Question

Is it possible to copy printer settings from one XP PC to another?

Asked by: bake_it

I just got a new computer and would like to move the printer settings from my previous laptop to its replacement. I did the "files and settings transfer wizard," which brought over files and some of the user prefrences but not the printers.

There are several printers that my old laptop was set up to work with, none of which I have access to as I set them up.

Any thoughts on how I can bring the printer settings from the old computer to the new one?  The old one is XP home, the new one is XP pro.

Thanks,
Alex

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Asked On
2005-05-12 at 11:58:35ID21422402
Tags

printer

,

copy

,

settings

,

from

,

another

Topic

Printers

Participating Experts
6
Points
250
Comments
13

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Answers

 

by: nobusPosted on 2005-05-13 at 01:48:27ID: 13994054

well, i found nothing on the web, regarding moving or copying the printer settings.
what exactly do you want to do? install those printers i guess.
Then you wwould simply have to install those printers on the new laptop.  Most are installed in a certain way first the software, then connect the printer when asked for. But you must check the printer manual for the correct procedure.
if you list the printers, we can also guide you through the install.

 

by: bake_itPosted on 2005-05-13 at 07:20:37ID: 13996094

The problem is that I only have access to one of the 5 printers that I really need to set up. I travel frequently to the other plants for the company I work for and hoped that I could set up their printers as they are on the old computer without being right there with them.

However, I ran into exactly what you described - at a certain point in the installation it said "connect your printer now," and there did not seem to be any way around that. The installation failed.

Alex

 

by: nobusPosted on 2005-05-13 at 07:25:36ID: 13996142

that would be a network connected printer? Then first you have to share it on the network. When that is done, you can install a printer with the add printer wizard, just select a networked printer, and point it to the name of the shared printer(s) or to the PC where it is connected.

 

by: wyliecoyoteukPosted on 2005-05-13 at 07:46:35ID: 13996360

I would install the print drivers, but set the ones that are unavailable to "print to file".
( run the add printer wizard, select local printer, untick "automatically detect" then instead of LPT1: select "print to file")

Then, in each of the print drivers on the old laptop, make a note of the port settings.
Then you can recreate the ports as and when the printers are available, by going to the ports tab on the printer properties and adding a new port.

 

by: bake_itPosted on 2005-05-13 at 08:32:39ID: 13996783

Nobus thanks for your thoughts but please read what I have written before posting. I don't really feel that I should have to repeat myself.  As I said in both my first and second post the problem is with printers that I physically do not have access to because they are at other locations. The install works fine for the printer here.

My question was simply if it is possible to copy printer settings from one PC to the next. Apparently it is not which makes sense with the unique port / resource settings for the different computers.

wyliecoyoteuk - that is a viable idea that I will try. I had been using the HP setup utility, but will try the add printer wizard as you described.

 

by: nobusPosted on 2005-05-13 at 08:55:29ID: 13997058

unsubsribing...

 

by: newuser4Posted on 2005-05-14 at 07:10:07ID: 14002462

You can copy printer drivers from one pc to another one but it only works with networked or parallel printers, usb printers require to create a virtual printer port and as far as I know it is only possible with the specific setup program.

Connect computers with an ethernet cable, on the old pc change in the printer properties the port to Lpt1: for each printer you want to copy and share it across the network you have just created.
On the new computer choose "add a new printer" and select "networked printer", the wizard will check the network and will show available printers. Installing one of these you will copy driver from old one to your new pc and you will able to re-edit printer properties. For parallel printer you will have to change printer port to lpt1: , with networked printer you will have to enter the original path, usually in the form of //computer_name/resource_name.

 

by: wyliecoyoteukPosted on 2005-05-15 at 05:29:05ID: 14005568

newuser4:

That is a good idea, and in this case will probably work, as they are both XP pcs
Just a note that it will not usually work if the windows versions are different (i.e. if the source pc is older than the destination pc), unless you have the driver disks.

 

by: ajharveyPosted on 2005-05-19 at 20:36:40ID: 14042858

Microsoft provide a tool to back up and restore your printers.  It's intended for server migrations, but it work fine for workstations too.  

latest version of Printmig is 3.1 and is available for downaload at: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=9B9F2925-CBC9-44DA-B2C9-FFDBC46B0B17

more details abailable from:
http://www.microsoft.com/printserver

It backs up all your printers, settings, and drivers into a .cab archive, and allows restore from the cab file on a different machine.

 

by: hdhondtPosted on 2005-07-13 at 03:33:20ID: 14429567

No comment has been added to this question in more than 21 days, so it is now classified as abandoned..
I will leave a recommendation in the Cleanup topic area that this question is:
Acept newuser4
Any objections should be posted here in the next 4 days. After that time, the question will be closed.

PLEASE DO NOT ACCEPT THIS COMMENT AS AN ANSWER!

hdhondt
EE Cleanup Volunteer

 

by: ACSSIPosted on 2008-04-06 at 15:22:58ID: 21293374

ajharvey: OMG! I have searched high and low for an easy way to automate and install of about 20 printers AND thier print prefrerences. With the tool you listed I can do it now. Thanks so much for the post. Your the man!

 

by: bake_itPosted on 2008-04-06 at 17:53:48ID: 21293761

Hi, I just realized that I completely abandoned this discussion and did not realize it until ACSSI's post. And that after being kind of rude to nobus (sorry, was having a bad day).

Anyway, that is a really good solution. But not the one that was selected with the forced accept. I wonder if the admins can change that?


20120131-EE-VQP-002

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