I have two printers, a fast one and aslow one for back up.  I keep setting the fast one as the default printer, but each time i boot, the slow one becomes the default printer.  I am running Windows XP, home ed.  I set the default trough the "printers and faxes" window of the control panel, yet the problem persists.  What am I missing here?   Anybody know??  tks  JimUninstall the slow one...since it is an emergency backup only install it in an emergency...

patio.  8-)I guess you are right, I will do that.    I was hoping that maybe I was overlooking something obvious.  GETTING sort of long in the tooth and forgetful.  Thanks for your help,  JimWell, that seems like a bit of a nuisance to uninstall it and then just temporarily install it if you need it.  Before accepting that as the solution, I think I would visit the printer manufacturer's website and see whether they have a newer driver for that printer than the one you have and, if so, download it and install it and see whether this solves the problem.  

I believe allowing printers to sit for months without being used is not a good thing. If you uninstall the slower printer and don't use it for months, you may find that it won't work right the next time you try using it.SOYBEAN,  Yeah, I agree with you.  I am on the road much  of the year in a motorhome, and I use the slow printer because of it's small size.  When I am on the road, I  take the cartridges out of the faster one and keep them with me and cool and moist.  When I am home I occasionally use the slower one just to keep it active.
I use HP printers because they give me the best performance under these conditions.  I have had bad luck with Lexmark and Canon, altho Canon was the better of the two.
 To address the current problem, I did go into the device manager ands deactive the slow printer.  Lets see if that works.  That way I don't have to uninstall it.
Thanks for the comeback,  JImHmmm, how do you disable a printer via Device Manager.  It does not show "Printers".  At least, mine does not.  It shows the ports (USB or LPT1) that printers connect to, but it does not show printers.  Is that what you meant?  You disabled the LPT1 port or the USB port for a printer?  

HEY!  That's one on me.  You are right.   I went to "Imaging devices" and confused one of my scanners for the small printer, as they have close model numbers.  Thanks for calling me on that.  That would have given me fits later.   I could disable the USB port that handles that prin ter, but I don't know which port it is.  I suppose I could experiment.  OH well, Thanks again,  Jim


hmmm, maybe i could use the LPT1 port,Yes, I see that a printer connected to a Parallell port (LPT1) via Device Manager can be disabled by disabling the LPT1 port in Device Manager.  I, too, have two printers connected to my computer, one via USB and one via Parallell port (LPT1).  I just opened Device Manager, expanded the Ports (COM & LPT) to display the detail lines under it, selected "Printer Port (LPT1)", right CLICKED on it and selected Disable.  I then ATTEMPTED to print with that printer.  It would not print; I got a message in the Notification Area saying the device was disabled or something to that effect.

Similarly, under Universal Serial Bus controllers, in Device Manager, I see an item named "USB Printing Support".  I can disable it the same as the LPT1 port.  And, again, the printer will not print until I enable that USB item.  The only difference was that, in the USB case, no message appeared in the Notification Area; it simply did not print.To All.  Thanks guys, I finally found out what was causing the wrong printer to default every time i booted.  Simple ,   The program for the wrong printer was in the startup config list and the other was not.  I removed it and EUREKA, problem solved.   simple  simple simple,      I hope that I learned something.  Thanks again guys.  Thanks for leaving FEEDBACK and letting us know how it turned out.