Dell 720 Printer Not Communicating

LeftyMom · 03-22-2006, 06:28 AM

I purchased a new laptop from Dell and it came with the 720 printer. All worked great. A couple of months later I purchased (from Dell) a photo printer for my Kodak camera. When I installed the photo printer the 720 only says "printer not communicating."

I have uninstalled both printers, reinstalled the photo printer first then the 720 but nothing seems to help.

I uninstalled both printers a second time and decided that I would just use the photo printer and print directly from the camera which means the 720 would be the ONLY printer for the laptop once again (like it was in the beginning) but still I get the same message "not communicating."

When I went to the Dell forums they recommended reinstalling XP but that seems pretty extream for a cheap free printer. Is it hopeless? Should I just toss it and get a new printer or is there any hope to getting this thing to work?

On a side note, my husband has a laptop with XP and already had 2-3 printers installed and we added the 720 and his works great...does it just not like my laptop?

Any help would be appreciated.

~~whodat~~ · 03-22-2006, 10:43 AM

welcome

enter your device manager
control panel>system>hardware>device manager
click the view tab and click "show hidden devices"

see if any yellow conflict alerts exist
uninstall them if they are present

install the printer driver/software while the printer is unplugged from the computer

try it again

LeftyMom · 03-27-2006, 10:13 AM

Thanks I will give it a try this evening. I have already uninstalled both printers and software (and they were not attached to the printer at the time.) So I will look into the device manager and see if something is conflicted.

gemadar · 07-21-2007, 07:43 AM

Hi I am a new chum here. I have the same problem with my Dell 720.
I cant get rid of the "not communicating with pc" message. The print request seems to be accepted then sits there while allegedly "printing" but nothing happens except the printer on/off green light flashes continuously and the the "not communicating" message comes up.
It suggest I unplug and replug and then uninstall and reinstall and I have done all that. Still no joy.
It's a mystery because it was working b4. I had the same problem a few months ago and somehow got it going again but cant remember what I did.
Any help wd b appreciated.
Graeme

03-22-2006, 06:28 AM	#1 (permalink)
LeftyMom Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2 OS: XP	Dell 720 Printer Not Communicating I purchased a new laptop from Dell and it came with the 720 printer. All worked great. A couple of months later I purchased (from Dell) a photo printer for my Kodak camera. When I installed the photo printer the 720 only says "printer not communicating." I have uninstalled both printers, reinstalled the photo printer first then the 720 but nothing seems to help. I uninstalled both printers a second time and decided that I would just use the photo printer and print directly from the camera which means the 720 would be the ONLY printer for the laptop once again (like it was in the beginning) but still I get the same message "not communicating." When I went to the Dell forums they recommended reinstalling XP but that seems pretty extream for a cheap free printer. Is it hopeless? Should I just toss it and get a new printer or is there any hope to getting this thing to work? On a side note, my husband has a laptop with XP and already had 2-3 printers installed and we added the 720 and his works great...does it just not like my laptop? Any help would be appreciated.

07-21-2007, 07:43 AM	#4 (permalink)
gemadar Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: perth australia Posts: 4 OS: xp	Re: Dell 720 Printer Not Communicating Hi I am a new chum here. I have the same problem with my Dell 720. I cant get rid of the "not communicating with pc" message. The print request seems to be accepted then sits there while allegedly "printing" but nothing happens except the printer on/off green light flashes continuously and the the "not communicating" message comes up. It suggest I unplug and replug and then uninstall and reinstall and I have done all that. Still no joy. It's a mystery because it was working b4. I had the same problem a few months ago and somehow got it going again but cant remember what I did. Any help wd b appreciated. Graeme

03-22-2006, 10:43 AM	#2 (permalink)
~~whodat~~ Register user Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 5,931 OS: XP	welcome enter your device manager control panel>system>hardware>device manager click the view tab and click "show hidden devices" see if any yellow conflict alerts exist uninstall them if they are present install the printer driver/software while the printer is unplugged from the computer try it again

03-27-2006, 10:13 AM	#3 (permalink)
LeftyMom Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2 OS: XP	Thanks I will give it a try this evening. I have already uninstalled both printers and software (and they were not attached to the printer at the time.) So I will look into the device manager and see if something is conflicted.