Why do I suddenly have a "Copy" of my printer?

[tony22]

I tried to print something to my default HP Laserjet, which is connected via a USB-LPT port that I was using in XP Pro, and that worked fine up until today. The print job did not print, and when I went to Devices and Printers I saw a HP Laserjet (Copy 1) sitting there. It was not there before, and my original Laserjet icon was still selected a the Default. I tried to print a Test page from the default and it didn't work. Printer Troubleshooter found nothing. When I printed from Copy 1 it worked fine. I figured I'd just Remove the original. So I did that, and it just showed up again.

When I first installed Windows 7 I had only one Laserjet printer device in this panel. What's going on?

 

[computersplus]

Printer

set copy 1 as the default printer reboot then delete the original one this can happen if the computer installed an updated printer driver via automatic updates without you even knowing things like that are why I set my updates to notify me of available updates but let me choose what and when.

the creating of another copy of your printer can happen if you unplug the usb cable then plug it back in windows will reinstall it making a second copy.

hope this helps

 

[tony22]

Tried it. Didn't work. I rebooted and Removed the original from the Devices and Printers panel. It disappeared alright. But when I tried to rename "Copy 1" to the original's name it said it couldn't because that name was already in use. Sure enough when I rebooted again the original reappeared but greyed out. It seems as though doing a Remove Device does not actually wipe it from the Registry, or something.

A-ha! There were two pending print jobs on the queue for that printer. As soon as I canceled those the printer icon disappeared (hopefully for good) and I could rename the copy. Thanks!

 

[NUTZJ98]

I just had this problem twice in a week on the same printer. Canon 4350. The first time, the USB port was damaged in a lightning storm. I switched USB ports, deleted all versions of the printer and installed a new printer. The second time again, the port was damaged during a storm. But this time the printer went also and had to be replaced. Two USB ports and one printer later, I talked the company into installing protection on the phone lines.