Printer cloning

[Ardbeg... innit]

OK geeks, heres one for you.

At Christmas, we got our daughter a combined Christmas present/going to grad school present, a new laptop. Specifically, we got her an HP Pavillion 9700 with Vista Home OS. The computer was well reviewed at the time, and she has found it to be very much to her liking... with one annoying exception.

She likes to use it around the apartment, living room, bedroom, dining room table, just like you would expect to use a laptop... HOWEVER, whenever she goes to print something off (she has an HP 1200 printer), she attaches the cable, the system ALWAYS sees the printer as new hardware and installs another copy of the printer. She currently has 3 copies of the printer listed, but thats only because she routinely culls out the duplicates. It will even require that she install a new printer if she has to print out separate documents in the same session (that is, install new printer, print document, install new printer, print document)

Any ideas as to what's going on?

[Tex]

I feel your pain. Our computer at home ( an old EMachines dog), keeps re-installing the same Windows update automatically. Something just isn't registering that it is aready installed.

[♥ COVID-19♥]

Is the printer connected via USB cable and if so, does she attach it to the exact same USB Port every time? When the driver is installed, is it Windows installing its own driver for it or is it a driver either downloaded from HP's Web site or installed from an HP-supplied CD?

[Ardbeg... innit]

I will find out about the port question specifically. But, as I pointed out, it will want to reinstall the printer when printing consecutive documents. I believe that Windows is installing its own driver, but I will check on that too.

[♥ COVID-19♥]

Without knowing the details, there are a couple of guesses I could make a stab at ...

If Windows is installing its own driver for the printer, it may not be one that's specific to that model printer (nor might it be the latest version). I would suggest first deleting all printers installed, then download the driver for that specific model directly from HP's Web site WHILE THE PRINTER IS PHYSICALLY CONNECTED.

The other thing I was thinking is that if the laptop has multiple USB ports and the printer is being connected via USB, then the system could be thinking it's a different device every time it's being connected or trying to print. When she does connect/disconnect the printer, it's sometimes important to use the USB System Tray Icon to tell it what/when you're connecting and when you're disconnecting -- otherwise Windows may get "confused".

[Ardbeg... innit]

Good idea. I will work with her on this.

[Chicago Jake]

Have her bring the computer home and you can wipe Vista off and install XP.

[Ardbeg... innit]

That thought has crossed my mind

[♥ COVID-19♥]

I wanted to say that, too, but thought you were still too traumatized after your last attempt.

[Ardbeg... innit]

I am still working off the posttraumatic stress disorder, I might try it if I can get proper medication beforehand

[Chicago Jake]

You gotta get right back on that horse.

[♥ COVID-19♥]

Or in his case, sheep.