Tip #3448 - Installing an XP Printer
Printer Friendly Version | E-Mail This Tip
Installing
an XP Printer
Have you recently
bought a new printer for your computer? Are you having trouble installing
it? Does your computer use Windows XP? If you answered yes to all of those
questions, then I've got something you're really going to love. Let's
check it out!
Believe it or not,
but Windows XP actually makes installing a printer a relatively easy and
painless process. There is no need to even turn the computer off. In fact,
if your printer connects using a USB port, you can simply plug in the
printer's power cord and plug the printer cable into the USB port on the
computer and power it up. Windows XP will then use what is known as the
"plug and play" technology to access the printer. This process
will detect the printer as "New Found Hardware" and it will
automatically install the correct drivers so that you can begin printing
right away. Awesome, huh?!
If your computer is
unable to detect the new printer, you can use the "Add Printer Wizard"
or "Found New Hardware Wizard" to install your printer instead.
The "Add Printer Wizard" will walk you through installing either
a network or local printer and if there are any problems, Windows XP will
open the "Found New Hardware Wizard" to help troubleshoot and
fix them.
So, let's start with
the "Add Printer Wizard." Go ahead and click
the Start button, then Printers and Faxes.
If you don't see Printers and Faxes, you may need to go into the Control
Panel first (the classic
version). Go to Start, Control Panel,
Printers and Faxes.
In the task pane to
the left, click Add a Printer and then hit the Next
button to open the wizard.
If you are setting
up a printer that is connected to your computer, click the "Local
printer attached to this computer" option button and then
click Next.
Check the "Use
the following port" option and make sure the recommended
port is selected in the list box. Click Next when you're
done.
Scroll down the list
box of manufacturers until you find your printer's manufacturer name.
This may be HP, Lexmark or others. It just depends on what you bought.
Once the correct manufacturer is selected, you can pick the printer model
name from the Printers list box. Click on the printer name once you find
it and then click Next.
Now, you can name
the printer and set it to be the default printer for your computer. The
name should be less than 31 characters. If you have access to other printers
on a network, you will also want to give it a descriptive name so that
you know, at a glance, which printer you are using each time in the future.
If you are not on
a network, click the "Do not share this printer"
option button. If your computer is on a network and you would like to
share your printer, you can do so by giving it a share name. Click Next
when you're all set.
If the printer came
with a disk, you will need to insert it now. The computer will search
for the appropriate driver on the disk and install it. Click Next
and Finish to complete the wizard. You can print
a test page at the end of the wizard to verify that the printer is functioning
normally.
There you have it.
A printer installation that just can't get any easier!
~ Katherine Bennett
Want To Comment On This Tip? Click Here! We'd love to hear from you :-)
Like These Tips? Get 'Em Free In Your E-mail
