Windows 7 No printer ports are showing up

ksingle

New Member
I recently bought the best buy package of a desktop, laptop, and netbook and I am having problems installing my printer on the desktop. It installed fine when connected to the laptop. I have called Canon support for the printer and they referred me to HP which was of no use. Here is what it looks like is going on. I have no existing printer ports showing up. If you click on add printer and select use existing printer ports, there are none there. If you look at the printer properties for the microsoft xps document writer and look under ports, there are no ports listed there. On the netbook, which I have not tried to install a printer on, there are existing printer ports. HP would not even listen to this as a possible problem for the printer install. They kept insisting that the printer is not compatable with Windows 7 even though I told them I have it connected and working on the laptop running the exact same operating system. Is it possible that somehow something happened to these ports while using the windows transfer cable. How do I get them back without restoring the entire system.
 
What printer is it? USB connection? When you tried to install it using the Devices and Printers dialog and Add Printer, what steps do you take and the results?

Rebooting a computer will normally restore normal operation.
 
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It is a Canon MP600 multifunction printer that connects through the USB. The driver looks like it installs fine, but then when I actually connect or turn on the printer it goes through the installing device process. The scanner and usb drivers all install successfully but the actual printer installation just says failed. I can see the scanner and it also recognizes the card reader drives alright. I just cannot print. If I try to install it manually through the add printer wizard, and click the drop down arrow next to the use existing printer port, there are no ports to select. It is completely empty.
 
No, I have already downloaded the correct driver and have it installed on the laptop. I want to know if it is normal not to have any existing printer ports. If I should have some available, how do I get them back.
 
Do you other USB devices work OK? Have you checked the device manager to see if any problems show up with your devices?

When you plug the printer in to the USB port, does Windows realize it is there?

Try plugging it in and going to device manager and then scanning for new hardware in tools or the icon.

Try adding a device, not a printer.
 
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Everything else works fine. It does recognize that I have plugged it in, because it tries to install it eveytime. I did find that when I compare the registry on my netbook and the desktop, there is a difference in the HKEY_Local machine\system\currentcontrolset\control\print\monitors keys. On my desktop I have one that reads MRI_DISABLED. I do not have that key on the Netbook. On the netbook I also have Local Port, Microsoft Shared Fax Monitor, Send to Microsoft OneNote, Standard TCP/IP port, USB monitor, and WSD Port. All I have on the desktop is 2 additional items that are nothing like the Netbook. BJ Language Monitor4 and Canon BJ Language Monitor MP600. I have not tried to install the printer on the Netbook so that could be why they are not there.
 
I added it late, but have you tried to install as a Device and not a printer?
 
Thanks for trying to help me out. I did fix the problem and contrary to HP's support, it was a windows issue. Here is what I did. I exported the usb monitor and Local Port registry keys from my Netbook and imported them onto my desktop machine. Rebooted the computer and what do you know. I can print now. I still do not know what the MRI_Disabled key is. But hopefully it will not cause my any problems.
 
I'm having a similar problem with my HP LaserJet P2055dn. Please keep in mind that I am a bit slow when it comes to computers. With that said, I'm running Windows 7 Professional and cannot install the new (Windows 7 Ready) printer. I did a google search and saw this forum. I too do not have existing ports (nothing in the drop down box) nor do I have the option to create new ports. I am a computer novice, but it sounds like you had the same issue. Can you let me know (in laymens terms) how to fix this issue?

Thanks...

P.S. i was on the phone with HP for 2 hours, gave them remote access to my desktop and they came to the conclusion that it was a windows issue....who knows...
 
OK, just to be clean, when you go to Devices and printers, right click an select Printer Properties, and not properties, that you show no port options under the ports tab?
 
When I right click on the HP Printer Icon (yes the icon appears in Printers and Devices with an exclamation point) I do not get the "Printer Properties" option, only properties. However, when I right click on the Microsoft XPS Document Writer, I do get the Printer Properties option but nothing shows up under the Ports tab. Not sure if this means anything...
 
Could you check the services (services.msc) to see if the Print Spooler service is running? If it is, try stopping it and starting again. If not running, try starting it. If you have an install problem with one of the printer queues, it might be causing problems.

Since I do not have your printer, I cannot try to install it, but maybe try to install using a compatibility mode. You may need to remove the earlier install try.
 
The services.msc option did not work and, to be honest, I'm not exactly sure how to use the compatability program.

I just don't understand why there are no existing printer ports...so frustrating!!!!
 
when you click: Devices and Printers/Add a Printer/Add a Local Printer/Use an Existing Port/left click on the downward pointing triangle ( next to where it says LPT1 Printer Port) . A list of ports should appear.

Are you say ing this does not happen?

Have you clicked on each of those items?
 
That's exactly what I'm saying (it doesn't even say LPT1 Printer Port, no list of ports, nothing). Everything is blank, there is nothing to click on.
 
The services.msc option did not work and, to be honest, I'm not exactly sure how to use the compatability program.

I just don't understand why there are no existing printer ports...so frustrating!!!!

Your answer is ambiguous. Are you saying you could not get into the services panel, or starting and stopping the service did not work?

If you could not get to the services panel, use Task Manager and look for Spool under the Services column.
 
Not sure if this means anything to anyone. But after I tried to install the printer I looked in the Device Manager under Universal Serial Bus controllers and "HP Color LaserJet P2050 Series EWS" popped up. The funny thing is, the printer is a B&W LaserJet. Like I said, not sure if this means anything.
 
Not sure if this means anything to anyone. But after I tried to install the printer I looked in the Device Manager under Universal Serial Bus controllers and "HP Color LaserJet P2050 Series EWS" popped up. The funny thing is, the printer is a B&W LaserJet. Like I said, not sure if this means anything.

I would remove that item and also look down the list of usb devices listed in Device Manager and see if any of those have an "error mark" and remove them also.

Check in Devices and Printers and see if there is anything shown as "Unknown device" if so remove that.
 
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