all the printers on my 3 PCs (WIN764-bit) stopped working the same day

[ils]

On 5/30/19, all the printers on my 3 PCs (WIN 7 64-bit) stopped working. I tried to print first from a pdf, then from a .docx, but in all cases I got a message “Before you can print, you need to install a printer. “ But, when I opened the ‘devices and printers’ under control panel, and all my printers were (and still are) in fact visible. But, when I clicked the printer properties, for example, for my HP laserjet, I got a message that they were offline. Has this happened to anyone else? Is it associated with an windows update? ​

As I continued investigating this strange matter, I got messages that I’ve never seen before, such as: a) a generic USB hub has to be installed; b) HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M277 PCL6 printer driver is not installed on this computer; c) COM Surrogate has stopped working; d) Operation could not be completed (error 0x000006ba); e) The local print spooler service is not running . . .; f) Function address 0xdc052f2b caused a protection fault . . .​

Since this happened on all three PC, which are networked via a LAN, I became suspicious that either a virus attacked the three PCs or a windows update knocked out the printers. My Symantec anti-virus program hasn’t detected a virus attack in a year, so . . .​

 

[iko22]

Hello ils, welcome to the Forum.

Are all the Printers connected to the Network?

in all cases I got a message “Before you can print, you need to install a printer. “ But, when I opened the ‘devices and printers’ under control panel, and all my printers were (and still are) in fact visible.
f) Function address 0xdc052f2b caused a protection fault . .

Can you see the Printers in Device Manager? Any device in Device Manager flagging up a fault?

f) Function address 0xdc052f2b caused a protection fault . .

Try the suggestions in "Function address caused a protection fault" accessing Printer Preferences. Please HELP! | Microsoft Answers

 

[ils]

Network issues, too

I’m also having network issues, too. However, the problems I wrote about above were diagnosed with the HP printer connected directly to USB port.
PS. When I reinstalled the full printer on my laptop, I was asked what port to connect to. But I wasn’t given a choice of USB port. What port should I have chosen?

 

[Megahertz07]

Open device manager. Is there any yellow alert of missing driver?
The strange thing is that it happen with 3 different PC's.
Did you scanned the computers with a antivirus?
Is windows update enabled?

 

[ils]

Yes, Symantec and Malwarebytes run daily. Yes, several the windows update, almost daily, before the problem. I just tried to restore on one of the computers, using a restore point BEFORE a restore was done 5/26/19 that modified DRIVERS. The restore failed; an HP printer driver was one of the drivers implicated in the windows update.

 

[Megahertz07]

Open device manager. Is there any yellow alert of missing driver?
On device manager, right click on the printer driver - properties - Driver tab - Roll back Driver

 

[ils]

Open device manager. Is there any yellow alert of missing driver?

No yellow
[/QUOTE]
On device manager, right click on the printer driver - properties - Driver tab - Roll back Driver[/QUOTE]
No rollback.
The HP printer shows up in devices, but when I tried to print, e.g., from pptx, it said 'no printers installed.'

 

[ils]

Still having the strange printer problems on three PCs.
If I attempt to print a document, e.g., pdf, I'm told there are no printers.
I go to the Control Panel\Hardware and Sound\Devices and Printers. Yep. No printers are shown.
So I click 'Add Printer' and am told the printer spool isn't running. So I start it (or restart it).
I again click 'Add PRinter' . Now it lets me choose 'Network Printer'. As soon as it finds network printers and I choose one (HP web printer), ALL MY PRINTER APPEAR in Devices and Printer.
Thereafter, I can print from pdf via HP web printer.
If I reboot my PC (a Laptop, in this case), I gotta start all over.

 

[Megahertz07]

How are the printers connected to the computer (LAN, Wifi, USB etc)?

 

[Ranger4]

Have you tried to reinstall the printer software program. From what you have said it seems that you have HP printers, so go to their website & download the appropriate driver for your model & install it & see if that fixes your problem.

 

[ils]

I have an HP M277 that connects both by network/USB and wifi. I also have an HP 1015 laserjet networked, then there are the adobe printers and numerous other printers installed by Quicken, H&R Block taxcut, etc. None shows up, at reboot, until I go thru the steps outlined below.
I’ve loaded the full printer package on each machine, but still all the disconnects.

I’m ready to call it quits with win 7 and clean install win 10 on the three PCs. Could Microsoft have slipped a . . . . No, I won’t get into conspiracy theories now.

PS. No yellow missing printers, and all drivers are there when the printers show up in the list.

 

[Megahertz07]

I didn't ask how the printers can be connected. I asked HOW they are connected.

 

[ils]

To MHz07: Both HP printers are connected directly to PC#1 via USB. PCs #2 and #3 connect to the two HP printers over a HOME LAN. Occasionally, e.g., when PC #1 is throwing a tantrum, I connect the other two PCs to either printer via USB cable. That has always worked in the past; with today’s ‘missing printers’ problem, I get the same zero response via USB or LAN connections.
Also, since two of the three PCs are laptops, I have a wireless/wifi connection with the HP Laserjet M277 printer. That too has worked until the disappearance of printers from my devices and printers panel.
As I mentioned above, I’m getting ready to do a clean install of win 10 on all 3 machines, something I don’t look forward to doing, since it’s so time-consuming.

 

[Megahertz07]

Have you tried to reinstall the printer software as Ranger suggested on post #10?