HP Deskjet 450 Switching Ports

[skatoolaki]

Our agency uses the HP Deskjet 450 for our field inspectors. We install the printers with the default port to LPT1, but somehow in the course of use, the port will inadvertently switch back to DOT_4 (USB). We then have to delete the current printer and re-install the driver directing it to the correct port (changing the port in Properties does not work).

My question is, does anyone know what is causing the switch? I would just like to be able to tell my inspectors what "not" to do so this problem doesn't crop up - it takes a lot of their and my time for something that might be preventative.

Thanks in advance!

[Torinir]

Not positive... let me put it to some of my co-workers here... maybe we can come up with a workaround for you.

[skatoolaki]

Thank you so much. That would be great. Just last week I found out we have one guy that it happens to *every time* he prints. It just switches to the other port after the first print job. I appreciate your help!

[Cardflopper]

i read your post this afternoon, and i had the exact same problem a few moments ago on my win 2000 machine...talking about a coincidence!

If i find something useable i'll let you know...

[Torinir]

Quick question: Parallel or USB connections?

If it's USB, that'll explain the swap from LPT1 to the DOT4 port.

If it's parallel, then we've got a small problem, where the DOT4 port is trying to commandeer the printer and may require a full scrub out to get a bad registry entry out.

Most HP software packages have a less-than-visible uninstaller on the disk itself. I don't have a folder list available for each disk, but *usually* the file is named one of the following:

HPOSCR01.EXE
SETUP.MSI (The one in the setup folder on the disk will uninstall previous software if it's found)
UNINSTALL.BAT
FORC_UNI.BAT
CLEANALL.BAT

You'll probably need to search for it, though here's a list of common folder locations for the (better) HP uninstaller:

x:\UTIL\CCC
x:\SETUP
x:\UTIL\CCC\CLEANUP
x:\UNINSTALL

[skatoolaki]

We have them using the parallel ports as we were having other problems with the USB.

I'll have him get his laptop in here & see if we can't clean up that out of there! Thank you - and I'll let you know how it goes.

[Torinir]

NP, the DOT4 port is usually created by HP's printing software when it's installed. The DOT4 port is only a virtual port that is redirected to the USB port. This has been seen with Officejet G series once in a while as well, since it supports both parallel and USB connections.

You MIGHT see this if there have been USB printer connections in the past on that system.

[Daibhaid]

I could seriously use a copy of FORC_UNI.BAT is anyone could email me directly with this file. I'm trying to uninstall an Officejet K60 with some serious headaches on my part.

Daibhi+