I have a HP Deskjet 870 which I have been using with Windows Xp. It uses a parallel port. The printer is no longer listed when I try to print & says I have to install a printer. I can't download the driver because it is a part of XP. However, when I attempt to install it, it finds it with Plug & Play and the file for the driver shows. When I select it to install, it immediately says there was an installation error. When I try to install manually, there is no port listed for the lpt1 and I cannot choose create a new port since it's greyed out.
When I look at Device manager, the lpt port is listed and says that there is not a better driver available.

Sounds that you print spooler service has failed.
Go in to control panel > Admin Tools > Services > and look for Print Spooler and make sure it's running.
Even if it says it's running do a stop/start on it and go from there.

As a side there was a recent patch that caused problems with this serives, but has since been fixed.
Ensure your system is FULLY patched it this continues to happen.

First, you can download and run the new driver.

That's why updates are written. The correct problems in the drive so they work better together.

Remember, just downloading the drive does not mean you have installed the driver. You must also run the driver so that it can unpack itself and install itself. I suggest that you go to the "About" under Help. From that drop down, you can see the version of code that is currently installed. Install the new driver and see if the version number changes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by donf

First, you can download and run the new driver.

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I thought so too but not in this case:
https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/printe...or-135553.html
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As Curlyben mentioned make sure you have done all your Windows Updates, not just the critical ones.

Please re-read that post yourself. The responder telling you that the Print Spooler has a problem that was fixed by a M/S patch.

This has zero to do with Drivers. Drivers come from the vendor of the printer and are usually obtained from the Vendor's website under software updates or Drivers.

Drivers are the property of the Vendor, not M/S

Weird, the forum screwed up the link I posted. I could have sworn I posted this:
HP Deskjet Printers -  Installing the Printer Using the Driver Included In Windows XP 

That clears up any confusion. HP supplies the drivers to MS which adds them to Windows Update service.

HP is also responsible for for the testing and certification of the drivers prior to the release of the driver.

Now, the "Systems Drivers", are distributed by M/S, however, HP would be responsible for updates to the driver.

Custom drivers are supplied by the Vendors. Updated Custom Drivers are distributed by the Vendors.

Thanks for the replies. I haven't gotten this to work yet but I think one of you will be able to help me with some additional info. I cannot download the driver from HP because it is already part of Xp so it just tells me to install that way. New hardware is found by the wizard and it even says it's a HP Deskjet 870, then it gives me a choice of drivers & I choose the Cxi driver. It immediately fails and the only other info it gives is that the environment is invalid. If I try to install manually, it gets to the point of listing the lpt port, but has nothing in the drop down box & you cannot choose to install another port because it is grayed out. When I check the lpt port in the device manager, it is listed, driver updated and working properly. I even uninstalled the lpt port and let it install again but it still will not install the printer driver. I was able to print to the printer using command prompt so the cable should be okay. I have done all the updates - not just the critical ones.

Librarylady - Please stop. Downloading an upgraded version of the driver has nothing to do with the driver being packaged with the operating system. Drop this part of the thread for the time being.

If you are connected to the parallel port of the PC, then the port may not be configured properly. Check the status of the port. It should be set for "EPP". This stands for Enhanced Parallel Port. Also, make sure your printer is set for EPP. If the printer cannot handle EPP, set both the printer and port to Standard.

Once you get the printer talking to the operating system, the printer can send it's ID information bye (s) to the PC to kick start the driver install process.

I probably should just buy a new printer but this one works really well. I have set parallel port to SPP and then EPP and neither worked. How do I change the printer setting? Being an older printer, I would assume it's one of those two so it should have worked when I changed the port settings.

The error message that I get when installing is that the environment is invalid. I have searched Microsoft support and the web in general and can find that that is an 1805 error but nothing tells me what to do about it.

The printer tries to install every time I power on the computer - does that means it's talking to the OS?

Hi LL,

If the printer is recognized by the OS and then conversation starts and never completes then Yes the printer and PC are talking to each other. What else changed other than the Windows XP.

My first suggestion would be to go into System Diagnostics as you power up the PC. Either F2 or F8 should get you there.

Check and see if the Parallel Port is set to EPP. If it is, set it to standard just to see how the printer behaves. Since Bi Directional communications does not exist in standard there should no longer be conversation between printer and PC.
Were on different
If it works in standard mode, that tells us that the printer and PC different port settings.

I have set the parallel port to SPP and rebooted and the printer tries to install. I changed it to EPP and rebooted and the printer tries to install. I disabled the onboard parallel port and avoided that which I assumed it would. I have set it back to SPP.

The only change that might have occurred is that the computer was locking up repeatedly. I really almost think that the printer drivers are corrupt. I have tried HP again to see if there is any way to recover these without reinstalling Win XP. I have been running XP with this printer for probably at least two years. HP initially wasn't very helpful just telling me to run the wizard and referring me to the instructions on their website for installing with the wizard and not appearing to understand that that is what I had been doing.

Thanks for your help!