h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Now turning the router off and on again doesn't work.

Printers (and clingfilm) are inventions of the devil...

I have hated every single one I've ever had and I'm on my 4th one.

However I know one thing..I'd never trust one to wireless seeing as wired ones are such a trial without that added complication.

At least I can go around checking that the wires are properly connected before giving up..

Sorry I can't help BUT I do know a nice site where there are some very helpful techy people who can help.It's called Cable Forum..Just ask in the computing section..You'll have to join but I guarantee that they will try to help.You will need the model and make info,your OS and your set up info for them but they will help.I know this because I moderate there and if you need help look for me, Maggy J.

Have you ever tried to print although the printer seems to be in off modus? We have a Canon printer (older than yours), and all I need to do is click on 'print' and it goes on of its own.

Thanks very much, I'll have a look when I get a chance.

Oh, and I don't need to switch it off, either - it does that on its own, too, after a while of not being used. Try that, Mina, you've got nothing to lose.

After reading all the available technical information on the web, I conclude that the answer is obvious, Vista is rubbish. The only real clue is that this may occur when Vista goes into standby.
The only suggested cures seem to involve uninstalling and then reinstalling the printer driver under Vista. This won't fix the underlying problem, which can be fixed by getting an operating system that isn't rubbish.
There are some more interesting potential solutions involving fixed IP addresses, not using DHCP, fooling Vista that it is installing a local printer and then telling it you are lying in the final step, but since I don't have access to any kit remotely similar to that exhibiting the problem, I can't test these.

I'll try reinstalling, although I have already done that a couple of times for other reasons.

I like Vista. :-p My netbook is W7 but it's not connected to the printer I don't think and a bit small for regular use typing and so on. I might try taking the laptop in for a 'service' and see if I can get it upgraded while it's in there.

I've never found Standby to be a good thing..it ALWAYS conflicts with something I've got installed...I just wouldn't choose that option.On or off, no standby is my motto.

I thought your initial premise was that none of your computers were connected to the printer,....

I don't even know what standby is. I've got sleep or hibernate, or off.

My guess is that standby is the same as sleep or hibernate. It's a guess though.

well I like Vista too


it's perfectly fine for what I want to do, and I suspect that Mina does pretty much the same thing too - just regular stuff that doesn't require fandangling gizmos

Mina - I'll echo the previous poster: printers are the work of the

Oh yes. I've always hated them. My first one or two where second hand, and I had to feed paper in one sheet at a time. Then every 3rd sheet, PAPERJAM. How glad I was to get work in an office so I could chuck out my printer. Then I had to start buying my own again a few years ago when I stopped working in an office again.

Our printer turns itself on when the cat walks over it.

<>


See what more proof do we need that printers are an invention of the devil?

>>"Our printer turns itself on when the cat walks over it.

See what more proof do we need that printers are an invention of the devil? "<<

Nah, you can't blame that on the , it's the paw treading on the 'on' button we'll have to train to tread on it a second time, to turn it off.

I agree with the silicon biased one that Vista is, indeed, rubbish.

Vista's printer spooler system is notoriously bad, and the various patches MS issues seem to have made things worse.

You might try installing more recent drivers for your printer, but in the meantime you may be able to work around the problem by restarting the printer spooler using either the command line, or by creating a batch file, and placing it somewhere convenient like on your desktop

You'll need to do either technique as administrator

The commands are:

net stop spooler

and

net start spooler

A batch file would be something like:

@echo off
net stop "Print Spooler"
net start "Print Spooler"

I don't really know how to do what you're suggestioning? Except try for a new driver, which I can do.

Use door number 2

Open your plain text editor, probably notepad

Copy and paste the lines:

@echo off
net stop "Print Spooler"
net start "Print Spooler"

Choose 'save as' and save the file to your desktop as printspool.bat

(Notepad will try to save it as a txt file by default, so you have to use the drop down at the save dialog to choose 'All Files (*.*)')

Now right-click the icon for printspool.bat, and choose 'Run as administrator'

ok thank you, am trying one more thing. Printer has been alert and ready since I last posted, but I have only slept the laptop. I will be brave and try hibernating it when I go back out to see if that's the problem.