Devices and Printers Dialog Box Empty

Anonymous

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?

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Anonymous

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

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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142 additional answers

Anonymous

2010-02-17T14:20:42+00:00

enrico1970:

I'm still here (read my posts above) and trying to find a way out.

At this moment, I can tell you and everyone else this:

I start a new fresh windows 7 install on a new pc.

Create 2 user accounts

Config the intranet settings, and web access using my proxy server

install Office 2007

run Windows Update several times

Install kaspersky Internet Security 2010 (I thought this was causing the issue)

and everything work just great, without a single issue of D+P empty window (tried every twice or more after some and every step always after reboot)

Last Friday, I install a network plotter to use with AutoCad (Not installed yet) HP DesignJet T1100 (using windows update drivers)

Reboot and I have no trouble (Twice)

Reboot and select the other user (not the one of the Windows install or even the HP install) and I get a D+P empty window.

That was late in the evening, and I have no time to explore the issue at that time (btw I get VERY MAD).

Today (after 2 days holiday) I went back to that PC, and when I was able to get the window populated again, I simply Delete the HP T1100 plotter.

After Reboot (several times in both user's) I get the window populated all the times.

I'm still not sure if the plotter is the problem, or the plotter drivers of course, but some more tests will show me some more results.

I'm remembering back when I bought the T1100 plotter in 2007 to have strange issues with it in Windows XP. Users with it installed, disappear from the Network neighborhood after some time (1 hour or so after startup) and were not available in the network for the rest of the day. Only PC´s with the plotter installed have that behavior. I report to HP at the time, but after some months of callings, I give up. Maybe some 3 drivers versions ahead the problem was gone and I could install it in XP with no more troubles. Anyway, ONLY after a fresh Windows XP install the original drivers did not cause the issue. Installing new ones over or removing the initial drives from the printers server didn't work.

This is my story by now.

Next is yet to come...

PM
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Anonymous

2010-02-16T08:41:48+00:00
Hi, I read this and a lot of other discussions about this problem. I've tried all of the tricks but they just didn't work or they're good until the next reboot. I've tried really everything, now I'm doing an installation fron zero, and just after the last winupdate the d&p is yet empty. No applications are installed, nothing, just the Os and the drivers. I confirm that when the d&p is empty there are some other problems:

-windows update doesn't works; it runs but it isn't able to connect or download anything;
- sometimes when I use the right click on a file or a folder, explorer crashes;
- some applications as autocad or adobe reader not even start, they just crash.
I have this new computer beside me and I can't use it because of this problems. I hope that soon there will be a solution
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Anonymous

2010-01-28T16:15:40+00:00

Hi Jeff.

So far so... well I don't know. The "sfc /scannow" did not get ANY error. Either, did not restore the empty D+P window to see anything inside.

Of course that after reboot, the window was populated, but that's usual... many times.

I was hopping that the sfc routine could find some damaged files, solved them and my problems disappear, but no.

So, I'm back to "0".

At this time, I'm doing a new Windows 7 machine.

I'm writing down all my steps, and i'll get a conclusion... I hope.

Anyway, I'll be back with some more info...

Paulo Miranda

ps: I'm glad you get it right. Somehow.
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