Last Updated on March 25, 2023 by Carlo Dach
Printer errors are not uncommon and those like “Windows failed to recognize the new hardware” are very frequent when you try to install a new printer. Most of these errors happen when the printer driver is not installed properly, or when the printer driver is out of date or corrupted. Printer driver issues are the main reason for most printer errors. Luckily, most printer driver issues are easy to fix and the below post discusses the details of the causes of some of the most common printer driver errors.
Printer Drivers
Printer drivers are software programs whose responsibility is to convert the data that the user commands to print to a form that is understandable by the printer. There can be many reasons for printer driver problems. Below listed are some of the most common reasons.
- Incorrect configuration of the printer driver
- Printer driver is not compatible with the Windows version or the installed printer
- Incorrect entry of printer driver in Windows Registry
- Malware infection of printer driver files
If there is a problem with your printer driver, you will not be able to print documents or some of the features of your printer might not work as normal. The following list includes two typical printer driver error messages.
- “”Windows Explorer has a problem and needs to close,” it says. We are sorry for any inconvenience.” This error message is usually displayed when the installed printer driver is not the latest one.
- “Spoolsv.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.” This error message is displayed when the printer driver that is installed is incompatible with the Windows version that you use.
Install the Latest Driver to Fix Printer Driver Problems
To fix printer driver problems, you can make use of a good driver update tool like DriverDownloader. After installing the program, open it and select Scan. The program will automatically identify the printer that is connected to the computer and find the latest driver available for it. It will then install the printer driver.
You can also install the latest driver version manually, but note that it can be a time-consuming process depending on the driver, that you are looking to install. The steps to install the printer driver manually are explained below.
Install Driver from Printers Folder
If the latest driver for the printer is stored on your computer, you can do the following steps to install it manually.
- Open Control Panel.
- Choose Hardware and Sound.
- Select Printers and right click on the one that you need to install the driver and choose Run as administrator.
- Select Properties and then click on Advanced.
- Click on the New Driver tab, and follow the onscreen instructions to install the printer driver.
Download and Install the Driver from Manufacturer
You can visit the website of the printer manufacturer to find the latest driver that is available for your printer model. You can then download the driver and follow the instructions provided on the website of the printer manufacturer to install it.
Uninstall and Reinstall the Printer
If you find that installing the latest driver does not fix the issues with your printer, the next thing that you can do is uninstall and reinstall the printer. Uninstalling and reinstalling the printer is recommended when you encounter errors like printer settings not supported, enlarged coupon print, partial coupon print, weird symbol output, etc.
To uninstall the printer, you need to navigate to the installed printer. The steps can vary with operating systems. Follow the below steps to navigate to the printer.
Windows 8
- Go to the installed printers and click on the yellow folder on desktop.
- Select Computer and then open Control Panel. If you are unable to find Control Panel, you can hold down the Ctrl key and then press the F1
- Choose View devices and printers.
Windows Vista and Windows 7
- Click on the Windows icon on the desktop.
- Select Devices and Printers.
After navigating to the printer, you can follow the steps explained below to uninstall the printer.
- Right-click on the default printer and then select Remove device.
- You can then click on the Yes button to remove the printer.
These steps will remove the printer connected to your computer. Now you can reinstall the printer.
- Under Devices and Printers, select Add a Printer.
- You need to select the type of printer that you wish to install. You can choose from a local, wireless, or network printer.
- Select the type of printer that you need to install and follow the instructions to complete the process.
- Set the printer as the default one and click on Finish
