I have a fairly new PC running Windows XP Professional and a Canon BJC-5100 inkjet printer. Canon has not written a Windows XP driver for my model of printer. However, on the internet I found a site on how to use the Windows 2000 drivers in Windows XP. After following the instructions at the site to install the driver the printer still does not work. When attempting to print, a print job is spooled, but there does not appear to be any data sent to the printer (connected via the parallel port). The file remains in the spooler until it times out and is deleted. If I change the port to which the printer is connected, to COM1 (to which my modem is connected) the data light on the modem flashes, indicating that data is being sent. The person who built the PC for me connected a HP laser jet to the parallel port and it auto detected using Plug and Play and printed okay, indicating that the parallel port actually works sometimes. What can I do now?

As the parallel port works with another printer, we can assume that the problem is still with the drivers. After reading the website which you forwarded me, with the procedure you followed in the attempt to install the drivers, I noticed that there are two scenarios on the page: one if you have the printer connected, and another if you do not have the printer connected. Perhaps you should try turning off your computer, unplugging the printer and then attempt the procedure you previously tried, again. However, this time when you come to the stage in the instructions about detecting the printer, follow the instructions for where the printer is not connected to the computer.

As I don’t have this model of printer, I was unable to test run other ideas on how to get the printer working. However, a search of the internet has shown that there are several different ways to approach installing the Windows 2000 drivers under Windows XP (which ones work, I don’t know!). But I will cover one of these here. Be aware that I have not been able to try out this suggestion, so I do not know what effect it will have. Proceed at your own risk. This suggestion requires you to download the Windows 2000 BJC-5100 drivers from the Canon website (www.canon.com.au) - if you have not already done so when attempting the procedure you tried. Once you have done this, turn off the computer and then physically unplug the printer from your computer. This is an important point, as it is the key for this procedure. Now turn on your computer and uninstall any previous BJC-5100 drivers you have installed. Finally, install the downloaded drivers by going to the ‘Printers and Faxes’ control panel and add a new printer. When the wizard is running to install your printer, make sure that you do not select the option to automatically detect the printer. Also, when the wizard asks you to install the printer software click ‘Have Disk’ and navigate to where the drivers have been extracted and select OEMSETUP.INF. After the drivers have installed, go through the routine of switching off the computer before plugging in your printer.