Suddenly Can't Print .. no clue why

So I've got a problem I just don't know how to resolve or further debug.

I've got a Thinkpad Laptop running Vista x64 Ultimate. I reinstalled
the OS ~3 weeks ago and installed my print drivers. I have 2 network
printers and I also use doPDF to create PDFs. All of these were working
just fine.

Today they are not printing correctly, but not in a way I can figure
out. Applications give me an error saying there is an unknown error or
that there is no default printer installed. This happens in Firefox,
OpenOffice, Acrobat, Thunderbird and others.

The weird thing is that if I goto control panel and try to print a test
page with any of the printers it works fine. In addition, I can print
txt files from both Notepad & Wordpad, but still not from Openoffice.

So why is it I can print simple txt files & test pages but not from the
apps I need to print from. BTW this happens for all the printers I have
installed including the 2 network printers, the local PDf printer
(doPDF), & the XPS printer. These all worked last time I printed (a few
days ago), but not today.

What can I do to ideally fix this or at least better debg this?

Thanx


--
Snuffy2

First thing I'd do is use System Restore to return a couple of days ago to
when all seemed OK. Then while it's running and printing OK, look at what
you are downloading/installing/updating and see which app is causing the
problem.
--
Cari (MS-MVP)
Windows Technologies - Printing & Imaging
http://www.coribright.com/windows


"Snuffy2" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
>
> So I've got a problem I just don't know how to resolve or further debug.
>
> I've got a Thinkpad Laptop running Vista x64 Ultimate. I reinstalled
> the OS ~3 weeks ago and installed my print drivers. I have 2 network
> printers and I also use doPDF to create PDFs. All of these were working
> just fine.
>
> Today they are not printing correctly, but not in a way I can figure
> out. Applications give me an error saying there is an unknown error or
> that there is no default printer installed. This happens in Firefox,
> OpenOffice, Acrobat, Thunderbird and others.
>
> The weird thing is that if I goto control panel and try to print a test
> page with any of the printers it works fine. In addition, I can print
> txt files from both Notepad & Wordpad, but still not from Openoffice.
>
> So why is it I can print simple txt files & test pages but not from the
> apps I need to print from. BTW this happens for all the printers I have
> installed including the 2 network printers, the local PDf printer
> (doPDF), & the XPS printer. These all worked last time I printed (a few
> days ago), but not today.
>
> What can I do to ideally fix this or at least better debg this?
>
> Thanx
>
>
> --
> Snuffy2

Anyone with ideas

--
Snuffy2

Did System Restore not work?
--
Cari (MS-MVP)
Windows Technologies - Printing & Imaging
http://www.coribright.com/windows


"Snuffy2" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> Anyone with ideas?
>
>
> --
> Snuffy2

A good first step is to open Control Panel and uninstall the printer that is
not working. Reboot and let Windows discover the 'new' printer and install
the drivers for it. Often that works
A good second step is to use System Restore and restore to the most recent
date the printer did work.

"Snuffy2" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> Anyone with ideas?
>
>
> --
> Snuffy2

System restore and uninstalling and reinstalling the printers have no
worked

Anything else? I really would like to print again

--
Snuffy2

Do the printer(s) have ink in them?

Do they appear to be installed correctly?
--
Cari (MS-MVP)
Windows Technologies - Printing & Imaging
http://www.coribright.com/windows


"Snuffy2" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> System restore and uninstalling and reinstalling the printers have not
> worked.
>
> Anything else? I really would like to print again.
>
>
> --
> Snuffy2

Cari \(MS-MVP\);1100194 Wrote:
> Do the printer(s) have ink in them
>
> Do they appear to be installed correctly
> -
> Cari (MS-MVP
> Windows Technologies - Printing & Imagin
> 'Welcome' (http://www.coribright.com/windows
>

Printers work fine and all other PCs in the house can print to the
fine. They are both network printers. I also cannot print to the buil
in PDF and XPS printers either with the same error

I can print simple txt docs from Notepad & Wordpad and test pages fro
within control panel from this PC but cant print real docs from any app

--
Snuffy2

Aha.... then it's what we refer to as an application error, since you CAN
print from Notepad and Wordpad. I'd suggest reinstalling the application in
question... BTW what app is it?
--
Cari (MS-MVP)
Windows Technologies - Printing & Imaging
http://www.coribright.com/windows


"Snuffy2" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> Cari \(MS-MVP\);1100194 Wrote:
>> Do the printer(s) have ink in them?
>>
>> Do they appear to be installed correctly?
>> --
>> Cari (MS-MVP)
>> Windows Technologies - Printing & Imaging
>> 'Welcome' (http://www.coribright.com/windows)
>>
>
> Printers work fine and all other PCs in the house can print to them
> fine. They are both network printers. I also cannot print to the built
> in PDF and XPS printers either with the same error.
>
> I can print simple txt docs from Notepad & Wordpad and test pages from
> within control panel from this PC but cant print real docs from any app.
>
>
> --
> Snuffy2

Cari \(MS-MVP\);1100921 Wrote:
> Aha.... then it's what we refer to as an application error, since yo
> CA
> print from Notepad and Wordpad. I'd suggest reinstalling th
> application i
> question... BTW what app is it
> -
> Cari (MS-MVP
> Windows Technologies - Printing & Imagin
> 'Welcome' (http://www.coribright.com/windows
>

It's Every other app! Acrobat, OpenOffice, Microsoft Office, Firefox
Thunderbird, IE, everything else. I have tried reinstalling a few o
these apps but no success

I can only print test pages from the control panel for the printer an
simple txt files from within wordpad & notepad. No other app will print

--
Snuffy2