Vista Home Premium
HP Laserjet 1160 and One Note
Skill level: Probably a little better than the average bear, but by no means an expert.

I am trying to print a hard copy document.
When I select the printer, the system brings up a print to file dialog box that prompts for a file name. If I use that box, I get a file that has no extension and does not open properly with any software I have tried including text, pdf and word. (It may be prn, I have not checked that - but would not help me in any case.)

this is happening from everywhere that has print functionality including Word 2007, Adobe reader 8.x, firefox and One note as examples.



When I attempt to use "send to One Note" I get the same dialog box. These are the only "printers" (virtual or physical) I have on this computer at this time. There have been others, but it has been a while since they were removed.

The options to print to file are NOT selected on both property dialogs.
I have checked the ports and they appear to be correct. Would appreciate validation that what I think is correct, actually is.

I have had this to happen before and I removed all printers and had the computer reacquire the 1160 and it worked again for a while (except that it would not print more than 1 copy of anything).

I have uninstalled the printer and deleted it and had the system reacquire the 1160 again and this time it is still not working.

The computer does appear to be recognizing that the printer is attached since it does the two tone "thumps" when I plug in the usb cable.

Running out of ideas. I have some docs that I need to print, sign and fax and don't want to have to go to staples with a thumb drive.

Help would be appreciated...
Thanks
Saressa

Try upgrading to the newest HP UPD driver for PCL6 for your printer HP LaserJet 1160 Printer Series and then try adding the printer again (don't revise the current listing, create a whole new entry) and see if that works. Make sure you select it as the default printer. It should not only show up but it should get you to the printing screen instead of the print to file screen when you try to print (which may be happening because it can't detect the printer and is going to the next option which is a print to file option since there are no other printers). Post back if you need assistance updating or installing the drivers.

I hope this helps.

Good luck!

I have had this happen at work on some computers.

A default printer isn't selected, so it tries to pull up the default microsoft xps document, then wants to save to file.

Once I selected, in the user's account, a physical default prniter, it stopped doing that.

Saressa, you mentioned that this occurred when the file started spooling. I wonder what would happen if we turned spooling off for the printer or, if necessary, deactivated Printer Spooling?

Go to Start / Control Panel / Printers and right click on the printer and click on properties. I'm not sure where it will be located (on my printer it's in the Advanced Tab but I imagine that varies by printer). Find where it offers the option to use printer spooling and turn it off and reboot. Then see if that makes any difference. If you can find no such option, then just move on to the next step here.

If the problem persists or you couldn't disable spooling in printer properties, let's disable Printer Spooling entirely (to make sure it still isn't operating despite the settings in the printer properties even if you were able to do that and it didn't work).


How to start or stop the print spooler? (Compliments of Marcos at: How to Enable / Disable the Print Spooler service - Tips & Tweaks).

1. Click Start, Right click on Computer and select Manage
2. In the console that opens, pull down the Services menu and applications
3. Click on Services
4. Double-click on the Print Spooler key
5. In the "General" tab, go to Startup Type
6. Set the value to Disabled (set it to Automatic if/when you start it back up again)
7. To enable or disable the print spooler service immediately, click Stop or Start
8. Finally click Apply and reboot.
   

Try the printer again to see if that made any difference? If it's now working, then we need to examine why the print spooler is causing this problem - but at least you can now print (and perhaps you don't really need the spooler anyway given your situation - but that's up to you - we'll keep working on it even if you can print without it to try to find a way to print with it working as well if you request that). If the problem persists, re-enable the Print Spooler and recheck the option to use it in the printer as that isn't the cause and so we should put things back the way they were.

I hope this helps.

Good luck!