Question PC has stopped recognizing my printer ?

nameoftheuser2

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Jul 25, 2016
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PC stopped recognizing printer.
It won't show up in Printers and Scanners menu when I click Add Printer nor in HP Smart app.

Printer is HP DeskJet 2700. OS is Windows 10.
Since it's both printer and scanner, Printers and Scanners sometimes show scanner, but not printer.

What I've tried:
  • disconnecting and reconnecting cables
  • using different usb port
  • using different cables
  • reinstalling driver (when it gets to a part where I need to connect the printer, it acts like printer is not connected)
  • I tried using HP Diagnostic tool. It give me a red X on Driver (even tho latest drivers are installed) and Printer Online.
  • tried updating the firmware, but I got an error first time. Now when it gets to a part where you choose printer, nothing shows up.
Can it be that USB port on the printer is faulty? Printer is barely a month or so old, worked fine untill now.
 
Last edited:

nameoftheuser2

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Jul 25, 2016
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And I will ask if the printer is listed in Device Manager (ensure via the "View" tab that "Show hidden devices" is checked).

Yes it is, but sometimes it has a yellow exclamation mark triangle next to it.
It's in Printers section, but when I try to click on it and go Update driver, sometimes it transfers it to Software devices.

what the pc?

ASUS Prime A320M-K

Ryzen 5 2500X

ASUS GTX1650 4GB

Kingston ValueRAM 8GB DDR4

Kingston A400 480GB SSD

IG-MAX 600W
 

Ralston18

Titan
Moderator
Are you left double-clicking the printing or doing a single right-click?

What pop-ups appear?

The left double click should reveal the Properties Window.

The right click should reveal the Update Driver, Options to enable or disable the printer, scan for hardware changes, and Properties.

Are those windows and options appearing?

Try Scan for hardware changes.

= = = =

Also try running the built-in Windows trouble-shooters via "WIN" + "I" > "Update & Security" > Troubleshoot
 

nameoftheuser2

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Jul 25, 2016
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Are you left double-clicking the printing or doing a single right-click?

What pop-ups appear?

The left double click should reveal the Properties Window.

The right click should reveal the Update Driver, Options to enable or disable the printer, scan for hardware changes, and Properties.

Are those windows and options appearing?

Try Scan for hardware changes.

= = = =

Also try running the built-in Windows trouble-shooters via "WIN" + "I" > "Update & Security" > Troubleshoot

Right click. The menu appears. I tried Update Driver and I get an error.
Tried Disable, then Enable Device and it's still the same.

Will try Scan for hardware changes. Windows troubleshooter never helped me, but will try that as well.
 
Hello i just wonder if you got the same problem i had.

I got a new epson printer recently and had it on stand by setting so i clicked printer icon on word toolbar and it would wake up and start printer , the problem i had is that it would not print using anything else.

I was on the verge of taking it back but i went through every setting in windows i could think of and then i found the problem.

I typed " printers and scanners" into my search box and even though i had deleted previous printer software my old printer was still listed , i did not know it was still listed their , AND it was top of the list above my new printer. I figured that windows was trying to use the old one .... and i was right.

I deleted the old printer from the list and since then everything has worked no problem .
 

nameoftheuser2

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Jul 25, 2016
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Hello i just wonder if you got the same problem i had.

I got a new epson printer recently and had it on stand by setting so i clicked printer icon on word toolbar and it would wake up and start printer , the problem i had is that it would not print using anything else.

I was on the verge of taking it back but i went through every setting in windows i could think of and then i found the problem.

I typed " printers and scanners" into my search box and even though i had deleted previous printer software my old printer was still listed , i did not know it was still listed their , AND it was top of the list above my new printer. I figured that windows was trying to use the old one .... and i was right.

I deleted the old printer from the list and since then everything has worked no problem .

There is no other printer listed. This is the first printer to be used on that PC.
I cant even open Print window in Word, I get a mesage that there is no printer.
 

nameoftheuser2

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Jul 25, 2016
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Printer works fine on another PC. So I guess something in Windows is messed up and it won't recognize a printer. USB ports are good, they recognize other peripherals fine.

Any ideas what to do?