After SP1 Install,Vista No longer Recognizes HP LaserJet III thru USB Connection

[veritasffg]

20 years ago, I bought a LaserJet III printer, which has always been my primary and most reliable printer.  A year ago, I bought a new PC, which has no parallel port, so I got one of those USB to parallel converters.  It worked just fine until a few weeks ago when I installed SP1 for Vista.  Now, the connection is seen and responded to, but I get a message that one of the USB devices is not functioning correctly, and it is unrecognized.  Long story short, I've tried everything (the printer still works when connected directly to a parallel port on older computers), including reinstalling all USB drivers, trying to run scf /scannow, etc.  I even contacted the experts at Windows, who say the only remedy is to invoke the dreaded Restore disks process.  Before and if I do that - any suggestions from the wise readers of this forum?  By the way - insofar as I can tell, I have zero other issues associated with SP1 (or any other update).  My other USB devices continue to work as usual. 

Now I know that I should go buy another USB to parallel adapter, just to confirm the current adapter is okay - but I haven't done so yet.  It's tough to believe that a device with no moving parts, plugged in once and never moved until this issue arose, just decided to give it up when SP1 came along.  But I'll do that also before I use the restore disks.

[drmsucks]

See if this does anything for you.

Good luck!

http://www.webtlk.com/2008/05/05/usb-stops-working-after-installing-windows-vista-sp1/

[veritasffg]

drmsucks:  Thanks for the tip - but no such luck.  The device manager reported that the best driver was already installed.  I uninstalled, and reinstalled, but Windows still does not recognize my printer.

Thanks again for your trouble.

[drmsucks]

This?

 http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Description=parallel+card

[EntityX]

I have a Lexmark X75 printer that is not Vista compatible so no matter what I try in Vista it's not going to work. But I'm in the process of setting up my computer for dual boot. I'll have XP and Vista on one computer. From XP I'll be able to use my Lexmark printer that I have a whole lot of ink for. Not cartridges but ink to put in the cartridges. You can save a lot of money that way.

If you partition your hard drive and there's enough free space you could run 2 operating systems and from one of them sucessfully use your HP printer.

[ChrisXPPro]

Not strictly on topic but - my new HP work station came with Vista - and I started trying to live with it, which included moving my email client (Agent) and it's 4.5 Gb database on to it.  Thought I'd survive Vista until thought - ''better apply SP1" - bad!  Agent would no longer save or read database properly - thus making it useless.  I downgraded to (back to) XP pro - my previous norm.

I mention this only because I seem to hear more and more tales of Vista probs and more so since SP1 .... including printer woes such as yours.  I agree tho - dual boot may be your only recourse.

[drmsucks]

The problem with dual boot, of course, is that you can't print from the Vista side.

[veritasffg]

I very much appreciate the information and interest shown in the above postings.  One significant problem with the dual boot solution is pointed out by drmsucks.  Actually, I have a workaround which has dealt rather effectively with the printing problem - I connected the printer to the parallel port of an XP machine,  which like my Vista machine, is connected to a LAN and is therefore accessible from any LAN connected computer.  But this just begs the question - what caused Vista to cease recognition of the printer thru the USB to parallel adapter?  Also, if, as one thread above points to, Microsoft is aware of this problem, why won't they make some sort of announcement relative to the issue, and develop corrective measures?

[drmsucks]

Also, if, as one thread above points to, Microsoft is aware of this problem, why won't they make some sort of announcement relative to the issue, and develop corrective measures?

What? Full disclosure and honesty from MS?

[EntityX]

What if you try system restore and return your computer to its state before the SP1 update. You could then selectively install the updates one at a time and test your printer after each one and in that way discover which particular update created the problem. There might be more than one update that creates the problem. You could discover which update or updates create a problem and install all other updates but those. SP1 is composed of individual updates that you can individually choose to install or not install if I'm not mistaken.

[SuperDave]

You could go to Control panel, Programs and features, click view installed up-dates and start uninstalling the updates one by one until you get the printer to start working again.