# Printer hookup question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-hookup-question/35427>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [October 3, 2000, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-hookup-question/35427 "2000-10-03T00:51:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Road\_Rash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Road\_Rash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Road_Rash)\
**Post date:** [October 3, 2000, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-hookup-question/35427/1 "2000-10-03T00:51:10Z")

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I’m no computer nerd, but I am working toward it. Working with Win98. I moved my desk around and disconnected my printer. I have reconnected it and it works, but my computer keeps asking me to re-install it. I just click cancel each time. It should know it is installed and it is working. Whats up?

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [October 3, 2000, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-hookup-question/35427/2 "2000-10-03T00:55:40Z")

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Have you rebooted since then?

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**Author:** ![Road\_Rash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Road\_Rash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Road_Rash)\
**Post date:** [October 3, 2000, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-hookup-question/35427/3 "2000-10-03T00:58:20Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by carnivorousplant \*  
> \*\*Have you rebooted since then?  
> \*\*

Yes. The computer has been turned on and off several times. Not in any attempt to solve the problem, but in my usual use.

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**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\
**Post date:** [October 3, 2000, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-hookup-question/35427/4 "2000-10-03T01:01:32Z")

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If you have the drivers then just let Windows reinstall it. You won’t lose anything. BTW, is the printer turned on when you get that message?

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**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\
**Post date:** [October 3, 2000, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-hookup-question/35427/5 "2000-10-03T15:44:48Z")

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It probably got confused. It has a generic driver & a real driver for the printer & doesn’t know which one to use. So install a new driver, it only takes a few minutes. Plus, manf are coming out with new ones all the time, so a great chance to put in a new one. The old ones are probably in a directory called /inf