help installing phaser 3040, "unspecified" after drivers have been installed

[Polex]

Hello Sandy, 

Thank you for your professional answer. I really appreciate it.

I owe you and Xerox an apology. This is not really easy to write that, because I need to admit publicly that I am an idiot. 

Here what happened yesterday. I bough another device (a scanner) and tried to install it. Surprisingly, I had exactly the same problem as I had with the Xerox printer. I looked deeply into the issue, but was not able to locate the problem during several hours. Finally - accidentally - I switched USB cables and suddenly all started to work! I checked the cable (also used during Xerox installation). It was broken! It let the devices to "see" each other, but did not let them to communicate.

I owed you that confession. 

Kindest regards,

Andrew 

[MSPTestAccount]

Thank you Polex for your comment. You are right. I should have apologized for the inconvenience this has caused you and others. I am sorry if I came across as being insensitive to your situation. That was not my intent.

I engaged 2nd Level Support to assist with identifying a solution. The information I posted was their recommendation from what information was gather from your post and the post of others. My intent was to hopefully locate a solution that would resolve your issue without you having to call for more troubleshooting which in most cases is the next step. 

I am sorry that the solution was not helpful.

[Polex]

"This isn’t a problem unique to the Phaser 3040, or to Xerox, but is something just about every single USB device in existence can suffer from. Regardless, you can occasionally fix these issues by attempting to re-register the device on the computer. Simply ......" SIMPLY???? REALLY "SIMPLY"..?

Hello Sandy,

I appreciate your quick answer.

However, I need to explain something to you. I am a very experienced user. I have a little office at home, with several computers and several devices: printers, scanners, external drivers, readers, converters, etc. I occasionally had problems with installations - but ALWAYS all issued were finally resolved.  That's not the case with the Xerox's Phaser! Please read the post of sheeshamakuh - he followed the same way! I did reinstall the printer several times, I did use on original software from CD and the downloaded one, I even manually cleaned the registry and I switched the computers. Yes, I got the same errors on TWO different computers with TWO different OS! (windows 7 - 32 and 64).

The times changed a little bit, Sandy! The customers expect an easy to install "plug and play" divice, nothing more, nothing less. I returned the Phaser to the store and bought a Brother (40 dol. more expensive). Installation? It has installed itself, before I even put the original CD into the reader. The original software has overwritten the windows installation and it worked after even better. No error message during this double installation, whatsoever.  

Concerning your "be sure to (...) select "Accept as Solution" request ..... well ...... I would qualify it as an unexpected arrogance. From a professional support service I would rather expect a SIMPLE: "We are sorry for the inconvenience".

[MSPTestAccount]

Hi Polex.

Second level support supplied the following information.  I hope it helps.

“Unspecified” means that the system you are using is unable to determine the correct software to use for this device. You may be looking at a Windows-related OS issue that prevents USB devices from properly registering and connecting the logical port to the correct software. There sometimes isn’t a simple solution, as the actual fix usually requires manipulating a few specific registry keys that will be unique to each system. This is usually caused by not properly uninstalling the printer software when disconnecting the USB cable, or by using USB extenders, like a USB hub, or a docking station. This isn’t a problem unique to the Phaser 3040, or to Xerox, but is something just about every single USB device in existence can suffer from. Regardless, you can occasionally fix these issues by attempting to re-register the device on the computer. Simply remove any existing print queues, unplug the USB cable from the printer, reboot the computer, and then reconnect the two when the computer is back up. Once the device has been reconnected, Windows should attempt to try and locate driver software. Allow it to perform that, then manually relocate the software you’ve downloaded and installed. You can alternatively interrupt the software installation, instead of letting Windows complete it, and manually switch the software over to use what has been downloaded.

[Polex]

...so what I did, too. ;-(

[sheeshamakuh]

I ended up returning the printer. spent a number of hours searching for the right drivers, finding them, installing them without any luck. Maybe you should do the same if you still can. 

[Polex]

Hello,

I have the same problem. I am a very experienced user and I am really not able to install this printer (bought today)!

In the manual they say: "cancel the found new hardware wizard". Unfortunately, it appeared on the screen while I worked with printer and I clicked on "cancel" too late!! And since that nothing goes like it should anymore! I did remove/reinstall the driver and software several times. If I try to install it again, it's always frozen on "computing space requirements". I can go back to the store and take another printer, but I want to avoid that. I am in the middle of a terrible winter (-35 F!!!) and I have no car. This issue makes ma really crazy!!!

Any help?  

[Alphathread]

How is your machine connected? Via USB or is it networked?

Cheers

[sheeshamakuh]

hey,
thanks for taking the time to respond.

I found the appropriate drivers for my OS on the support page; here http://www.support.xerox.com/support/phaser-3040/downloads/enus.html?operatingSystem=win7x64&fileLan...

i downloaded and installed the windows 7x64. i also tried the same with the windows 7 option in that link above.
 
the machine still is in the "unspecified" category and I have installed the printer as a printer so the option becomes available under 'devices and printers' but it does not communicate with the printer even when attached. ie. could not print a test page after the installation. I have done this a couple times and had no luck no matter what port or driver i used.

What have I done wrong.? I can send commands to the printer I have installed to print something but then it does not respond/communicate with the computer and just stays at "error".

I just purchased this printer yesterday, have spent atleast an hour maybe two tracking down the correct drivers, using the installation cd and the printer scout option from the cd to see what the computer knows about the printer and nothing helps!  a part of me when I purchased this, had some carefree thought thinking that I could just "plug and play" a printer like this but this reall fusterates me.

help!

thanks

 

[Alphathread]

Hey,

First of all which driver did you install? Depending on that you could try the following:

Machine is "Unspecified" category in "Devices and Printers". Just leave it there.

Then click "Add a Printer", then
- "The printer I want wasn't listed"
- "Add a local printer or ..."
- "Use an existing port" - specify your port
- Select the driver
and follow the rest of the steps

Cheers