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

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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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
    2010-02-18T15:55:33+00:00

    as suggested by someone in the italian version of this forum, I've installed Microsoft essential security, it works! But after then I've verified a suspect. I've tried to insert an usb pen and removed it. Reboot, and here again the folder doesn't works. Unbeliveable!

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-02-18T16:18:22+00:00

    Allora, ti ringrazio per la pazienza e per i consigl, e  solo per sottolinearti l'assurdità della cosa ti descrivo la mia ultima osservazione. La cartella riprende a funzionare ogni 2 penne usb. Mi spiego meglio, se inserisco una penna e riavvio non va, se ne inserisco un'altra e riavvio allora riprende a funzionare. In pratica la cartella funziona ogni 2 volte che inserisco una penna e riavvio. Grazie ancora

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-02-18T19:19:25+00:00

    Interesting!  I'm using AVG Version 9.0 (the paid version) and it works well. 

    I had the Microsoft Essential Security installed, but removed it after some weird email messages were sent from my Hotmail account.  While I had it running, it worked fine. 

    Whatever you do, please don't try to run without some sort of anti-virus product.  You might wind up with even a bigger problem than the D+P problem.

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