Windows

Add A Printer In Vista

Posted by on Jan 25, 2007 | 19 Comments

Adding a printer in Vista is fairly similar to the process used in Windows XP, with only a few subtle differences. If your new printer is connected to a USB port, it will be automatically detected and you won’t have to do anything further. Vista will automatically install the printer drivers and configure the printer for you. The logical printer will appear within the Printers folder where you can make any changes to its configurable properties.

In some cases, you may have to manually install the printer using the Add Printer Wizard. Once you physically attach the printer to your computer and turn it on, you can complete the steps listed below.

  1. Click Start and click Control Panel.
  2. Click Hardware and Sound then Printers.
  3. Click Add a printer. This launches the Add Printer Wizard.
  4. Click Add a local printer.
  5. Use the drop down arrow to select the port. Click Next.
  6. Select the Manufacturer of your printer and the model. Click Next. If your printer is not listed, click the Have Disk button. You’ll need to locate the manufacturer-supplied drivers on your computer or disk.
  7. Type in a name for the printer. This is the name that will appear under the printer icon in the Printers folder. Click Next.
  8. If you want to print a test page, click the Print a test page button. Click Next.
  9. Click Finish at the Summary window.

[tags]diana huggins, microsoft, vista, printer, printer wizard, control panel[/tags]

  • martin

    If you have a hp photosmart printer no drivers ready yet 2/2/07

  • jimcat

    No HP Drivers for the color laser 4550 or the laserjet 1000 series for VISTA.. what joy

  • Steve

    My Epson Stylus CX5400 is a USB printer but it wasn’t installed automatically by Vista. I tried to use the printer wizard but there’s no USB port available to choose from the port list. The .inf files I got from Epson’s site don’t work when I select the “Have Disk” option. And when I think it’s installed, it doesn’t print a test page or anything at all.

  • http://danaldrichmsn.com Daniel

    The problem that I have installing a printer using USB is that Vista does not reconize the printer. I manually install the driver using the Add Printer Wizard however when the select ports option comes up USB is not one of them. What to do?

  • Heather

    I have the Epson R1800 and have had the worst time getting it installed. It finally worked after it created a copy of itself. However, everytime I unplug the laptop from my computer, the printer is no longer recognized and I get an error. I believe it relates to the USB Printer support, but no sure. It has been extremely frustrating!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Scott

    We have a new Lenovo w/Vista and a Photosmart printer. I load the Vista driver from HP’s web site, it works for a week, then stops and I have to reload the driver all over again. Something’s wrong.

  • Hannah Hong

    Why I got a pop box ask me to give a file name when I print in Vista? I don’t know what name should I give. There is no print no mater what name I give to.

  • George

    I am having the same problem as Hannah Hong. Every time I try to print from any software in Vista (everything from Office to notepad to Firefox, etc), I am given a dialog box that reads “Print to File”. I’ve installed and reinstalled printers, drivers, etc. My printer is the default, but still it won’t make it to paper.

    Please help!

  • Fabio

    Hello…
    I have the same problem. And I found that the problem wasn’t the printer.
    The whole problem occur because is a problem with the usb printing support (normally installed with the USB Enhanced Host Controller). But I don’t know if the problem is with the native usb driver in windows or in the drivers provided with the printer manufacturer.
    I hope that someone can resolve this….until that, I had to downgrade to Windows XP(here works normally).
    Sorry for my poor english….

  • Thorwald Westmaas

    I have the same problem with an HP 2550 L printer. not recognized, no way to add USB port.

    The saddest thing is that this diana girl puts on this post and then simply ignores all the postings nor makes she any intent to figure out answers.

    If you write your columns by copying text from windows for dummies, dont write !! We wouldn’t be searching for answers here if they were in the manual !!

  • Vic

    I agree with Thorwald, what a waste of a time.

  • John

    Spent 8-10 hr trying to install connect a Xerox Phaser 8550 printer to a Lenovo laptop running Vista. When the USB connection didn’t work, I tried a crossover cable (Xerox’s suggestion), connecting the printer to a router, downloading Vista-compatible drivers from Xerox. Nothing helped, even when the computer finally recognized the printer on a USB port that magically appeared (not sure how), and the computer crashed several times. I finally gave up, and connected the printer to a USB port on a 6-yr old e-Machines PC running XP – the printer was up and running in 5 minutes! If I were given unlimited resources and told to design an operating system that would set back personal computing by 10 years, I don’t think I could “improve” on Vista.

  • Stefan

    I tried now for days to get my HP LJ2100 up and running on a new Vista Desktop. However, for some reason I am not successful. I connected an other printer to the USB port an that was detected by Vista. I then did reconfigur that port to the LJ2100 an thought that it would run… but it did not. This printer runs on XP with the same cable from an USB port with no problems at all. Why is this not possible on Vista?????? Can anybody help?

  • Cory

    Did any of you ever figure out a fix to Vista not automatically recognizing a USB printer?

  • Komal

    THANKS THIS REALLY HELPED!

  • V R

    Vista really, really, sucks. 3 hours to load a printer driver and it still won’t load…the simple things that used to take 1-2 minutes in XP are now unbelievably hard to do. Vista is Microsoft’s worst product they have ever invented.

  • http://www.dimmusacio.ucoz.com Dimmusacio

    Great guide I actually helped one of my customers out by emailing them a link to this blog.

    Take a look at my blog and I’ll give you a link back if you want one
    http://dimmusacio.blogspot.com

  • pooch

    My Lenovo with Vista will not load a printer. I’ve tried to load a OKI C5100 and an Cannon MP830. Both Claim to have drivers compatable with Vista. No go. I keep getting a print spooler not on. I have repeatedly restarted the print spooler. But the PC and the printers just aren’t talking. Any suggestions? Thanks

  • Japazen

    Does anyone succeeded on installing a printer on this #*&$ Vista?