I hate my printer

[smileyeagle1021]

OK, so I have an HP officejet 5610. It's a good printer, and it works fine on my mac but my windows machine won't even recognize it as a printer... I know it's not the cable because I tried it using the same cable on my mac and it worked fine. It's not the USB port because I tried other USB devices and they all worked... I tried reinstalling the driver (granted I didn't uninstall first, just ran the install over the old driver, which may be the problem)... but as far as I know I've tried everything... short of going all Office Space on my printer and buying a new one that will work on both my Mac and my Windows what can I try?

[RootedPhoenix]

Maybe there's an updated driver that'd work better than the one you have....? That's all I can think of right now. I'm no expert, so I could be wrong.

I hate trying to get things working between my Mac and my Windows machine. *offers sympathy*

[Pedersen]

There's a few options I can devise to try.

1. Disconnect the printer, completely uninstall the old driver, download a new driver from the manufacturer, and then run the install program for that driver, waiting until the installer tells you to connect the printer.

2. Use a Linux live cd (such as Knoppix), and try printing to the that printer. Even though other devices may work fine, there may still be an issue with the hardware in that machine.

Dammit, I had a third option, but it got up and walked away. I hate when my brain lets the ideas get their own legs. I'll respond later if I think of it again.

[SteeleDragon78]

heres a 3rd option (no i didnt steal it pederson) go to the hp website and download the full software package. uninstall your printer from your windows box and reinstall via the download. if that doesnt work, wear goggles when you smash it. dont want any eye injuries

[lordlundar]

Haha! It might not need that level of tech support Steele.

Try purging the drivers, unplug the printer from the computer, then download and run the printer install package. If the computer is recognizing something being plugged in, but not recognizing what it is, then the driver was corrupted.

And just for the sake of argument, you are turning the printer on when you plug it in, right? (just making sure I've covered all the bases.

[SteeleDragon78]

Haha! It might not need that level of tech support Steele.

Try purging the drivers, unplug the printer from the computer, then download and run the printer install package. If the computer is recognizing something being plugged in, but not recognizing what it is, then the driver was corrupted.

And just for the sake of argument, you are turning the printer on when you plug it in, right? (just making sure I've covered all the bases.

thats what i said. wasnt it?

[lordlundar]

thats what i said. wasnt it?

Yeah, but mine explains why.