This printer (Canon Pixma mx310) was working just fine on my Win 8 machine until yesterday, when it started telling me the printer was offline. I’ve uninstalled the printer and re-installed it and selected it as the default printer, I’ve downloaded a new driver, I’ve restarted everything and I can’t get the damned thing to print and all the computer can tell me is that “the printer is in an error state.” The printer status is “printer is not responding.” Duh. Does anyone have an idea what I could try next?
Have you checked the printer to see if it is reporting a problem (either by setting it’s lights or a message on an LCD if it has one)? Does it work with another computer?
Have you rebooted the computer and/or the printer?
How are you connecting the printer to the computer (usb or through the network)?
unplug the cable at both ends and replug or remake the wireless connection. retry.
do a self test on the printer (after it is off for a few minutes) with it disconnected from the computer (unplugged or the computer off).
what happens?
Turn off the printer, disconnect it.
Uninstall every piece of software you have for it.
Reboot your computer.
Reinstall drivers and software.
Replug printer.
If it’s still in an error state, hit it with a bat.
Pretty sure I’ve done all those things. (I don’t know of any “self-test” of the printer. The manual doesn’t tell me there is one.) The printer itself doesn’t appear to know it has a problem. There’s no LCD message to that effect. Everything tells me that the computer doesn’t know the printer is there. I keep getting suggestions to unplug the USB cord and then plug it in again, as if the connection isn’t there. I keep doing that. I may use that video as a guideline for beating the crap out of this damned thing. (one of the guys in that video is an ex-student of mine. I taught him a lot then, now he’s teaching me a lot!)
Well, then you hit it with a bat. It’s only fair to do the whole list. Let us know how things turn out 
FWIW, being that this is Windows 8, I’d recommend a crowbar instead of a bat. A tire iron is a workable substitute.
Just use insulated gloves if you don’t unplug the printer first.
Thing is, it was working just fine three days ago. I didn’t do anything to it - never said a word about it, didn’t criticize it to its face or even behind its back - and now, this. Why, I oughta pound you!
Just had an idea. Maybe the printer is associated with the wrong port. Some are serial ports and some are printer ports. It’s associated right now with a serial port. But I don’t know how to move it from one to another. That could be the problem, of course, and I just have to figure that part out. Any suggestions?
Nah, I now don’t think that’s the problem, either, because it’s also associated with a USB virtual printer port. That should do it, shouldn’t it? Ah, crap. Why do they give people like me a license to run this thing if I don’t know how to drive it? Shit.
Youre printer isn’t going to have a serial port.
Before we continue the printer should be able to print a test page as well as print from a camera or scanned image. That tells us the printer works mechanically.
If you’re connecting this via a USB port then it should have self installed the first time you plugged it in. If you did it via a network connection then the installation should have looked up all the printer’s connected to the router.
If it says “printer not responding” that sounds like the computer recognizes the printer and is trying to talk to it. If it’s a cable connection try another one to eliminate a bad cable. And when you disconnect everything, let it sit for a couple of minutes to discharge any memory in the printer.
I did once have a problem connecting my HP printer. The computer couldn’t find it on the router. The printer had a button on it that printed out the router location and when I manually entered it the computer recognized the printer.
You can always call Canon support at (800) 828-4040. number taken from manual for your printer.
Might want to restart the spooler service. IIRC it’s not connected to the printer software, it’s just built in to Windows. So if you uninstall printer stuff it’s still there. Even if you reboot it stays wonky.
Here’s a video from HP on how to do it (it takes ages to get to the point!) or Google “windows 8 print spool service” for more help. This thread might be helpful too.
Do you have a legit copy of Windows 8, or a hacked OS? I’m only asking because I had a (poorly) pirated copy of Windows XP a long time ago. It had similar issues with printers.
I wonder if that’s the same as just restarting from the printer control panel. I bookmarked that for Window’s 7 just in case. Sounds like a good place to start in this case.
FYI - I’ve spoken with the printer people who say the problem is someplace in the computer, and the computer people who say it will cost around $125 to have them troubleshoot the issue and solve it. This is a 5 month-old Dell. Dell guarantees all the hardware, but nothing about the software. I’m going to get a new printer. Thanks to all dopers who tried to lend a hand. All the knowledge in the world can’t overcome the matter. I don’t know who’s more to blame - Dell, or me for buying one.
Did you restart the spool service?
Yep, I stopped it, cleared out the files, and started it again. Although Dell claims I might have a virus, I have a number of blockers and cleaners on this thing and there’s no record of anything being caught. I just don’t know enough about its guts to go poking around for some setting or quirk that is screwing this up.
did you do it according to the video ZipperJJ listed in post 12? This was from HP and if they didn’t do it through the normal printer screen so it makes me believe this is a different proccess.
Had a similar problem with my Canon printer just a couple of days ago. Worked fine one day and not the next.
Tried everything reinstall driver, reboot computer, changed cable nothing worked thought I would have to buy a new printer.
As a final last ditch effort I pulled out and reinserted the USB cable several times at both the computer and printer end and the printer came to life.
Although I had already tried with a new cable only by sveral times robustly reseating the plug at the printer end did it finally work - with the old cable.
Obviously a bad connection on the plug/socket that needed cleaning.
Simple question- have you tried the printer with another computer ofr the computer with another printer?