# WinXP Canon MP530 driver problem



## ghostman (Mar 28, 2007)

I recently bought the supposedly excellent Canon MP530 multi-function printer,etc. and went to install it on my WinXP pro machine and . . . nothing. I've spent some time with Canon tech support (some helpful, some not so helpful) but I still can't get the freakin' things to communicate with each other. The consistent result of my installations is "no driver is installed" or "cannot find driver" - even though the driver itself seems to install. Also, when I turn the printer on, I get the New Hardware Wizard, which, I think, means my computer is detecting the printer. It's as if the driver is just not recognized by my computer.
I've installed (and uninstalled) the drivers from both the disc that came with the printer and from the Canon website. I've used two different USB cables. I've tried many combinations of plugging/unplugging, starting/restarting, turning on/off - all to no avail.
I've logged on as the Administrator. I've done my best to shut down any programs or processes- though I think this is tricky, as I don't necessarily know what each thing in my Startup or Services is. I've even tried installing from SafeMode. I've tried using the New Hardware Wizard; I've tried ignoring the New Hardware Wizard. I've received a few error messages, but only when attempting the full installation from the disc. The messages are: "AddPrinterDriverEx Error:2", "AddPrinter Error:1797" and "AddPrinter Error:1722" and only occur during the part of the installation that concerns "Presto Page Manager", software that comes with the printer, so I don't know if that has anything to do with my problem.
I do have two hard drives, and Canon had me copy my "INF" file to both drives, but that didn't do anything. I didn't entirely understand what they meant, however, so maybe I did that wrong. The guy didn't seem to think it would work anyway.
I don't know what else to try, but I really need to use my printer. I'll call Canon back at some point, but I'd be willing to bet large sums of money that eventually they'll just say "Uh, it's your system. Good luck." Maybe it is my system, but I still need to print stuff.
Help.


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## lefty1953 (Feb 19, 2007)

First uninstall the drivers. THen shut down the PC. Hook up the printer to the USB port and boot the PC. Do not turn on the printer until the software tells you to. Install the software and then it should tell you to turn on the printer. Once you do it will install some more. 

This is my experience with all printers I have installed. May or may not work with the Canon.
I can never have the printer turned on and have it work. Didn't the printer come with an installation pamphlet?


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## ghostman (Mar 28, 2007)

Wow- thanks for the quick reply.
Yes, you have described exactly what I tried the first 8 or 9 times I tried to set up the printer. I followed the set up brochure exactly, doing what you suggest. It just didn't work.
And I have scoured the internet looking for other people who may have had the same problem with this printer on XP and have found nothing, making me thinking it is not some general compatibility issue.


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## lefty1953 (Feb 19, 2007)

Have you tried to install it from Safe Mode? Or as administrator?


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## ghostman (Mar 28, 2007)

Yes, I've tried both those things. As I mentioned in my initial cry for help, I think (and this is not a well-informed opinion, or I wouldn't be here) it has something to do with my computer not recognizing Canon's driver for this printer. But I have no idea how or why that would happen.
Thanks for your help, by the way.
I'll try anything short of a sledgehammer.


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## lefty1953 (Feb 19, 2007)

It is I would guess a USB printer. So have you tried another USB cable? Is the one you have new? And is it tight?


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## ghostman (Mar 28, 2007)

Yep. As in my first request, I've used two different USB cables, different brands even. Also, usually when I turn the printer on I get the New Hardware Wizard "Found New Hardware" message, which I guess means that my computer is detecting something plugged into the port.


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## ghostman (Mar 28, 2007)

So I spent some more "quality-time" with Canon tech support - and went so far as to dip into RegEdit (about which the only thing I know is that it is a dark, evil place to be avoided at all costs), but with no luck. 
The conclusion the frustrated-but-well-meaning Tech Dude reached was that because I have two hard drives and because Windows (apparently) is on my E drive, this is confusing the installation/driver. The only solution, then, would be to consult whoever put XP on my computer in this fashion (uh . . . that would be me) and get it reinstalled properly- i.e. on my C drive. Apparently every installation looks for what it needs (the INF file?) on the C drive, even if I tell it not to.
So I'm going to reinstall XP. Yes, I bought it. Yes, I have the disc and all the rest.
I screwed this up once, though, so I'm a little scared. I have an external hard drive (F) that I am transferring files to (about 70gigs of video files from a movie I'm editing took about 20 hours to copy from E to F - that's not normal is it?) but I don't know if I need to transfer things like Internet Explorer or Quicktime. 
Also, I don't know how many times I can install XP with the same authentication code or key- whatever it's called. I've heard that you can only do it so many times.
Am I doing the right thing?? Is this going to completely wipe C and E?
I am NOT having a good time.


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## Rich-M (May 3, 2006)

When you reinstall unplug second hard drive until you have XP installed, so that main drive will become C drive.
I really do not see what difference the drive would make on install. I think the printer is defective or there is a problem with usb ports. Are there any yellow "?" in Device Manager
"Run, devmgmt.msc " OK


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## ghostman (Mar 28, 2007)

There are yellow "?" in Device Manager only after I plug in and turn on the new printer. And it lists under "Unknown Device" but correctly identifies the printer as "MP530" (a Canon) with another yellow "?" and a little "!".
You mean unplug my E drive? I have to take the thing apart then.
I've tried all six USB ports on my computer - could they all be bad? My Ipod doesn't have any trouble - actually, I also plug in my external hard drive (F) that way, and it seems okay. Though it's a bit slow. For instance, I can't run an AVI file smoothly off that drive. Of course, it's a six-foot cable - maybe that's why. I digress.


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## Rich-M (May 3, 2006)

Yes take cover off and pull one plug from E drive or XP will put the new OS on "E" again.
Are the "?" in USB controllers? Have you done all Windows Updates? When you click open Usb controllers does one say "enhanced usb 2.0 or "enhanced usb controller"?
I wonder if usb 2.0 is enabled in bios?


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## Wasper (Jul 7, 2005)

I agree with Rich-M , I dont think it matters what drive letter windows is on, for instance, I just got done building a machine with sata HD, sata DVD, floppy, and a flash card reader.

since the flash card reader has 4 different ports, my HD ended up being labled H:\

I have not had any problem installing software or drivers yet (knock-on-wood)


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## ghostman (Mar 28, 2007)

Rich-M said:


> Yes take cover off and pull one plug from E drive or XP will put the new OS on "E" again.
> Are the "?" in USB controllers? Have you done all Windows Updates? When you click open Usb controllers does one say "enhanced usb 2.0 or "enhanced usb controller"?
> I wonder if usb 2.0 is enabled in bios?


Actually, no- the "?" is on a new list item called "Unknown device" - none of the USB ports listed are affected AND none of the USB entries says "enhanced. . . "
I think I've done all the Windows Updates. Does that require anything but clicking on the Windows Update tab in the start menu?
How would I check if USB 2.0 is enabled in BIOS? 
In fact, when I plug my Ipod and/or my external drive (F) into USB ports, they do show up on that USB list. I guess the printer should to, yes? 
Also, when I plug anything into USB I get the message "this device can perform faster if you connect it to a Hi-speed USB 2.0 . . . For a list click here." And when I click on it, it just lists USB ports. 
(by the way, thanks for helping out - and if you can save me from reinstalling XP, so much the better)


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## ghostman (Mar 28, 2007)

Alright, any last suggestions before I dip my system in shrimp cocktail and feed it to a Baleen whale?
To reiterate: No matter what permutation of driver installation and printer connection I try (see above), my computer says "cannot find software for this device" or something similiar.
I've held off reinstalling XP, hoping for another solution.
. . . last chance . . .


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## victor66 (Apr 6, 2007)

Ghostman:

I have a home office -- After reading several reviews and getting the MP530 for an excellent price -- I cannot get the thing to communicate with either my work laptop (could be a permission issue) or my home pc! It gets hung on the "communicating with printer" screen. I have uninstalled and reinstalled several times with no luck. As it is Easter, I'll have to wait for the work week to start to look for help -- did you have any luck?


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## victor66 (Apr 6, 2007)

It is now working on both PCs. Turns out it was a faulty USB cable -- just tried a new one I had and presto -- installed and working.


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## ghostman (Mar 28, 2007)

Man, I'm really jealous. I've already tried using a different cable and it didn't work for me.
Have fun with your new printer. nash nash


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## victor66 (Apr 6, 2007)

Ghostman:

Sorry! About your situation -- it does not sound like you have USB 2.0 on your PC -- thus the messages. I know that several of the posts I found warned me about two things: using a USB Hub and the second hard drive concern. You certainly should not have to reinstall XP for this. Here is what I would do:

1. Make sure there is no sign of the attempted install of the drivers. Might have to remove registry items.
2. All USB 2.0 devices are "supposed" to be backwards compatible -- I think this might be your problem. I would get a USB 2.0 PCI card http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_...2.0+card&topcat_id=&page_id=405&Search=Search
3. Download the latest driver from canon and make sure they install to your C drive.
4. DO NOT CONNECT THE PRINTER when told to by the installation program.
5. Shut down PC. Restart, then plug in and turn on printer and let XP find the drivers.

Hope this works -- this is what I would do before reinstalling windows just to experience the same problem.


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## ghostman (Mar 28, 2007)

Thanks to everyone who tried to help me out with this. If anyone is interested, here is how I finally sorted it out : I CHUCKED THE ENTIRE MACHINE OUT A FOURTH STORY WINDOW ! !
No, not really. I had to reinstall WinXP. Somehow, when the last moron installed it (that would be me) it ended up on my E drive (I have two) instead of my C drive. And, as someone once said, machines are dumb - no matter how hard I tried to force it to look in a specific location for the driver, it refused - ergo, the need to completely redo my system. I find it hard to understand why that would be such a problem, but maybe it's really something else and the reinstall inadvertently straightened it out.
Anyway I'm back in business - thanks again.


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## POS Tech (May 14, 2007)

Hi ghostman, just found your problem and wanted you to know you are not alone. I have the same problem with a ibm m50 server with two hard drives using a canon usb printer. I can put it on any other computer in the same network with no problem. I also have a different spin on this as well. I cannot add a epson tmt88II parallel pos printer using a parallel to usb adaptor. I detects both devices when I plug them in, but like yours it cannot connect to the canon printer and the epson I can load the drivers, but cannot find the usb adaptor in available printer ports. I have two other usb adaptors on other machines with tmt88 printers working just fine. I found looking on the internet about a possible missing file called printui.dll in the windows system32 directory that can somehow get deleted. this is my customers site and I'm headed there today to try replacing that file. I don't want to reload the server cause it's such a pain to backup the restaurant software and restore everything before they get busy.


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## kristindewey (May 15, 2007)

Ghostman and anyone else who can help:

I too installed Windows XP onto my IBM Aptiva E series computer (with Athlon processor), and shortly thereafter my computer wouldn't boot past the first screen when I turned it on. Then I took off the tower cover and blew out the dust with air and tightened some screws (I've had this computer for a little over 8 years now) and yes I did make sure to touch metal before touching the screws in the computer. I put the tower back on and everything would work fine for a couple of weeks. I even installed the Cannon Pixma printer you mentioned and had no problems. I had a multi-hub contraption I plugged into the USB port in the back to give me more ports for mouse,keyboard etc, since I only have 2out of 3 hubs that work.Everything was fine... Until the other day....  My daughter had installed a CD game onto the computer, and was playing the game. All of a sudden the mouse wouldn't work, and then the screen froze. I tried everything and nothing worked, and I had to shut down the computer the "wrong way"(Hard shut down or whatever it is called). Now the computer will not progress past the first screen and it will not make any of those sounds it makes when it is starting up the hard drive (same problem first time around). I've tried unplugging everything and plugging it back in, and nothing. It still won't go past the IBM APTIVA screen (where this is written in blue and white letters). Any help???? PLEASE!!!!


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## kristindewey (May 15, 2007)

OK-So I went called IBM support last night and the guy was really nice, somewhat helpful, but he told me that they no longer support Aptiva E 572 series since it's so old (it's only 8yrs--come one!!)  . The guy did help me anyway and said it's not my USB ports but possibly that because Windows XP is not compatible with my IBM system that it is probably causing it to not continue and start up drivers. I'm still not quite buying that one since I told him that I checked ALL system requirements before even buying Windows XP.

ANY THOUGHTS OR HELP WOULD BE GREAT!!!! I'm ready to chuck this out to the pasture(I live on a farm) !!

--Kristin


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## Biojoe (May 23, 2007)

I'm having the same issue. The USB 2.0 card won't fully recognize my Canon MP830 printer. I posted a thread on here. Please check it out and help. You can search it by Biojoe or canon.


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