Add A Printer In Vista
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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.
- Click Start and click Control Panel.
- Click Hardware and Sound then Printers.
- Click Add a printer. This launches the Add Printer Wizard.
- Click Add a local printer.
- Use the drop down arrow to select the port. Click Next.
- 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.
- Type in a name for the printer. This is the name that will appear under the printer icon in the Printers folder. Click Next.
- If you want to print a test page, click the Print a test page button. Click Next.
- Click Finish at the Summary window.
Tags: diana huggins, microsoft, vista, printer, printer wizard, control panel
9 Comments
martin
February 3rd, 2007
at 5:14am
If you have a hp photosmart printer no drivers ready yet 2/2/07
jimcat
February 16th, 2007
at 9:59am
No HP Drivers for the color laser 4550 or the laserjet 1000 series for VISTA.. what joy
Steve
June 11th, 2007
at 10:37am
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.
Daniel
July 12th, 2007
at 8:42am
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
August 27th, 2007
at 2:50am
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
August 30th, 2007
at 4:30pm
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
September 27th, 2007
at 7:15am
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
September 27th, 2007
at 4:24pm
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
October 7th, 2007
at 4:42pm
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….