Problem adding an HP printer in acad 2005

[kars711]

I am setting up my ACAD 2005 on my laptop and I cannot get my HP 1220c printer to print. I cannot find my install disk so I downloaded drivers from HP. When I try to add a printer using add a plotter wizard in ACAD, it eventually asks for the install disk. I do not remember having this problem a few years ago on my desktop computer. But I have forgotten exactly how I did that. When I go to print, I can see the HP printer as one of choices to print to, but after I choose it, and try to print, I get a message that says I need to install printer. I can print other docs to the printer so I know it works, just not in ACAD. Any refreshing me on how to get a printer to work or help would be greatly appreciated.

[kevinp]

Is the printer on a network or directly attached to your pc?

[kars711]

Connected directly via USB. Thanks.

[kevinp]

You can try reinstalling the printer in windows. You dont need the drivers from HP as windows has them already.

 

Go into the control panel and open printers and faxes.

Click add a printer on the left side.

Choose local printer, and use LPT1 as the port.

Pick the HP 1220C from the list and hit next.

 

Now in autocad, go to add a plotter wizard.

Choose system printer and then pick the printer you wish to have in autocad.

Pretty much guides you right through it.

 

But if you can print from windows, adding it as a system printer in autocad should be the only step you really need to do.

[kars711]

When I add it by saying I am adding via USB, it adds it to port USB001 automatically. Thae when I check that in windows it says cannot talk to the printer bidirectionally, and/or can't find the printer. I will try to choose the lpt1 and see if works.

[kars711]

I tried the LPT1 and when it asks for a test page to be printed, there is an error and hangs up in que. If I say USB instead of LPT1, I can always print a test page, just not in ACAD.

[kevinp]

what if you try with usb in windows, and add the printer as a system printer in autocad? Im leaving work in a few minutes so I cant answer for a while.

[kars711]

I think I have tried this, but will try again. I just added it again thru Printers and Faxes as USB001 and it printed a test page just fine.

[kars711]

OK, it is working for now. I just could not point to a previous .pc3 file setup and get it to work. I just reset the preferences and created a new pc3 file. Maybe that is all it ever wanted. I thought you could import them or copy them and use them from another computer. Anyway, it is working now and thanks again.