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Dear PC Doctor:
Sometimes, when I go to print something I’ve created on my computer, the computer tries to send it to a printer I don’t have anymore. Then I get an error message saying the computer can’t communicate with the printer. Why does it do this? It’s like a little ghost, slowing me down every time I try to print something. Is there any way I can make it so my old printer doesn’t show up as a choice and only my new printer does? I have a PC running Windows 7.
Thanks, Paul
Dear Paul:
I’m guessing your old printer may still be set up as the ‘default’ printer, a hold-over from when you had it connected to your computer. If you go to your control panel, you will be able to delete any printers you don’t really have from your list of printers. You’ll also be able to set up a default printer so that future print jobs go where you want them to go.
Click on the Start ‘orb’ at the bottom left of your computer screen. In the right hand column that pops up, choose “Control Panel.” In your control panel, choose “Devices and Printers.” A window should pop up. In the window, you will see a picture of the printers your computer has used. One will have a green check mark next to it, indicating that it has been selected as the default printer. Make sure the green check is next to the printer you want your computer to look for when you print. If it isn’t, mouse over the picture of the printer you want to set as default. Right click, and choose “Set as default printer.” That should solve your first problem of sending your print jobs to the correct printer.
To remove your old printer from the list of available printers, find the picture of that printer. Click on it to highlight it. Across the very top of the box, there will be a menu choice “Remove Device.” Click that, and the old printer will go away. You may need to restart your computer for all this to take effect.
I hope this helps!
Until next time.. Happy Computing!
PC Doctor
Posted: to Athol Library News on Thu, Dec 4, 2014
Updated: Thu, Dec 4, 2014
