Category list

Task 1: Adding a Printer

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Click Start and then click Control Panel .

Click Printers and Other Hardware .

Click the Add a printer link to start the Add Printer Wizard.

INTRODUCTION

You can add a new printer to your Windows setup using a step-by-step guide called a wizard. In many cases, Windows can automatically set up your printer once you attach it. If this doesn't work for some reason, you can use the wizard to set up the printer if you get a new printer or change printers.

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Install Network Printer

If you are installing a network printer, you select different options for the type of printer and printer sharing. For help on installing a network printer, see Part 13, "Home Networking Basics."

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Click Next to move from the welcome screen to the first step.

For the first step, select Local printer and then click Next .

Select the port to which the printer is attached and click Next .

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Automatic Detection

If you select automatic detection, Windows looks for the new printer and installs it if possible. If that doesn't work, uncheck this option and follow these steps to manually install the printer.

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Use Printer Disk

If you have the printer disk with the printer driver file (the file that tells Windows the details of that particular printer), click Have Disk , insert the disk, and then select the drive to search for the file.

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Select your printer manufacturer in the list on the left. Then select your particular printer from the list on the right. Click Next .

Type a name to identify the printer and click Next .

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Delete a Printer

If you replace a printer, you can delete the icon for the other printer so that you are not confused . To delete (and uninstall a printer), right-click the icon (see the next task "Displaying Installed Printers" for help on displaying printer icons). Select Delete and then click Yes to confirm the deletion.

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Go Back a Step

Click the Back button in a wizard dialog box to return to the previous dialog box and review or modify your selections.

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Select Yes or No for the test page question and then click Next .

The final step of the wizard lists all of your selections. Click Finish to finish the printer setup. The printer is set up and added to Windows XP.

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Test Page

If you select Yes to print a test page, Windows prints a test page, and asks whether it printed successfully.

Task 2: Displaying Installed Printers

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Click the Start button and then choose Control Panel .

Click the Printers and Other Hardware category.

INTRODUCTION

If you want to modify a printer's settings or delete an installed printer, you start by opening the Printers & Faxes Control Panel. You can then view and change the preferences and properties for any of the printers. You can also access the print queue to pause, restart, or cancel a print job.

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Default Printer

The default printer is indicated with a checkmark. To select another printer as the default, right-click the icon for that printer and select Set as Default Printer .

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Click the Printers and Faxes Control Panel icon.

You see a list of all the installed printers and faxes. To close this window, click its Close button.

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Fax Help

For information on using Windows XP to send a fax, see Part 7, "Sending Faxes and E-mail."

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Printer Preferences

You can change the settings a printer uses when it prints, for instance, the paper size or the orientation. See the next task "Setting Printer Preferences."