USB printer not recognized

[CIVILIZEDGORILLA]

I have been using a HP Deskjet 6122 printer for about a year now. Everything has worked flawlessly. A few weeks ago, my hard drive crashed, so I upgraded to a new hard drive. I installed Windows 2000 and everything is pretty much up and running.. I cannot get the computer to recognize the printer at all. I cannot even install manually. I have tried uninstalling the USB drivers and all that jazz but nothing. Other devices are recognized, such as my ipod and external zip drive, but not the printer. I am very good with computers, but I cannot fix this problem at all.

I took the printer to a friends house yesterday and it was recognized immediately when it was plugged in. SO I know it is not the printer.

Any ideas?

And if this should be in a different part of the forum, please let me know...thanks.

I love this place and I am usually helped, so let me know.

 

[Unforgiven]

did you try a different usb port on your computer? maybe that one port is going out. i was going to suggest that it was the cable but since it worked on another pc, thats probably not it unless there is a short in the cable somewhere.

 

[CIVILIZEDGORILLA]

Yes, I have tried all the ports. I have two ports that are on the back of my computer that are from the motherboard and I have two ports on the front of my case that I had to wire directly to the board. All 4 are working, because I have tried my external zip drive on all of them and it works fine.

Also, I have gone into the mobo's bios to check to see if everything is fine and enabled. It is.

I do not think it is the cable either, because I tried using another usb cable on the printer....and nothing.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

That is a tough one because of it workjing on another system All the USB controllers and hubs show up in the device mangler? Tried both hot plugging and having it already plugged in and turned on then booted up?

 

[CIVILIZEDGORILLA]

Yes, all the USB devices show up in the device manager. I have tried hot plugging it and I have tried booting up with the printer connected.

And I am feeling a little uncomfortable with your choice of avatars. jk.

 

[MrChad]

Did you install the printer driver first? HP generally recommends that you install the software first, then connect the USB cable when instructed by the driver installation program.

 

[imported_Phil]

Originally posted by: MrChad
Did you install the printer driver first? HP generally recommends that you install the software first, then connect the USB cable when instructed by the driver installation program.

Bingo. If you connect a USB printer before installing the software, it won't work.

 

[CIVILIZEDGORILLA]

Yes, I tried that last night. I tried installing the drivers and software from the cd first and then when I was prompted, I connected the printer to the USB port. But the computer did not recognize the printer.

As far as installing a USB printer before software, I do not think that is correct. When I took the printer to my friends house, the printer was recognized immediately, after being plugged in. That does not happen with my computer.

Sigh.