Err Msg: The Add Printer Wizard Was Unable to Find Any Installed Ports for Your Printer

ID: Q220854

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows 98

SYMPTOMS

When you try to install a printer in Windows 98 using the Add New Printer Wizard, you may receive the following error message:

The Add Printer Wizard was unable to find any installed ports for your printer.

If you view Device Manager, ports may be listed under the Ports (COM&LPT) branch.

CAUSE

This error message can occur if there is an older version of Winspool.drv file in the root folder or the Windows folder in addition to the Winspool.drv file Windows 98 installs in the Windows\System folder.

The Winspool.drv file installed by Windows 98 has the following attributes:

Size: 23,040 bytes
Version: 4.10.1998
Date: 5-11-98

RESOLUTION

To resolve this behavior, rename the Winspool.drv file in the root folder or in the Windows folder. For information about renaming files in Windows 98, click Start, click Help, click the Index tab, type renaming, and then double-click the "Renaming Files" topic.

MORE INFORMATION

This error message usually occurs if you install Microsoft Win32s version 1.0, 1.1, 1.15, 1.12, or 1.25a on a computer running Microsoft Windows 3.11 or Microsoft Windows for Workgroups, and then upgrade to Windows 98.

For additional information about Win32s, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q120901 Installing Win32s in Windows and Windows for Workgroups

Additional query words:

Keywords : kberrmsg kbprint kbtool win98
Version : WINDOWS:
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbprb