Cannot Load the Printer Driver

[ewife]

I am running MS Vista and Publisher 2003. How come on some projects I can
print, but others I get the error message, "Cannot load the printer driver".
I am completely hung up in my work due to this error. I can open a new
publisher file and remake the design and I still get the error message.
However, files that were in existence prior to my upgrade will print just
fine. HELP, I'm going crazy and can't find an answer to move ahead and
complete my work!

 

[Mary Sauer]

Have you gone to the manufacturer's web site of your printer model and looked
around for an updated driver? If there is not one available it could be your
present driver either is corrupt or it doesn't recognize Vista.
It is always advisable to completely remove your printer driver before
installing/re-installing.

 

[Madonna]

I'm having the same problem. Did you find a solution?

 

[Mary Sauer]

Did you go to the manufacturer's web page to see if there is a Vista driver for
your printer? Have you considered re-installing your present driver if a new
driver is not available.

It is always advisable to completely remove your driver before installing or
re-installing,

Open the Printer folder in the Control panel, File, Server Properties, drivers
tab, highlight your printer, click remove.

 

[Brian Weigand]

I'm having the same issue. So far the only type of publication that gives
the "cannot load the printer driver" error is the Postcard. I get the same
error when trying to do a Print Preview.

I'm running a clean install of Vista with Publisher 2003. My printer is a
Lexmark X5150. I've only installed the Vista drivers from the Lexmark
website. I shared my printer on the Vista machine and used my XP machine to
print off the postcard, which worked just fine (however, my XP machine has
Publisher 2007).

This seems less like a printer driver problem and more like a problem with
Publisher 2003 and Vista. Is there any truth to this? And if so, is there
going to be a fix from Microsoft for this other than to upgrade to Publisher
2007?

 

[Mary Sauer]

It shouldn't be a Publisher problem. According to the Lexmark site the Vista
drivers are minimal. Have you completely uninstalled the old driver before you
installed the new? There are different instructions for Lexmark drivers on Bruce
Sanderson's web site.
http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/CleanPrinterDrivers.htm#LexmarkDriver

Have you tried using the old driver?

 

[Brian Weigand]

Dear Mary,

The Lexmark Vista drivers are minimal in the sense that they don't include
Lexmark's All-in-one center (basically the scanning package). So I have to
use Vista's built in scan software for scanning. Also, the old driver (which
would be the XP driver) has never been installed. I did not upgrade XP to
Vista--I did a clean install.

I went ahead and deleted the printer and uninstalled the print driver using
the Server properties "remove" function, rebooted, and reinstalled the
printer drivers. I even uninstalled and reinstalled Publisher 2003. All
this was done with UAC turned off and I still have the same problem. I
tested around 6 different pre-built templates (postcards, business cards,
wedding invitations, etc.) and they all give the same "unable to load print
driver" error when I try to print or do a print preview. As long as I don't
use a pre-built template I can print just fine.

So I went ahead and downloaded the trial version of Publisher 2007,
installed it, and voila!, I can print postcards and wedding invitations again
(for 60 days at least). So it's definitely a Vista + Publisher 2003 problem
(or a Vista + Publisher 2003 + Lexmark printer problem). I have an older HP
deskjet up in the attic. I'm going to dust it off and install it later along
with Publisher 2003 (again) and see if there's any change.

 

[Mary Sauer]

I thought about downloading the driver onto my computer, but I thought better of
it. I have many drivers installed for various printers that I physically don't
have. I've never had one give me your message. Do you have Microsoft's
Imagesetter installed, can you print to it?

 

[Brian Weigand]

"Do you have Microsoft's Imagesetter installed, can you print to it?"

Yes and yes.

 

[Brian Weigand]

OK, I've isolated the cause. It's definitely the Lexmark Vista printer
drivers that are causing all of the trouble. I took my HP Deskjet 952c out
of storage, hooked it up my my Vista machine, uninstalled Publisher 2007,
installed Publisher 2003, tried to print my Postcard template and it worked
perfectly!

Note to all: Lexmark X5100 Vista drivers are not complete.

Oh well, the Lexmark printer is too big and noisey anyway. Gives me an
excuse to get a new HP printer!

 

[Mary Sauer]

Good news Brian. I've never been a Lexmark fan, its the price of the cartridges
that turns me off. Thanks for posting your experience. It is appreciated.

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

Good news Brian. I've never been a Lexmark fan, its the price of the cartridges
that turns me off.

Same here with HP.

 

[Mary Sauer]

I have two HP printers, one is a LaserJet 5000, it has been a workhorse. Granted
the toner is pricey but a cartridge is good for 10,000 copies a month. I've had
this printer for at least 10 years. It didn't miss a beat when we went with
Vista.
In the past I've had an Epson and a Canon, both were pieces of junk...I don't
buy cheap.