gus seem to know one end of a computer from the other.

I've just wasted about 9 hours of good bike riding time trying to install an epson CX5500 printer to my Windows XP 2002 Service pack 2 pc.

I've followed all the instructions to the letter...several times...I am now trying all sorts of weird and wonderful permutations of what little I know about computers.

The problem is this. The pc recognises that something is connected to it - whoop de fucken do - however it is referring to this 'thing' as USB1.1 MFP(Full-Speed). This would be all very well if the drivers referred to the same thing HOWEVER no matter how much I try to tell the pc that the drivers I keep pointing it at are for this fucken thing it keeps telling me that there are no driveres on the Epson Disc for this 'thing' it has chosen to call "USB1.1 MFP(Full-Speed).

Can I change the name of one of the USB ports to COM1 or LPT1 in order that I can fool the pc into identifyint this useless heap of plastic as a printer?

Cheers in advance to any techno-weenies out there

[bobsmith]

I don't know about this particular one but on most printers you need to install the software and driver from the CD BEFORE you plug the printer in. Have you installed everything on the CD yet?

Try unplugging the printer then install the CD. Then try plugging the printer in. If it still doesn't work try downloading an updated driver from the epsom website.

[bobsmith]

Oh yeah. I just had a look at the quick start guide for this multi function.

It says on step 5.

"DO NOT CONNECT THE USB CABLE UNTIL YOU ARE INSTRUCTED TO DO SO"

While you are installing the CD it will instruct you to plug it in half way through it. This is when you plug the printer in.

[Dave-]

did you do what bobsmith said?

try a cold restart (don't bother waiting 300 years for the machine to drain all power, just do a shut down and start it up again more or less straight away)

go into the epson CD, find .exes in various folders called x86 or WINXP/2000/SOMETHING/STUFF and start running them, you'll know instinctivly which one it is

assuming you did the above it might be a driver incompatibility, so try reinstalling/updating your USB drivers

right mouse click on start > my computer

go to the 'hardware' tab

click on device manager

at the bottom of the list open the "universal serial bus controllers" tree

right mouse click on something that looks helpful (in my experience usb things vary) go properties

click on the drivers tab and start googling for USB drivers then the driver model number (mine is 5.1.2600.0 yours should be a similar digit)

you'll be led to the latest drivers

get those

download

install

restart

and follow the manual again.

should take 3 minutes.

and i thought trouble shooting customers on the phone was hard :/

[Gremlin]

right mouse click on start > my computer

go to the 'hardware' tab

click on device manager
working on this theme, you can also go to the device manager (this all assumes that you have plugged it in prior to installing drivers) scan for hardware changes (icon near the top) and it may pick up the device as being troublesome, which would normally have the relevant section expanded, showing the device.

Right click on it, update driver, and during this process, you can choose multiple paths in terms of fully automatic driver detection down to full manual choosing etc. You can also choose a path to include in the search (choose don't search, I will select the driver on the first screen I think).

Probably explained a bit complex and probably disjointed, but that may also work. (its 5am anyway... I should be asleep).

[awayatc]

Oh yeah. I just had a look at the quick start guide for this multi function.

It says on step 5.

"DO NOT CONNECT THE USB CABLE UNTIL YOU ARE INSTRUCTED TO DO SO"

While you are installing the CD it will instruct you to plug it in half way through it. This is when you plug the printer in.


That should indeed do it.....If all else fails, follow the instructions...(very un-kiwi) :buggerd::banana:

Let us know how you go please:scooter:

[scracha]

That should indeed do it.....If all else fails, follow the instructions...(very un-kiwi) :buggerd::banana:

Let us know how you go please:scooter:
Since you're a scotchyman Jim and the weather outside is $hite I'll do it remotely if yer like?

[McJim]

Oh yeah. I just had a look at the quick start guide for this multi function.

It says on step 5.

"DO NOT CONNECT THE USB CABLE UNTIL YOU ARE INSTRUCTED TO DO SO"

While you are installing the CD it will instruct you to plug it in half way through it. This is when you plug the printer in.

Yeah, I know - and I followed that step closely....

[McJim]

working on this theme, you can also go to the device manager (this all assumes that you have plugged it in prior to installing drivers) scan for hardware changes (icon near the top) and it may pick up the device as being troublesome, which would normally have the relevant section expanded, showing the device.

Right click on it, update driver, and during this process, you can choose multiple paths in terms of fully automatic driver detection down to full manual choosing etc. You can also choose a path to include in the search (choose don't search, I will select the driver on the first screen I think).

Probably explained a bit complex and probably disjointed, but that may also work. (its 5am anyway... I should be asleep).
Yeah that was the 100th thing I did.

[McJim]

Thanks for the replies so far - all things I have done myself but that's all good - shows at least I might be on the right lines.

I followed the full installation instructions to the letter, took all the tape and packing off and loaded the ink as instructed - no cables attached to the pc - as instructed. So far so good.

Chucked in the install cd and when instructed I conected the printer - up popped the install wizard and I duly cancelled the install wizard as per the written instructions -HOWEVER at this point I waited and waited and the pc install software could not locate the printer (despite the fact that when Iwent into device manager I could see it as USB1.1 MFP(Full-Speed).

So I double clicked on this and attempted to install the driver. This was where it told me that the CD-ROM contained no apropriate drivers for USB1.1 MFP(Full-Speed).

I have tried to go through Control Panel, Printers and add printer and I can load the drivers but I only have the choice of Ports LPT1-4 or COM1-4 - I cannot seem to configure the add new printer to recognised the USB1.1 MFP(Full-Speed) connected to the USB slot as the printer in question.

So.

Can I feasibly rename a USB port to LPT1 and use that as a dedicated resource for the Printer to allow me to install through the Add Printer option?

Or is there another way.........

[bobsmith]

Hmmm... Strange.

Have you tried using the driver from http://www.epson.co.nz/Products/multifunctional/styluscx5500.asp instead of the one in the cd?

Download the driver, install it then connect the printer after it is installed.

[Jez]

Hmmm... Strange.

Have you tried using the driver from http://www.epson.co.nz/Products/multifunctional/styluscx5500.asp instead of the one in the cd?

Download the driver, install it then connect the printer after it is installed.

try that ... CD drivers are generally out of date on release

[FJRider]

Hmmm... Strange.

Have you tried using the driver from http://www.epson.co.nz/Products/multifunctional/styluscx5500.asp instead of the one in the cd?

Download the driver, install it then connect the printer after it is installed.

I had a similar problem after a destructive recovery "episode",The program driver got deleted and older original printer wouldn't work. The dam computer told me it was "connected"but couldn't make it work.Was an hp printer. Went to the hp web site...found downloadable driver programsfor my model...after three attempts at installing it AFTER downloading the program, I read the FULL page with options and chose option of download AND install. Read ALL information on the Epsom site for ALL options... hope this helps

[FJRider]

try that ... CD drivers are generally out of date on release

as are most computers....

[Ixion]

Have you ever had any other model of USB printer installed on that PC. This problem can be caused by 'ghost' drivers, left behind after an unintstall (or, if the previous printer has noit been fully uninstalled).

USB printers are termiminal shit.

[McJim]

try that ... CD drivers are generally out of date on release

Hi Jez, Thanks - that was the 105th thing I tried last night. How are you feeling anyway?

[FJRider]

It took me about a month to figure out how to make the friggen printer work... 105 things done is just a start... Aren't computers FUN... and time ...saving ... ???

[vindy500]

is it plugged into a usb 2 port?

[jrandom]

Just fuckin' plug it into LPT1 you poof.

USB, muttermutter, yoof of today, I dunno, fancy fandangled high speed serial nonsense.

Back in my day we had printers with proper connectors, two hundred and forty seven pins on each socket, had to toggle PCL1 in by hand with a screwdriver if you were lucky.

[scracha]

Went into jimmy's PC remotely. Started doing the usual stuff (looking for ghost drivers etc). He'd already done EVERYTHING you guys suggested and defiantly ain't in the "noob" category. Asked him to plug it into his old windoze 98 machine and it worked. To save a lot of $hagging around I suggested he takes it back to the shop and get another model as it's only just around the corner.

[Jez]

Hi Jez, Thanks - that was the 105th thing I tried last night. How are you feeling anyway?

still feeling like shit ... the worst part is i have been forced to drive my car the last couple of days ... its terrible :weep:

[McJim]

Just fuckin' plug it into LPT1 you poof.

USB, muttermutter, yoof of today, I dunno, fancy fandangled high speed serial nonsense.

Back in my day we had printers with proper connectors, two hundred and forty seven pins on each socket, had to toggle PCL1 in by hand with a screwdriver if you were lucky.

I had a summer job in 1987 in the faculty of electronic engineering for Strathclyde University. Day one I was handed a ribbon, a plan, a soldering iron and a 25 pin DIN plug and told to wire the fookah up.

I wish I could plug it into LPT1 - my plan was to try to dupe the computer into thinking the USB socket I was using WAS in fact LPT1.

Took it back to the shop (along with my pc tower) and we wired up a few printers to see if we could make anything work.

buggered - I've looked at the USB drivers and on the face of it they seem fine but there's something missing....

Thanks Scracha for all your help though - and thanks to everyone for your suggestions.

[awayatc]

Shop????
If you are a real Scot, it would have been a borrowed printer surely?;)

[McJim]

is it plugged into a usb 2 port?

All of the ports are USB2 compatible - however the Printer only supports (and only really needs) USB1.1

[McJim]

By the way - Big ups to Noel Leeming Invercargill on this point - they took back the printer despite me having installed the ink cartridhes and despite the fact that the printer is faultless and it's the pc confguration that is buggered.

And they let me try another printer with my pc in the shop.

And they did everything that I had done again....

[Dave-]

when you say you clicked cancel and it couldnt detect this is the point whre you touch nothing.

unplug the USB port and plug it back in, it might take 3 or 4 goes.

failing that call epson, its an 0800 number to auckland and you speak with kiwis.

[Winston001]

You are one patient Scotsman laddie. I'd have binned it through the shop window by now. Sounds like something deeper in your pc, did you try a Canon and an HP?

[FLYMO]

wondering if his bike is big enuff for a multi function printer to be added??? and wat would the paper be used for??????

[McJim]

You are one patient Scotsman laddie. I'd have binned it through the shop window by now. Sounds like something deeper in your pc, did you try a Canon and an HP?

I tried an HP and a Brother...yeah - I think there's a USB driver missing but can't easily see which one.

I have usb, usbport, usbport.PNF, usbprint, usbprint.PNF, usbtor, usbtor.PNF, usbvideo, usbvideo.PNF all neatly saved in C:\WINDOWS\inf...

I believe I should have something else but don't knoe what it is or where to get it from...:(

[Dave-]

reinstall windows :)

[Ixion]

Better still. Install Linux.

[McJim]

Better still. Install Linux.
That's the little kid with the blanket from Peanuts innit?

[Ixion]

No, he was the guy who 'invented' it. Linux is the operating system designed for humans. I know you're from Glasgow, but they'll stretch a point.

[Dave-]

install linux and spend the rest of your life trying to find the drivers!

if anyone dares utter OSX I will flip out like a ninja.

[McJim]

Finally. Used the "System Restore" function (much more civilised than the old fashioned "Format C" solution! :rofl:)

Everything works beautifully now.

Phew.

[The Pastor]

are you using a usb2.0 printer on a usb 1.1 port?