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RICHARD PASCO
RICHARD PASCO
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"You need to install a printer"

Mar 3, 2012 8:05 PM

Categories: Windows Tags: #problem #acrobat #9 #windows #printing #7 #printer #print #acrobat_9_pro #printer_problem

I'm running Acrobat Pro 9.5.0 under Windows 7 Pro 64-bit build 7601 SP 1.  It usually works correctly, but every few hours, when I open a PDF file and hit Ctrl-P or invoke File/Print, an error box pops up:

 

You need to install a printer.png

The fact is that my Windows 7 installation already includes several printers, all listed when I go to Start Menu -> Devices and Printers.  My default printer works correctly from all other applications (e.g. MS-Word, Mozille Firefox).  However, I can't seem to convince Acrobat to use it, without re-booting my computer.  And then, after I re-boot, I can print from Acrobat for the next few hours, until for some unexpected reason, the same problem recurs.

 

Now I'm getting pretty tired of interrupting my work to reboot my system every time I want to print a PDF document.  I would really like to know why and how this problem happens and how to fix it.  Any ideas?

 

     - Rich

2532 Views   8 Replies   Latest reply: RICHARD PASCO, Mar 29, 2012 12:41 AM
 
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  • Bill@VT
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    1. Bill@VT,
    Mar 5, 2012 7:25 AM   in reply to RICHARD PASCO
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    1. Does any printer show up in the print dialog?

    2. Can you print from any other application after this problem happens?

     
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  • RICHARD PASCO
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    2. RICHARD PASCO,
    Mar 5, 2012 7:48 AM   in reply to Bill@VT
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    Hi Bill,

     

    1.  I don't get a print dialog.  I get the error box shown above as soon as I hit Ctrl-P.

    2. Yes, I can continue to print from any other applications just fine.  It's only Acrobat that fails.

     

         - Rich

     
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  • Bill@VT
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    3. Bill@VT,
    Mar 5, 2012 9:04 AM   in reply to RICHARD PASCO
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    Have you tried the File>Print to get the menu, just in case it is a shortcut issue?

     
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  • RICHARD PASCO
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    4. RICHARD PASCO,
    Mar 5, 2012 9:21 AM   in reply to Bill@VT
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    Yes, Bill I have tried that.  As I wrote in my original post: "when I open a PDF file and hit Ctrl-P or invoke File/Print, an error box pops up."  Please notice the words "or invoke File/Print."

     
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  • Bill@VT
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    5. Bill@VT,
    Mar 5, 2012 10:34 AM   in reply to RICHARD PASCO
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    Sorry, I missed the second option you mentioned. All I can suggest at this point is to do a repair.

     
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  • tankueray
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    6. tankueray,
    Mar 28, 2012 11:49 PM   in reply to RICHARD PASCO
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    I have the same Windows/Adobe setup and the same exact problem.  I'm wondering if it has to do with a recent Windows update?  I'm trying to do an install repair but it's hanging at about 1/6th of the way.  Richard, do you have any USB devices that are installed as printers but aren't?  I have a plotter that uses a printer driver and its driver was just updated in a Windows update.  I've been creating a lot of .eps files for it lately and then this "install a printer" thing started happening.  I'm trying to figure out if it's an Acrobat thing or due to my other activities.

     

    Oooh!  15 minutes later, the repair jumped to 9 minutes remaiing, then 12, then 15, then 17, now 21.... the bar hasn't moved but at least it's giving me a baseline for my wasted time.  Now it's fluttering between 21 and 22 minutes remaining.

     

    I also just updated Firefox, the Acrobat plugin won't let me print from it either; and it keeps crashing unless I use it in an IE Tab. 

     
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  • RICHARD PASCO
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    7. RICHARD PASCO,
    Mar 29, 2012 12:36 AM   in reply to tankueray
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    tankueray wrote:

     

    Richard, do you have any USB devices that are installed as printers but aren't?

    No.  I have a couple of USB printers installed, but usually only one is plugged into the computer (the one I want to print on),  I also have a external USB hard drive or two, but they're not installed as printers.

     
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  • RICHARD PASCO
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    8. RICHARD PASCO,
    Mar 29, 2012 12:41 AM   in reply to tankueray
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    tankueray wrote:

     

    I'm trying to do an install repair....

    I would be surprised if it permanently fixed the problem, although it might make the error go away for a few hours.  But then again, I can achieve that much relief just by rebooting my machine!

     
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