Devices and Printers Dialog Box Empty

Anonymous
2009-10-30T22:04:54+00:00

When I open my "Devices and Printers" dialog box, it is empty; nothing shows up and the item listing says "0 items". 

The devices and printers showed up in the Devices and Printers dialog box earlier, but now are gone from the dialog box.  However, they are still in the system as everything seems to work.  The problem comes with trying to set the preferences for any of the devices or printers since they can't be seen or accessed. 

Anyone got any ideas of how to get the devices and printers to show up again?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Devices and drivers

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Anonymous
2010-03-07T06:22:04+00:00

Devices and printers will show one device when you have configured multiple printers for the same device.   There is a fly out menu to get to all the other printers on the device.    Use the spooler teams UI, printmanagement.msc to view all local printers on Pro and Ultimate.

The old printers folder can be launched if you are running Home versions.

Open a command prompt and paste this in.

start shell:::{26EE0668-A00A-44D7-9371-BEB064C98683}\0::{2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D}

Alan Morris Windows Printing Team; Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here: http://support.microsoft.com/search/Default.aspx?adv=1

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Anonymous
2009-11-27T18:23:06+00:00

I am having the same problem. I did a clean install from Vista and the computer has worked fine for weeks.  Today, my devices and printer window is empty. I can still print from some applications, but Windows Live Mail gives me an error when I select print:

'an error has occurred in the script on this page'

line:291

char: 1

error: interface not registered

Code: 0

URL: res://ieframe.dll/preview.js

Do you want to continue running scripts on this page - Yes or No?

Barry

By the way, no new hardware has been installed recently.

I found another post that solved my problem.  I was about to give up and re-install Windows 7, but tried this and it worked.

Go to: http://iefaq.info/index.php?action=artikel&cat=42&id=133&artlang=en

for the CMD file and explanation.

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-02-18T11:26:29+00:00

    that's my latest news. The D&P folder seems to be ok. Generally after an installation it is necessary a reboot but after this it works. I've tried to print a dwg file on the plotter and all is ok. Only one thing doesn't works, I'm not able to correctly install Adobe professional. When the setup reach the end , in the phase of the virtual printer installation, the set up crashes and it isn't able to install the adobe pdf printer. Now everything seems to be ok, I ve installed even Comodo antivirus

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-02-18T10:18:01+00:00

    I'm sure this is a HP software related problem too.

    Since I uninstall the T1100 plotter, my new teste PC stop showing the empty D+P window. I have rebooted it several times yesterday, and today. Start up in both users and no trouble at all.

    As I posted above, I have another PC (problematic one) with D+P empty window almost everyday, and I have uninstalled T1100 too yesterday. Today, the PC was turned on, and guess what? D+P were populated again, with no trouble.

    enrico1970: I'm using 32 bits Windows 7 (with 4 Gb memory) due to driver's compatibility issues (why the ____ I made that choice?) but ALL my PC have 2 users. If you are having this problem with ONLY 1 user, that is not definitely a "Users number" problem.

    computer und mensch: Thanks for your post, and you are welcome of course.

    You too have an T1100, and you are already joined this "CLUB" he, he he.

    Please, do that and post the results here.

    BTW, I have an old HP "DeskJet 9300" A3 printer too, installed in all pc, and it seems that is not causing any trouble.

    I still don't have a logical explanations for a PC I have here, that is not showing any problem at all. The D+P windows is working just fine since the beginning, and with T1100 installed.

    So, I advice everyone having the "Device & Printers" Empty Window problem, to Uninstall HP printers and plotters, reboot and try if the window is populated again. This should be tested some times, and for some days. Installing HP printers again should revive the problem.

    I'm having this problem with a recent HP plotter. HP states in his site that drivers for Windows 7 will be available in JAN2010. I know that they are late, cause we are in FEV, but we must wait and see if some NEW HP Windows 7 drivers will show up without this issue.

    We must keep in touch!... and please post every news you all have.

    Paulo Miranda

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-02-17T23:33:20+00:00

    I'm convinced that the problem lies with the HP software. 

    Everything worked fine until I installed the Vista software for my HP 8300 ScanJet.  Thereafter, my D+P window was empty. 

    I ran the software described above to reregister my IE 8.0 DLL.  Back came the devices in the D+P window. 

    After a clean install, I waited for the updated software for my scanner from HP that is specific for Win7.  I haven't had a problem since (November 29, 2009). 

    Consequently, see if everything is OK before you install any "older" HP software.  Even with the compatibility provision of Win7, may of the above posts indicate that HP software was installed.

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