How to print from USB

I recieved a Kodak Personal Picture Maker Inkjet printer for
christmas with a digital camera included. So very happy.. Spent a long time getting the computer to install the digital camera. Then discovered my new printer isn't communicating with the computer. after spending an hour puzzling over why I found the problem. Its a USB Printer so it prints from the USB port. I found the place in windows where I can change the port but it doesn't like the USB as a hub to select. How do I go about adding the USB port? I went to Printers in Windows ME then selected my printer then went to Properties (right click) and there is a place that says "Print to the following port" and in there needs to be a USB port. Please HELP.. Never had to do this before.. Been at the computer since 5pm trying to get my new printer and digital camera setup.

 

Right click My Computer>Properties>Device Manager and go down to USB. Double left click on the Universal Serial Bus controllers and make sure everything looks OK.

When you first boot the screen says “To enter setup” and tells you which key to hold during boot to enter BIOS. Grub around for USB and make sure it is active in BIOS.

If both are OK, you probably didn’t install the printer correctly. I would unplug the USB connector for the printer, uninstall the printer in Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel (Start>Settings>Control Panel> Add/Remove Programs) and delete the printer in the printer folder (Start>Settings>Printers). Then be anal retentive in installing the printer exactly according to the instructions. I know that is the case with HP printers on USB – do it how you think it should work and it won’t.

 

I tried what you suggested all except the BIOS thing cause I know nothing about BIOS. But my USB ports are working cause I had things plugged into them that work. So I went back and tried to reinstall the printer. At the beginning it asks me the port I want it to print from.. It only gives me two choices "FILE" and "LPT1".

 

Just because you haven’t been somewhere doesn’t mean you can never go there.

I see a couple of possibilities. You say it is a USB printer. That means there is no parallel connection. I mention this as most newer printers are Parallel/USB. I did not know that there are USB printers but you should know. If that is the case you are using software for a parallel or parallel/USB printer as you should have no choice of LPT1, which is your parallel port. Go to Kodak’s site and download the correct driver for your printer.

The other possibility I see is that you actually have a parallel/USB printer and are following the instructions for installing it parallel. HP printers have separate instructions for USB and parallel which are completely different from each other. Kodak probably doesn’t make their own printers and I have no idea who does, but many have separate instructions. As I said you have to be anal retentive installing USB or it isn’t going to work. If your printer didn’t come with a CD that includes the driver then download the most current one from Kodak – don’t let WinME install your printer driver unless your instructions specifically say to do that.

If you followed my uninstall instructions you should have gotten a “New hardware found” box when you plugged it back in. Most USB installations install at this prompt. If you didn’t get the prompt try it again. You might also try rebooting after the complete uninstall of the printer but that shouldn’t be necessary. Follow my uninstall instructions EXACTLY and then follow the USB installation instructions EXACTLY.

It has always been my philosophy that the printer and only the printer belongs on the LPT printer port. If you continue to have installation problems and have a parallel/USB printer you might consider hooking it up parallel. Local stores always raped you for $25 for a parallel cable, but I saw one recently in one of the large office supply stores for $12, which is more reasonable. You can get them for much less than $10 online, but after you pay shipping it is better to look for a decent price locally. You will need an IEEE1284 two way printer cable. All current printers work as fast on parallel as on USB and you aren’t sharing your USB bandwidth or taking up a USB connector.

 

I tried reinstalling but still gave me only the option of installing to either LPT1 or File.. I gave up and called Kodak today. They walked me through some things and we got the computer to regonize it has a USB printer in the system devices but the software shows it diffrently. Kodak said windows me was causing my problems and to go to Windows XP. Don't have a choice of hooking it up to parellel port unless there is an adapter to go from USB to parellel cause it only has a USB connection on it. Wish it had a parellel like my epson printer did cause that would be much easier. Do they make an adapter? If so I will go to that.. Looking into going to Windows XP in hopes of having less problems.