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
    2010-02-16T08:41:48+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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  2. 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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  3. Anonymous
    2010-01-28T14:18:58+00:00

    HI Paulo:

    My results are that I can not recreate the problem so I can't try your suggestion above.  In my case, I did an "Easy FIle Transfer" after first booting before I even know whether the D&P Screen worked. Also, I was not installing directly from an MSFT DVD...my machine was pre-installed by Asus and I only needed to complete the configuration. It possible that Asus shipped confused files or it is possible that the easy file restore transferred bad registry values.  I don't think we will ever know.

    I am really interested in hearing your results. Good luck!

    Jeff

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