Member Avatar for actfray

I bought a HP p6644y desktop last week running Windows 7...hooked everything up and it works fine. Connected my Lexmark X5470 printer to it, drivers were automatically downloaded and installed. For a couple of days, the printer worked normally. Yesterday, however, I attempted tp print a Word document, and the job just sat in the cue waiting to print. After trying every remedy, I eventually uninstalled and re-instaled the printer. I even used the original disc that came with the printer. None of this worked. Whenever I go to print, the menu panel says 'no printer installed'. When I try to correct this, I get a pop-up telling me that communication with printer is unavailable.

I've checked all my connections and unplugged and re-plugged the printer back in. All connections are fine. I tried switching USB ports, too.

What else can I try? Thanks!

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  • 15 Years Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by vivafenester

Dani AI

Generated

A compact diagnostic workflow that builds on ’s spooler observation and ’s driver advice, focused on isolating hardware vs OS, exercising the Windows services layer, and reinstalling a clean, correct driver package.

Start by isolating the printer hardware: print the printer’s built‑in self‑test or diagnostics page (from the printer’s control panel) to confirm the device itself is working. If the self‑test prints, try the printer and the same USB cable on a different PC to determine whether the fault is with the HP machine or the Lexmark unit.

On the Windows side, restart the Print Spooler service and check Device Manager for problem devices or duplicate printer entries. Run these commands from an elevated command prompt to restart the service:

net stop spooler
net start spooler

Open the Print Server Properties (remove any leftover Lexmark/X5470 driver packages there) and use Device Manager with “Show hidden devices” to uninstall ghost printing or USB entries. After removing all instances, reboot and install the exact Lexmark driver that matches your Windows architecture (32‑bit vs 64‑bit) using an Administrator account.

Additional items: try a different USB cable and a rear motherboard USB port (not a hub or front panel), temporarily disable antivirus/firewall during driver install, and check Event Viewer under Applications/System for print‑related errors. If the printer fails its self‑test or fails on multiple PCs, it’s likely a hardware issue and should be tested under warranty.

These steps extend the earlier suggestions by combining hardware isolation, service-level reset, driver-package removal, and a clean reinstall so the underlying cause can be identified rather than just cycling installs.

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Member Avatar for mjdodd

have you looked in the spool directory? windows32/system/spool/name of printer.... I assume you have but if there is corrupted file at the top of the queue that can give the symptoms you describe and the cure its to delete anything in that printers spool file queue.
( it could also be an electrical fault with the printer)
M

Member Avatar for jennyponting01

Obviously the issue is coming from the end user's computer. I would check for reinstalling the driver first of all but you have to delete it completely:
Windows XP adds a user interface feature to delete driver files so the steps for Windows 2000 and earlier are no longer necessary. To delete printer driver
files in Windows XP:

list of 3 items
• Click Start, and then click Printers and Faxes.
• On the File menu, click Server Properties.
• On the Drivers tab, click the printer driver that you want to delete, and then click Remove.
Reinstall it .

Member Avatar for hibavelmet1234

It sounds like the printer itself is probably fine since it was working initially, so the issue may be related to the Windows print service or the printer driver. First, make sure the Print Spooler service is running by opening Services (services.msc), locating Print Spooler, and restarting it if necessary. Then check Devices and Printers to see if the Lexmark X5470 is listed and set it as the default printer. If it isn't listed correctly, completely remove the printer and its drivers, restart the PC, and install the latest Windows 7-compatible driver from Lexmark rather than relying on the automatic Windows installation or the older installation CD. Also, try connecting the printer with a different USB cable if available, as faulty cables can cause communication errors. Finally, open Device Manager and check for any warning icons under Printers or Universal Serial Bus Controllers. If the printer is not being detected there, the problem is likely with the USB connection or driver rather than the printer itself.

commented: Is that you Claude? -4
commented: Stupid bot didn't see the date was 15 YEARS ago - Windows 7 - LOL, get back under your rock -4
Member Avatar for Annie warner

Try restarting the Print Spooler first:

Click Windows and R, type services.msc and press enter.
Select Print Spooler → right click on it → Restart.
Stop any printing jobs that are stuck and reprint.

If it still does not work, unplug the Lexmark printer, restart the PC and install the latest Windows 7 driver from Lexmark's site, rather than the automatic driver. If your cable is different use another one too.

commented: Another dumb bot - windows 7 - read the OP post date -4
commented: Is that you Claude? -4
Member Avatar for vivafenester

A printer that suddenly stops connecting can result from network issues, outdated drivers, or configuration changes. Restart your printer and device, check connections, update drivers, and reconnect the printer to restore functionality.

commented: Help? -4
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