Specified monitor unknown What the heck??

[taquecop]

Ok, I am unsure of my problem here so let me start off by stateing my system setup:
Gateway Computer, Microsoft Windows XP home edition service pack 2, and printer is a Lexmark 1100 series X1185.

Great now that thats out of the way, here is my problem. I installed this printer a long time ago ( approx,. 3 years). About 1.5 years ago, it quit printing due to some type of spooler error. I looked at the Lexmark website and found how to fix it inside the pooler software side and PROBLEM SOLVED.

Great, rocked on like that for a while and printer again quit working about 4 months ago. Don't believe this will be a spooler problem this time. The computer sais Cant communicate with printer and so I did the sudjested troubleshoot by uninstalling and restarting and attempting to reinstall. Yeah, You guessed it, I don't have the instilation CD anymore, does anyone hang on to those. I traveled to Lexmark.com and found and downloaded the current driver for the Lexmark X1185 printer and did all of their instructions. In fact, the only part that is confusing is missing from their instructions. At the end of using the add a printer wizard, an error message pops up and reads "Could not install printer, specified monitor unknown." What the heck is this. please help and feel free to call me a 4 year old if this is a 5 year old skill level problem.

Thank you in advance,     Taquecop

[street1 (RIP)]

Did you disconnect the printer while installing the new software?

These are the drivers you used correct?--->Here

[taquecop]

those are the drivers I used and no the cables never became disconectted. The Found new hardware bubble continued to pop up every time I entered the add printer wizard and began searching for hardware. every thing goes great until the end and a error message pops up saying  "Printer not installed         Specified monitor unkown"                                                        What monitor is this speaking of and how can I satisfy it in order to simply let me proceed with my printing ability.

[Aegis]

so I did the sudjested troubleshoot

What?   

I don't have the instilation CD anymore, does anyone hang on to those.

Yes, we do.  What if you can't get to the Internet to download a driver?

Are you supposed to install the software before you connect the printer?

[BC_Programmer]

Yes, we do.  What if you can't get to the Internet to download a driver?

Or even better, you need the driver for an ethernet card, and can't find the CD- unfortunately you need the NIC to connect to the net...

[taquecop]

ok I'm sorry, I think that I could be helpped out a lot if I were to know what the error message is talking about, and I will copy and paste in :

"Cannot install this hardware

There was a problem installing this hardware:

Lexmark X1100 series

An error occured during the instilation of the device

The specified print monitor is unknown"

If anyone could please let me know what this error is refering to or maybe just tell me how to rid the problem or even just bypass it, that would be great, oh and I went to microsoft download page and they had a way to bypass it, didn't work    thanks again.

[patio]

DLoad a fresh copy of the Drivers street1 linked to.
Open Control Panel/Add/Remove Hardware and un-install the printer.
Go to Add/Remove Programs and un-install any Lexmark software listed.
Power down and dis-connect the printer.
Re-boot and install the driver and it will prompt you for when to connect the printer.

[taquecop]

Ok Patio, normaly your always right, and I think you will be if you continue on this one, but I tried the whole delete and reboot deal, didn't work this time but thanks for your effort, I think we can get through this, Again appritiation in advance for all help issued.

[taquecop]

Ok Patio and everyone, I figured it out by searching online, and I want to share it with you because I have no idea why this has happened to me or even what this is. I was told by someone haveing the same problem with a diffrent printer to right click on my computer and click on "Manage", then to click on "Services and Applications", more items will drop at this point , then click on Services. At this point Look for a file named "LexBec Server", if the server is switched to "Disabled", then right click it and change it to "Automatic"...     PROBLEM SOLVED... Don't ask how or why, but problem solved,,,, thanks everyone!

[patio]

I have no idea why a service would be installed then set to disabled as a default...but glad to hear you are fixed up.

[Aegis]

Very nicely done, taq!  Thank you for posting your findings, and solution!

[ChrisXPPro]

Was following this with interest - glad to see a result and an interesting result too.

[street1 (RIP)]

Good research taquecop.