Windows 7: Brother HL-2140 Printer Not Working w/ Win7

I just got my new computer yesterday with Windows 7, beautiful graphics, fast, love it. I do not however love the fact that even though I downloaded the correct drivers for my printer from the Brother website for windows 7, my printer is not working and going nuts. All of the lights are flashing, it actually turns itself on and off. Anyone know anything about the compatibility of brother printers and windows 7? I have to print stuff like yesterday, thanks in advance for any answers
Rachel

Does the printer show up at all in Devices?

Maybe you need to uninstall the driver package. (It may be worth using the uninstall tool available from Brother.) Then, disconnect the printer, install the driverss again, and don't connect the printer until the installer requests it.

Just guessing.

I have a Brother HL-5150D and an HL-3070CW. The former has no full driver/utility package available, but the drivers that came with Windows are adequate.

It's no specific help to you but I have a Brother MFC-7840W whose updated Win driver worked for me. I guess I am suggesting that Brother (at least in my experience does a pretty good job with driver updates).

Now for the 2140, Brother states that the driver is available via Windows Update. Have you launched WinUpdate to see if it recognizes a need for the driver? Otherwise I assume you DLed the driver directly from Brother here. Brother has two DL pages. The one I linked to has 2140 specific data including a firmware update dated 05/13/2010. You might check out this page if you have not.

Finally, I would piggy back with Bobkn and emphasize that, for most printers, do not connect the printer, install the SW and wait until the installer directs you to connect the printer cable.


Monk

With Windows 7,
I never had to download the drivers for brothers. I let windows do it for me through the network.

I just pointed the computer to point to my printer... had windows install the printer by itself. I never used the drivers... try it that way...

WinUPdate may or may not detect the needed driver and point you to the correct one. That said, I ALWAYS DL drivers from the mfr of the component I am upgrading - not necessarily they who created the driver. For example, my mobo (ASUS) uses a Marvell ethernet controller. I get my driver from ASUS, not Marvell, because ASUS may tweak the driver for its needs. I also recall issues with WinUpdate continuously telling me I needed a gfx driver that was, in fact, incompatible. Bottom line, whenever WinUpdate tells me I need a driver, I check the mfr site first.

Monk

Update: I DLed and reviewed the 2140 manual; as Bobkn suggested, entirely disconnect the printer, install the driver, then connect printer when directed to do so.

I completely uninstalled the printer and drivers, completely unplugged everything from the printer and let it sit for about a half an hour. I also plugged the printer into a different outlet, it seems to have a power surging problem on the outlet I had it connected too but that was unrelated to my printer and cpu and related to a tripped breaker. After all of that, I installed the drivers and printer and it's working fine now, thank goodness, all is well and I love my new CPU!!!!

Rachel
http://www.samplesite.info

Ain't life great when it's going great?

Cheers,

Monk