Setup Err Msg: Cannot Find the PRTUPD.INF File

ID: Q90567

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows versions 3.1, 3.11

SYMPTOMS

When you upgrade from Windows 3.0 to Windows 3.1, Setup attempts to update the installed printer driver using the file PRTUPD.INF. If Setup cannot find the file or if the installed printer is referenced differently in Windows 3.0 than in Windows 3.1, the following error message may be displayed:

Cannot find the PRTUPD.INF file necessary to upgrade Windows 3.0 printer drivers. Be sure that the file is in a directory on the default path.


CAUSE

If Windows 3.1 Setup determines that printer drivers from a previous version of Windows are installed, it attempts to update these drivers using the PRTUPD.INF file. If the printer is referenced differently in Windows 3.1 than in 3.0, the Setup program cannot find the information needed to update the driver and may generate the above error message. For example, for portrait mode on the Canon LBP-8 III, the WIN.INI file has the setting "Orient=0" in the [LBPIIIDRV] section. The PRTUPD.INF file does not contain the correct entry for this printer in portrait orientation. Setup does not recognize the value in the WIN.INI file and therefore cannot update the driver.

NOTE: The aforementioned error does not prevent successful installation of Windows 3.1; Setup can still continue.


WORKAROUND

To work around this problem after you have successfully installed Windows 3.1, use the following steps:

  1. In the Control Panel window, choose the Printers icon.


  2. Select your printer and choose the Remove button.


  3. In File Manager, delete the appropriate printer driver, <FILENAME>.DRV, from the WINDOWS\SYSTEM subdirectory.


  4. In the Control Panel window, choose the Printers icon.


  5. Choose the Add button.


  6. Choose the appropriate printer from the list of printers.


  7. Choose the Install button, and follow the directions to install the new printer driver from the Windows disks.


The Hewlett-Packard DeskJet 500 and the Canon LBP Series IV printers are also affected by this problem.

Additional query words: 3.10 3.11 prtupd.inf error message err msg 3rdparty

Keywords :
Version : WINDOWS:3.1,3.11
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type :


Last Reviewed: October 20, 1999
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