Printers can be frustrating little pieces of equipment. When they run great, they're great, but when they have a problem, it can turn into a huge headache. Whether you have to print out an extremely important document for work or you just need to get your son's birthday party invitations before the mailman gets there, you want your printer to work well at all times. Fortunately, when things go wrong with your prin
If your printer won't print, then the first thing to check is that your printer is plugged in and all of the cables are firmly in place where they should be. That sounds really silly – of COURSE it's plugged in, right? - but you might be surprised. The only problem here could be that your printer has a loose connection somewhere, especially if the printer does not get used very often and is usually stored somewhere under the desk or beside it – the cables could have gotten knocked loose without you realizing it.
If all the cables are where they are supposed to be, and the issue still isn't better, then you should try reinstalling the printer with new drivers. Your printer's manufacturer will likely have released new and up to date drivers that will allow your printer to run better, and are much newer than those that came with the software in the printer box when you bought it. If you are using Windows XP, simply go into the Control Panel, track down Computers & Faxes, highlight your printer and choose to delete it. It will ask you if you are sure, and yes, you are – so click yes. Then unplug the cable that connects the printer to the computer itself.
Go to the manufacturer's website and find the drivers for your printer. Download them and install them. The drivers are what lets your computer's processor (CPU) talk to the printer and tell it what to print, so they are necessary. Try printing a test page after the new software has been installed.
If the problem is not corrected, then you may have a hardware issue instead. Change ports to see if you have a bad printer port. Check the print heads to make sure they are not clogged up. Try a new connecting cable, if necessary, or a new power cord. If none of these solutions work, then it may be time to scrap that printer and get a new one.
