Octopus Overlords

Ok, this morning, I printed out a receipt for a payment from a webpage, no problem. I then needed to scan something, but my printer/scanner disappeared from Devices under the Control Panel. I use the Troubleshooter but it doesn't find a problem. Even stranger it asks me what printer I want to troubleshoot and it shows my printer. Displaying the troubleshooter details shows all this stuff that it checked on my printer - low paper, low ink, etc - so it sees my printer but it doesn't recognize it in the Control panel. WTH? I really need to scan and email something today - can anyone give me any idea of how to fix this. The printer is on, I just used it from my PC ten minutes ago by printing something directly without going to the printer itself, so I have no idea why my PC isn't recognizing it in control panel!!

WiFi or wired?

Wired - and weird. I downloaded the drivers and re-installed and rebooted the PC. That still didn't seem to work because it could not find that the printer was connected. I switched the USB ports and there doesn't seem to be a problem there because the mouse worked with either one. I tried to run a test page but that gave me an message saying that my printer was in an "error state". I got rid of the error state by deleting the print job in the queue but still got the message when trying a test page. Finally I turned the printer off and the printer was now recognized as online and I could get it to print and scan. I still get an error when trying to print a test page but everything else works so I guess that is all that matters.

There was a Windows update from a few months ago that was seemingly related to this. I had it happen and needed to uninstall/remove the printer from Windows as a option, then power it back up and let Windows auto detect it and auto configure. It was...weird.

SEE: here.

Boot from a Linux Live-DVD/USB Stick (e.g. Mint Mate) and see if it can be found. That way you know at least if it is Windows, or the printer.

Are you printing with invisible ink?

Zitterbacke wrote: ↑Thu Dec 19, 2019 4:33 pm Boot from a Linux Live-DVD/USB Stick (e.g. Mint Mate) and see if it can be found. That way you know at least if it is Windows, or the printer.

I gotta be honest. If I'm a Win10 user, my printer disappears and you tell me to boot into Linux to figure out a solution, I'm going to glare at you disapprovingly.

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Thu Dec 19, 2019 6:12 pm

Zitterbacke wrote: ↑Thu Dec 19, 2019 4:33 pm Boot from a Linux Live-DVD/USB Stick (e.g. Mint Mate) and see if it can be found. That way you know at least if it is Windows, or the printer.

I gotta be honest. If I'm a Win10 user, my printer disappears and you tell me to boot into Linux to figure out a solution, I'm going to glare at you disapprovingly.

Sing it, sister!

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Thu Dec 19, 2019 6:12 pm

Zitterbacke wrote: ↑Thu Dec 19, 2019 4:33 pm Boot from a Linux Live-DVD/USB Stick (e.g. Mint Mate) and see if it can be found. That way you know at least if it is Windows, or the printer.

I gotta be honest. If I'm a Win10 user, my printer disappears and you tell me to boot into Linux to figure out a solution, I'm going to glare at you disapprovingly.

Helping grandpa!