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Author Topic: My Deskjet 712C won't print using parallel to USB cable.  (Read 6322 times)

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Harryh

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My Deskjet 712C won't print using parallel to USB cable.
« on: January 13, 2011, 02:45:21 PM »
GA-890GPA-UD3H motherboard - Win 7 Home Premium 64-bit

I have a Trendnet TU-P1284 parallel to USB bidirectional cable to connect my old HP 712C printer to my new computer. It doesn't work.

Some people using Vista say they changed from 64 bit back to 32 bit. Some say that some cables might work while others might not. Some talk about handshaking.

When I plugged in the printer, Windows installed drivers for the HP 710C, which is the base model for the 712 I guess. Windows troubleshooter said that the spooler wasn't working, but fixed it, and can't find any other problem. The 712C is recognized as my default printer.

I hope to keep my old printer. I even have extra ink for it, that's a real big plus. Any ideas?

Harry

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Re: My Deskjet 712C won't print using parallel to USB cable.
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2011, 04:28:25 PM »
Yes.
Never let Windows automatically install drivers for any given device...
Travel to the manuf. site...DLoad the proper ones...remove the printer in Device Manager...re-boot and install the correct drivers.
" Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

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Re: My Deskjet 712C won't print using parallel to USB cable.
« Reply #2 on: January 13, 2011, 04:32:00 PM »
The Trendnet TU-P1284 might need drivers, too.  I had the same type of problem with a parallel to USB bidirectional cable & an HP printer.  Never got it to work reliably.  An HP DirectJet parallel to ethernet converter works flawlessly.

Harryh

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Re: My Deskjet 712C won't print using parallel to USB cable.
« Reply #3 on: January 13, 2011, 05:04:24 PM »
HP does not have a Win 7 driver for the 712C, but it does have one for Vista 64-bit. It does have a Win 7 64-bit driver for the 710C. The driver for the 710C is the one I have always had. HP says it does not have a downloadable driver, and to connect the device and let Windows install the driver. That is basically what happened when I connected the printer. I assume it downloaded the right driver. It did say it installed a driver for the 710C, but it did not say 32-bit or 64-bit.

There is a driver from Trendnet for the TU-P1284, but it is for Win 98 & ME. I'll wait here a little while for a response, then I will make a restore point, and download the TU-P1284 ME driver, and see what happens.

Thanks
Harry

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Re: My Deskjet 712C won't print using parallel to USB cable.
« Reply #4 on: January 13, 2011, 05:17:03 PM »
...There is a driver from Trendnet for the TU-P1284, but it is for Win 98 & ME. I'll wait here a little while for a response, then I will make a restore point, and download the TU-P1284 ME driver, and see what happens...
It's not clear, but are you using Win7-64 or Win7-32?
WinME drive won't work.  See if the Trendnet shows in the Device Manager.

I see that there are no Vista or Win7 drivers for the HP 71x series.
Given the new OS & the old hardware, nothing might work.
The converter cable just complicates matters.

Harryh

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Re: My Deskjet 712C won't print using parallel to USB cable.
« Reply #5 on: January 13, 2011, 05:29:40 PM »
I have Win 7 64-bit.

I see nothing in Device Manager about Trendnet but there is 'USB Printing Support' under USB Serial Bus Controllers.

Maybe this just won't work.

Is it likely to mess up my computer if I download the ME driver?

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Re: My Deskjet 712C won't print using parallel to USB cable.
« Reply #6 on: January 13, 2011, 06:09:16 PM »
I have Win 7 64-bit.

I see nothing in Device Manager about Trendnet but there is 'USB Printing Support' under USB Serial Bus Controllers.

Maybe this just won't work.

Is it likely to mess up my computer if I download the ME driver?
It would likely say 1284 USB driver or something like that, it won't say Trendnet.

WinME driver might work for XP or 98, but not Vista or 7, especially 64-bit.  64-bit drivers are entirely different from 32-bit drivers.

You need to see a driver for the cable and the printer for it to function.

Harryh

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Re: My Deskjet 712C won't print using parallel to USB cable.
« Reply #7 on: January 13, 2011, 06:51:31 PM »
Thanks C_C

I didn't see anything in Device Manger that looked like it might apply to the cable. I downloaded the ME driver, installed it, and it did not work. I uninstalled it.

The only things I've found on the internet about getting the 712C to work with the USB cable, were people using Vista64, who decided to go back to Vista32. I don't want to go back to 32-bit. Besides, my disc only has Win7-64 on it. It might be the cable itself. Some people say different cables work with different printers.

I'll have to decide if I want to get an expansion card with parallel connection or a new printer. But, if anyone has any brain storms, let me know.

I only have one ethernet port on my PC, and my modem is plugged into that.

Thanks for the help folks,
Harry