Device Manager lists 7 Unknown devices all with Yellow !

[hugh37]

I have a Dell Inspiron 1525 with a Epson NX430 printer USB connected. I'm
exhausted trying to print...keep getting "error" in Printer folder. Under Other
Devices in Device Manager folder are listed seven (7) instances of Unknown
device, all with a Yellow !. Each is Enabled and under Properties is shown,
"drivers for device not installed (Code 28)". I'm not successful in locating
the needed drivers and am at a total loss as to how to resolve this dilemma.
Help would be greatly appreciated! My OS is Windows Vista 32-bit.

[ninjaken]

Go to Dell website to get your laptop analysed for any missing or out of date drivers http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/...n-1525/drivers

Printer - Try this, with the printer usb cable disconnected , go to 'devices and printers' right click on your printer and select 'remove device' re-connect the printer and test print a locally stored document.

[hugh37]

Many thanks, ninjakin. I closely followed your idea with no positive results.
Question: you stated to go to my printer folder, click on my printer, then
select "remove device". When I remove the device, I'm deleting my printer
and not able to print without adding back the printer. I did add my printer
back and was not able to print...got an "error" message in my printer folder.
Looking into the Device folder again I find the same original problem: seven
(7) unknown devices all with the yellow! Nowhere in the Device folder is
my printer (Epson NX430 series) listed. Additionally, in the Printer folder,
I click on Properties, then Ports, and see my printer shown as "USB Virtual
printer port for Epson NX430 series". Is that the correct port? I'd be
greatful for further advice/help, if you will. Thanks!

[ninjaken]

To answer your two questions, yes, the port should be usb virtual printer port and no, the printer will not appear in the Device Manager.

For the time being ignore the yellow exclamations in the device manager and let us concentrate on the printer error.

I assume that the printer was working correctly when connected to your laptop before the error (please tell me if this is not the case). If so, I suspect that the error may be in the print queue, in you printer folder double click on your printer to open the print queue box and in the 'printer' dropdown menu select 'cancel all documents'. If the error is in the document queue the printer status should return to 'Ready' when the queue list is cleared from the box.

[hugh37]

Again, ninjaken, Thanks! On rare occasions my Printer HAS appeared in the
Device Manager folder. Before the "errors" occurred when attempting to
print, my Printer was working properly. Each time the "error" has shown up,
which has been numerous times...whenever I've tried to print...I've gone to
the Printer folder (file?), cancelled the document(s), and the Printer returns to "Ready", only to repeat the same the next time I attempt to print. It
might mean something to say that when the printer was working, it would
not work in all the ports...only one. Crazy? I'm not knowledgeable to know
why there are seven (7) listed "unknown devices", all with the yellow!, and in
their properties, shown as "drivers are not installed (Code 28)". Seems to me
the problem points to the USB ports not "reading" my printer. No? You feel
the problem lies within the Printer settings/configurations and not with my
Dell laptop...or perhaps, both? Many thanks for your continued help!

[ninjaken]

Hi hugh37

From the info in your last post, I think we should look at the laptop.

Check that the cooling system is clear of dust and fluff. Check that the processor and chipsets are operating within their specified temperature range.

Re-install the chipset driver - download the latest from Dell.

Can give more info on what you have tried and observed so far?

[hugh37]

I'm back, ninjaken. Did all you suggested...cooling system o.k. and all w/in
proper temp range. I re-installed the latest chipset driver from Dell...made no
difference. Regarding the seven (7) unknown devices listed with a yellow !,
I've tried disabling and uninstalling each at different times, again with no
luck. At present I note that four (4) of the seven have a ? mark, rather than
the yellow !. Still, I'm not able to print...get the same "error" in the Printer
folder. I recall that quite some time ago I had a similar problem and someone
on one of the forums suggested that I go to a particular Windows Update and
delete it...it had a KB prefix, as I recall. That seemed to resolve my problem.
Does that mean anything to you?

[ninjaken]

Hi hugh37

I'm not aware of a KB that might cause the issues, but I certainly would not rule out the possibilty!

We have eliminated the possibilty that the print error is caused by a document error, but not that the printer and usb printer cable have a fault. Test the printer on a different computer if you can.

The laptop clearly has device driver issues, which may or may not be the cause the print problem.

So next I would error check your hard drive, then download and install all drivers for your laptop.

[Murf]

1. In device manager highlight each entry that has a yellow mark, right click and uninstall - Do not reboot

2.Start>Control Panel>Hardware & Sound>Printers

There should be a check mark on your default printer. Right click and go to Properties

Check which driver is installed and make note of it.

Now uninstall the printer

Unplug the USB cable from the printer to the computer.

Download the printer driver here: v6.92
http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/s...OSF_W_VISTA-32

Double click the downloaded file to run it. This should install the driver.

Now plug in the printer and Vista should find it. If it does you should end up with the printer showing up in control Panel with a check mark.

Print a test page, if it works, then reboot.

[hugh37]

ninjaken and murf...many thanks. I'm spending hours on this problem. Did all
you both suggested, and still no printing. I have another printer in my RV, but
no ready access to another computer. Will try tomorrow with my other printer and report results. Thanks to both!