asked on USB Port not recognizing printer
Hi, we have a newish Dell laptop with Windows 10 on it. Yesterday I plugged in a USB switch. One side went to the Dell laptop, the other to my HP laptop, and the output of the switch to the printer (A Brother MFC-7340).
Perfect! Moved the switch from one laptop to the other, both print.
today... The dell laptop won't print, Brother printer is offline. Switch to HP laptop, works perfectly. Reboot Dell, nothing. Replug the USB, get an error not recognizing device. Try plugging directly into printer, same thing.
Plugin the old inkjet printer, doesn't recognize that either. Reboot the Dell laptop, and get a critical error screen. Took it into the repair place, he's able to get it back.
1. Plug in the Brother printer, reboot, not there.
2. Go to device manager, uninstall device, reboot, not there. Same unrecognized device issue.
3. Switch to other laptop, prints fine.
Any ideas? What could be the problem? Thanks. Meanwhile we have the dell plugged into the inkjet printer, Same USB port, and it's working as well as it ever works. Meaning the USB port is working, the inkjet printer's a piece of junk.
Perfect! Moved the switch from one laptop to the other, both print.
today... The dell laptop won't print, Brother printer is offline. Switch to HP laptop, works perfectly. Reboot Dell, nothing. Replug the USB, get an error not recognizing device. Try plugging directly into printer, same thing.
Plugin the old inkjet printer, doesn't recognize that either. Reboot the Dell laptop, and get a critical error screen. Took it into the repair place, he's able to get it back.
1. Plug in the Brother printer, reboot, not there.
2. Go to device manager, uninstall device, reboot, not there. Same unrecognized device issue.
3. Switch to other laptop, prints fine.
Any ideas? What could be the problem? Thanks. Meanwhile we have the dell plugged into the inkjet printer, Same USB port, and it's working as well as it ever works. Meaning the USB port is working, the inkjet printer's a piece of junk.
Printers and ScannersWindows 10
Last Comment
nobus
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ASKER
Thanks, Darrell, I don't know if I even realized it had a wireless feature. :) Let me try that first, and see what happens. It is an actual USB switch, and seems to work well on my end, but it's old.
ASKER
Hi, I went here: https://support.brother.com/g/b/faqend.aspx?c=as_ot&lang=en&prod=mfc1910w_eu_as&faqid=faq00100109_004 and because I don't have the Cd-ROM, I downloaded the Full Driver & Software Package.
But it suggests that I'll see a window offering Choose Wireless Network Connection, but it just goes through the normal screens you see on software installation.
It's installed, but I can't seem to see any program I can open except the control center, which has no options to connect wirelessly. Just wondered if anyone had any suggestions?
But it suggests that I'll see a window offering Choose Wireless Network Connection, but it just goes through the normal screens you see on software installation.
It's installed, but I can't seem to see any program I can open except the control center, which has no options to connect wirelessly. Just wondered if anyone had any suggestions?
ASKER
I just realized it doesn't have an ethernet port, so likely doesn't have a wireless adapter.
Use an application called USB oblivion https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/usb_oblivion.html , this tool cleans up remnants of drivers found in the registry that are associated with each usb port for devices no longer plugged into that port. Clearing this info may help the Dell laptop to associate the correct drivers fro the printer.
Have you tried swapping the USB cable? Sometimes when they start acting crazy like that it's from a bad cable.
no errors in device manager?
look also in event viewer what it says about it
look also in event viewer what it says about it
ASKER
Hi, all! Ok... USB cable is brand new, but I did try swapping it. Last night I turned the laptop off, plugged the USB cable directly into the printer and the laptop, and turned the laptop back on. I got the 'windows blocked the installation of a digitally unsigned driver' error.
I'll check to see there are no errors n the device manager (there were before the laptop failed completely), and check the event viewer (Never thought of that!), and then follow instructions here: https://ph.answers.acer.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/38288/~/windows-10%3A-disable-signed-driver-enforcement
If that doesn't work, I'll try the oblivion tool. Thanks for all the advice!
I'll check to see there are no errors n the device manager (there were before the laptop failed completely), and check the event viewer (Never thought of that!), and then follow instructions here: https://ph.answers.acer.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/38288/~/windows-10%3A-disable-signed-driver-enforcement
If that doesn't work, I'll try the oblivion tool. Thanks for all the advice!
ASKER
ok, once I had unplugged the other printer and restarted with the USB plugged directly into the printer, that's what finall showed me the error I could clear. Printer's working. Thanks!
what was the error then?
ASKER
windows blocked the installation of a digitally unsigned driver. I solved it by doing this: https://ph.answers.acer.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/38288/~/windows-10%3A-disable-signed-driver-enforcement
tx for the update !