making progress with my new computer

I got a parallel to usb cable for my old printer. Just installed it today. Seems to work. The printer is old enough that there is no win 7 driver specific for the printer. But the infor i read said the built in drivers should work. Said there may be some loss of features - I don'tknow about that yet, But it seems to print a small notepad file ok. Don't think I am going to mess with that anymore tonight. I was happy the cable worked.

Fay

I have just discovered the printer will work only if it is turned on when I boot up the compter.
It works ok then.

But, if I turn the computer on, then later decide I want to print and turn the printer it doesn't work. When I print, I don't get any messages but it never prints. If I go to printers and devices and open the printer, I can see the file - but it has a message of error while printing.

Any ideas?

Fay

What brand and series number (if any) is the printer?

Hi Sam,

It is the old printer I was concerned about getting to work on the new computer.
It is a hp business inkjet 2280. They do not have any printer specifice drivers for this pritner for win7-64, but it said the built in dirvers should work. It has only a parallel port and I had to buy a parallel to usb cable to connect it.

All seems to work if I have the printer turned on when I boot up the computer, otherwise - the print goes to the printer but can't print.

Thanks,
Fay

There you go - hp again!

Actually Fay, I have the same problem with my HP printer too, but not with my Canon printers, which use USB ports. The HP is the first All-in-one printer that I ever bought back in 2000, uses a parallel port, and I've always had to have it on before booting or rebooting the computer, otherwise I couldn't print to it. Far as I know, you'll just have to live with it.

Repa,

My other HP printer which has a USB port, works ok even if I don't have it turned on at boot I can turn it on after and it still works. I don't remember having this problem with this printer before - maybe it has something to do with having to use the paralled to usb cable, or maybe I ant having an extended senior moment and jsut don't remember. LOL

If it does have to do with the parrallel to USB cable, maybe that is why some people complain about them not working.

But, seems like I do remember having this problem some years back with other parallel port printers I had in the past.

So you are probably right, I'll probably just have to put up with it. Kind of a pain, guess I'll just try to remember to always turn on the printer before I turn on the computer. The printer may be getting close to the end of its life anway, at least it is usable.

Thanks
Fay

Fay, I never turn my printer off! It's not that something doesn't work, but it has only a very small light which is on top of the printer and the printer sits above my head, so I always forget that it is on. So far, it hasn't hurt anything, the cartridges go into "sleeping mode" even when the printer is on.

Rike,

If I start to have a problem with not remembering to turn it on, I may have to do that.

Thanks,
Fay