Help with printing - no longer needed

[Kitty]

The connection between my computer and my printer is not happy.  It went on strike after I asked it to print an email, it spewed out 13 blank pages twice and I cancelled it.

I have tried everything that I can think of.  All the leads are connected properly.  I've clicked on everything on the Control Panel so that it is chosen printer, it is online, it is no longer paused (which was an earlier problem) etc.  I have restarted the computer.

When I send a document to print, the status is idle.  Is that the problem ?  If so, how do I correct it?

Any ideas gratefully received.

EDIT: All's well now, thanks to you.  Merci.

[willandchris]

Sometimes uninstalling the printer and then re-installing it will do the trick. Will

[Kitty]

Oh dear.  I am not sure where the printer CD is in my house.  It's an HP LaserJet 1018.

I have another printer - an HP deskjet 3820 - but that won't worked on the computer now either

[Clarkkent]

If you go to the HP website you can download the drivers for the printer.

[Kitty]

When I click on any printer, the status is idle.  When I click on Find Printer, up comes a message:

" The Active Directory Domain Services is currently unavailable. "

Any ideas what this means?

[pachapapa]

Not the foggiest idea but Google throws up a link which seems plausible.

Vista often had an Admin fixation.

http://www.vistax64.com/vista-networking-sharing/111382-active-directory-domain-service-currently-unavailable-2.html

[Quillan]

Is the printer shared with another computer or is it a wireless printer?

This is a classic problem, there are loads of fixes on the Internet for it. Basically you don't have to remove the HP software just go in to the Control Panel and then Printers, delete the existing printer the click on Add Printer (if it is a wireless printer you need to click on Add a Wireless or Bluetooth Printer in stead of Local Printer). It should pick up the old driver automatically, if it still does not work then remove the HP software, download the latest version from the HP website, delete the printer again and install the new software.

[Kitty]

Thank you one and all.  I shall have a go tomorrow morning.  You'll hear my screams of frustration no doubt...

[Kitty]

I did as you said.  I deleted all my printers from my computer, including not only the 'Printers' section but also the 'Programs and Features' section on the Control Panel.

I then reloading the drivers from the HP UK Help and Support website.  Here is the link:  http://welcome.hp.com/country/uk/en/support.html

I am back in business - it's such a relief.  Thank you for your help.

[Quillan]

Just one thing about removing the printer software with most HP printers. You shouldn't do this via the control panel, if you look under HP under Start Button - All Programs you will find there is an Unistall program, you should use this. Even then it may not remove everything which may result in the printer installation program not installing correctly. If you look around the HP Support section you should find a 'removal' (its actually named 'Scrubber') tool for your specific printer and operating system which is a zip file containing some small programs and follow the instructions after unzipping the file.

Anyway glad your up and running.

[Kitty]

Thanks Quillan.  Noted for the future.  HP did ask me to upzip during the installation process and it recorded that two things were unzipped.  I did wonder at the time what this was.