My COMPUTER has lost partial contact with the printer. It's lost the ability to print in black, or to scan documents. (It still prints in color). The computer (Win XP) does not find the printer if I ask for a report on the status of my ink cartridge ('cannot establish two-way communication with the device' is the error message).
I have deleted Printers i n Control Panel, deleted/reinstalled software, changed USB cable. I believe a whole new printer would not solve the problem.
I have recently started using usb memory sticks that causes a Safely Remove Hardware icon to appear. I NOTICE now that if I turn the printer On, the icon appears and allows me to "Close" the device. If Windows is treating my printer now like a memory stick, a one-way street, then that would explain the error message about 2-way communication. How do I tell Windows that my printer is a printer?
CarrollDid you change the Blk cartiage? Are you tring a diffenrt USB port each time? No, A printer is not a storage device. The fact that it comes up cause its a usb. I recommend tring a differnt port.USB printers should NOT be hooked up when installing the software. It will tell you when to plug it in.
If you remove the device and then use Add/Remove programs to un-install the software then start over does it produce the same RESULTS ? ?I redid the installation to be sure, and it made no difference. Maybe the printer is broken somehow, which is a shame as it is low mileage and has a scanner.
But I still have hope that Windows is confused somehow. I honestly don't remember ever seeing the Safe to Remove icon for my printer before, and it is not on the computer at work (virtually the same printer). This problem started after using those storage devices and now Windows treats the printer with the same protocols as for a memory stick.
Any more thoughts?Did you try another port? Does this print/scanner have a parrelle port? Big connector on the back or back side.I sure did change ports. and its a usb alright. The cartridge I won't replace as long as my computer can't even read the level of the CURRENT cartridge -- at least not at $3,500/gallon for ink. I'm going to drag it to the office to see which end of the dog is wagging which.
Thanks for the help.Not a bad idea...running it on another machine will narrow down quite a few possibilites.Quote from: patio on March 05, 2008, 05:48:57 PM

Not a bad idea...running it on another machine will narrow down quite a few possibilites.