How to Remove & Reinstall the Printer Port

Most of the time, connecting and installing a printer in Windows is relatively straightforward. In some cases, parallel or USB printer ports may cease to function for seemingly unexplainable reasons. A corrupted printer driver, incorrect installation or malware can cause printer port failure. Hardware problems with printer ports are rare. You can often repair the port by disabling it, then reinstalling it.

Instructions

1. Click "Start," then "Control Panel." Click "System and Security," then "System." Click the "Device Manager" link on the left side of the "System" window.

2. Double-click the "Ports" value in the Device Manager hardware list. Right-click the "Parallel," "Enhanced Parallel," or "USB Printer" port. Click "Uninstall" on the pop-up menu. When the "Confirm Device Uninstall" window appears, click the "OK" button. Windows uninstalls the printer port and its device driver.

3. Shut down Windows and restart your computer. Once the computer boots back in to Windows, open Control Panel.

4. Open "System and Security" in Control Panel, then "System." Click the "Device Manager" link.

5. Click the "Action" link on the Device Manager menu bar, then "Scan for hardware changes." Wait a few seconds for Windows to detect the printer port and install its driver.

6. Close the Device Manager window. The printer port should function properly. You can connect your printer to the port and install the print driver.

References

• Microsoft Windows: Install a Printer
• Indiana University: In Windows, What is the Device Manager, and How Can I Use It?