BleepingComputer.com: New Hardware Found - Printer - Every Power On

I found the Microsoft Article 298370 were this problem was addressed. However, I'm having no luck deleting the Registy Key for the printer as the instructions state. Per Microsoft's instructions right clicking the "Key" and "delete" only get me a box "Error Deleting Key". I also searched the forums here and found one suggestion that I tried. Disconnect the printer from the computer, remove it from System Hardware Settings, power down, reconnect the printer and restart. The Wizard found new hardware (printer) and loaded the driver. However, any reboot starts the "Found New Hardware" all over again, just as it has for quite some time now. Your help would be appreciated.

Mark

This post has been edited by hamluis: 09 December 2010 - 08:32 PM

Try uninstalling and disconnecting the printer...then rebooting. Do not reinstall the printer...does the same thing occur?

Louis

I disconnected the printer and uninstalled it in "Device Manager". Rebooted with the printer cable unplugged and would you believe the system found a "printer".

Mark

Does Devioe Manager now reflect a printer or unknown device in need of a driver?

Go to Control Panel/Printers...is anything there?

Louis

Device Manager reflects no printer or unknown device.

Control Panel/Printers - lists my printer: HP LaserJet 3200 Series PCL as the default and Ready. Printer cable remains disconnected.

Mark

Delete the printer from Control Panel. That's how I always remove them from Windows.

Louis

I've deleted it. Should I shut down, connect printer cable and power up, letting Windows detect a new printer?

Mark

Do not reconnect the printer...reboot the system, see if phantom hardware can still be recognized/referenced by Windows.

I would then run chkdsk /r:

Start/Run...type chkdsk /r and hit Enter. Type y in the new screen and hit Enter. Reboot the system and let the command run...upon completion, system will boot into XP.

Then reinstall the printer, using the proper drivers.

Louis

Louis,

I followed your instructions in the above post. I the went to HP site My link and downloaded the HP LaserJet 3200 PCL 6 driver. Installed the printer (Control Panel/Printers and Faxes/Add New Printer) using the new driver location from the downloaded file. The HP3200 was then the only printer listed in that folder. Also, test page printed fine.

Rebooted, XP "Found New Hardware" and installed a printer. Went to Device Manager and found the same 2 items that were there when we started all of this.

IEEE1284.4 Compatible Printers
______IEEE1284.4 Compatible Printer
IEEE1284.4 Compatible Devices
______HP LaserJet 3200

Went to Control Panel/Printers and Faxes and found a second HP LaserJet 3200 Series PCL 6 had been added with (Copy 1) below the name.

Thanks for your continued help.
Mark

Delete all printers from Control Panel/Printers...then try to properly install the printer.

When you see multiple instances of the same printer...that means that you have installed it twice.

Louis

Louis,

I feel like I'm going in circles on this. I did as you said in Post #10. I used ADD PRINTER to add the HP 3200, following the steps as before. The printer installed and worked. I restarted to see what would happen, and sure enough, as before "New Hardware Detected" "Printer" and Windows wants me to follow the steps of the "Wizard". I thought I had just installed the printer, properly.

I can't honestly tell you that I'm using the correct driver, there are soo many to choose from on the HP site (see Post #9 "My Link"). I found one place that listed the C7053A as 3200SE, I don't see that listed on the driver page. No I don't have the CD. Also, this hasn't always been a problem. There have been several years with this setup and no problems, so I know the driver is on the HD somewhere. I can't remember for sure, but it has been going on for several months and we just cancel out of the Wizard at Start Up. It may have started with a malware attack or a restore action. I just can't remember the specific instance.

Model # C7053A
HP LaserJet 3200

Mark

Louis, After posting this I read through all of the above posts and was not sure I checked for the "Phantom Hardware", with the cable unplugged as you asked. I just did, and would you guess that with the printer unplugged, Windows detects a New Hardware and wants to install it.

This post has been edited by KansasMark: 12 December 2010 - 12:00 AM

Delete the printer, disconnect it then reboot.
Retry Microsofts KB298370, but when you get to "right click on key" instead of delete, first click on permissions. Add your username if it is not already there, give yourself full control, then delete the key.

Louis,

I've now been able to delete the key by following the post from PolaBar. That did not fix the problem. I have deleted the printer from Printer/Faxes and also uninstalled any instance of the printer in Device Manager. I shut down the computer, disconnected the LPT1 cable, and restarted............New Hardware Detected (Printer)and Wizard wants to install it ...but there is no printer connected.

I don't know if matters, but in Device Manager - I noticed these settings:
- ECP Printer Port (LPT1) Properties
- Port Settings
- Never Use an Interupt (is checked)
- Enable Legacy PnP detection (unchecked)

You can see I'm reaching for straws here. I'm about to accept the fact that we will just cancel the Wizard at Startup.

Is there something maybe in the Registry that I also need to look for? I have never used a Registry cleaner. Would you care to look at it if I attached it in a file?

Why trying to delete the registry key, are you logged in as an account with admin rights?

Have you tried Safe Mode via F8 after the BIOS Post Screen?

Cryptodan,

Deleting registry keys is not a problem right now. That was fixed in the prior post. I can delete any key that I need to, I just need to know what key(s) to delete, and if that is going to fix the problem.

The problem hasn't changed since my orignal post.

I don't feel comfortable managing the Registry without help, and I'm not knowlegable enough to say that is were the problem is. I don't need to make a small problem into something bigger than it needs to be and more complex to fix. That is why I'm thankful for sites like BleepingComputer. I'm very good at following directions, even when I don't know where we are going.

If you would care to help Louis fix this, please read all prior posts to get the full story.

Mark