win7 Resolving 'Device needs troubleshooting'

[cbrookhart]

The other day, I went to print something from Word only to find that my documents would not print. They were being held in the print queue. Somehow, my printer had been removed from the device and printers area in Windows. I didn't delete, so I don't know how it got removed. I got the printer restored, but I noticed that in the devices and printers area, the device was showing a status of needing troubleshooting. This device is my computer. I went through the Windows troubleshooting, and what i noticed was that it was attempting to troubleshoot the printer because it was disabling and enabling the printer.

Now when I run the troubleshooter, it stops on Cisco AnyConnect Virtual VPN and prompts to enable this. This was something that I used to connect to a remote computer for a school course, but have not used it since.

The printer works fine and the computer also works. I am trying to determine what exactly Windows thinks the problem is with the computer.

I noticed that when I click the device, it shows information about documents in the print queue. I have noticed this before, but am wondering if this is the way it is supposed to be.

[BeerFan]

Windows is seeing the disabled VPN connection and prompting you to enable it... it just thinks the disabled VPN connection is a problem. If you don't use that anymore, you can safely remove it entirely, and Windows should no longer prompt you to enable it.

Also, i notice that there is a "(copy 1)" next to your HP OfficeJet. If you have duplicate entries for 1 printer, it can be very easy to select the wrong one when you print a document, thereby filling up the print queue of an inactive device. Might want to get rid of the duplicate, if present. (Y)

[cork1958]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Yepper!! See above. :)

[cbrookhart]

I should have made the screenshot when I first started the troubleshooting, because it was going through the printer troubleshooting steps to fix a problem with a device (my computer). Why does the device show information about documents in the print queue? Why does the disabled VPN create a conflict? I spent 4 hours on a chat with HP being transferred between printer and laptop support, and they couldn't really provide an answer.

I cannot remove the copy 1 from the name because Windows thinks there is another printer with the same name. There is no other printer installed on the computer, so I guess I'm stuck with the copy1 in the printer name.

[BeerFan]

Windows 7 sees any disabled device as a "problem". For example, i have 2 NICs in my PC. If I disable 1 of them, then run the troubleshooter, it will detect the disabled NIC as a problem, and prompt me to enable it. If you want that "problem" to go away, either delete the VPN connection, or enable it. Or, do what i do and just ignore it.

Don't just try to rename the printer device. Instead, disconnect it from your PC, and then remove every installed printer in your device list. (Right-click and select Remove device) If your asked whether or not to delete the driver files, go ahead and choose to delete them. You want to start fresh. Reboot, reconnect the device, and install new drivers. (Y)