Deskjet 610C and win2K

[Mickwish]

Ok. I got a HP Deskjet 610C printer on my LAN, shared from an NT4server box. Since it's got drivers built in for win2k and winXP, been sharing it and using it no worries. Until now.

Loaded a laptop on wireless with win2k, then loaded SP3 and office 2k, including MS Publisher 2k. Everything runs perfectly, no worries. Until I want to install the printer.

It finds the share OK (permissions are fine), connects, and starts to load. Because it's on NT4 I can't connect directly as a network printer, as there are no drivers for win2k. But that's easily fixed - install as a local port and it'll load it's own drivers. Works fine on other win2k and winxp installs I have done on the same LAN.

So it goes through the install wizard fine, until it gets to the finish. Then it asked for driver files. Huh? Doesn't do this normally, you just select from the list of printers and it loads them. On this, it doesn't have a list of printers, only HP 601C. Might be a SP3 change, not sure. Anyhow, I point it to winnt\system32, and it starts copying files. Ok. Then it stops right at the end of copying and says it can't find HPFecp20.sys. What? No such file in a win2k install I've ever seen. Can't find it on a net search or in my other win2k/XP installs that have the printer working with them. Tried completing the install by clicking ignore, but it then won't install the printer.

Any clues?

My next step is a complete fresh install of win2k, and see if that helps. Maybe SP3 or Office stuffed up something. Is there any special file for wireless shared printer install?

Sorry for the length of this, hope it's not TMI.

Cheers
Mick

[John Prophet]

ecp looks like something to do with the parallel port

ecp
epp

etc

[John Prophet]

quote------> On this, it doesn't have a list of printers, only HP 601C. Might be a SP3 change, not sure. Anyhow, I point it to winnt\system32, and it starts copying files. Ok.


You are trying to use 601c driver??

JP

[Mickwish]

Well, it is a parallel port printer, but not attached to the laptop by parallel. And why would it ask for it in this install and not other win2k installs on the wired LAN?

Me confused...

Cheers
Mick

[Mickwish]

Yes. It is definietly copying the 610C driver files (I can see them being copied to winnt\system32\spool\... ) - it just wants this one as well.

There is a HPFecp20.dll file around the place that google finds, but not a .sys one.

Cheers
Mick

[John Prophet]

NT4 got all the service packs??

(Ive never set up a shared printer or worked with NT4 at ALL, lol...so Im just sorta throwing out generalities, lol)

[Mickwish]

Yep, all SP's on NT4 up to 6a I think.

Beside the wireless, which I'm not sure about with sharing printers, the only other diff between this install and the others I set the printer up on is the SP3 and Office2k installs on it.

Looks like a fresh install of win2k, set up wireless again, and try then. If it still don't work it's a wireless issue.

Thanks for the thoughts, JP.

Cheers
Mick

[John Prophet]

What if you install the printer DIRECTLY (physically) to the laptop. And then try the networked approach?

JP

[Mickwish]

Hmmm, might give that a go. Can't see how it could work, though, as the file it wants doesn't exist, AFAICS. But worth a shot before having to reinstall everything. Just got it tweaked nice, too.

Thanks JP.

Cheers
Mick

[Mickwish]

Well waddaya know!

I loaded it as a local printer by parallel port with printer attached, and it detected and loaded the drivers correctly! Then was able to load it as a local printer via the network port over wireless no problems!

Thanks JP!

Cheers
Mick