WD2002: Error Message: Word Cannot Print. There Is No Printer Installed (329842)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word 2002

This article was previously published under Q329842

ERROR MESSAGE

When you try to print, you may receive the following error message:
Word cannot print. There is no printer installed.
NOTE: Microsoft Office 2002 has built-in functionality that you can use to get more information about difficult-to-troubleshoot alerts or error messages. If you want to enable this functionality for this and other error messages in Office 2002, download the Office 2002 Customizable Alerts file. To do so, visit the following Microsoft Office Update Web site: NOTE: If you reached this article by clicking the Web Info button in an error message, you already have Customizable Alerts enabled.

THINGS TO TRY

No Default Printer Driver Is Installed

If you do not have a default printer, use the Add Printer Wizard to install one:

NOTE: Because there are several versions of Microsoft Windows, the following steps may be different on your computer. If they are, see your product documentation to complete these steps.
  1. Click Start, and then click Printers and Faxes.
  2. Under Printer Tasks, click Add a printer, and then follow the instructions on the screen to install your default printer driver.
NOTE: If your printer model is not listed in the Manufacturers and Printers boxes, see the Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) for an updated driver. To do so, visit the following Microsoft Web site: If your printer is not on the HCL, contact the printer manufacturer for drivers and instructions.

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There Is a Damaged Entry in the Windows Registry

  1. Click Start, and then click Printers and Faxes.
  2. Double-click Add a Printer.
  3. Click Next.
  4. Click Local printer attached to this computer.
  5. Click to clear the Automatically detect and install my Plug and Play Printer check box.
  6. Click Next.
  7. Click LPT1 port, and then click Next.
  8. In the Manufacturers box, click Generic.
  9. In the Printers box, click Generic/Text Only, and then click Next.
  10. Under Printer Name, type TEST.
  11. Under Do you want to use this printer as the default printer, click YES.
  12. Click Next, and then click Do Not Share this printer.
  13. Click Next, and then click No under Do you want to print a test page.
  14. Click Next, and then click Finish.
  15. In the Printers folder, right-click the Generic/Text Only printer, and then click Set as Default.
  16. Right-click your original printer, and then click Set as Default.
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The Printer Driver Is Damaged and Requires Reinstallation

To complete this procedure, you must have your Microsoft Windows CD-ROM, or the printer driver disk or CD-ROM from the printer manufacturer.
  1. Click Start and then click Printers and Faxes.
  2. Right-click your default printer, and then click Delete. If you prompted to remove extra files left on the system, click Yes.
  3. Under Printer Tasks, click Add a printer, and then follow the instructions on the screen to reinstall your printer driver.
When you reinstall your printer driver, Windows writes the correct entries for the ports, printer ports, and Windows sections in the Win.ini file.

NOTE: If you are on a network, you may have to install the correct printer driver from a network printer share. Contact your network administrator for instructions about how to do so.

There Is a Device Conflict on the Printer Port

If you cannot print to your local printer at all, there may be a device that is conflicting with your computer printer port, or the port may not be turned on. Remove and reinstall the printer port:
  1. Right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
  2. On the Hardware tab, click Device Manager.
  3. Expand Ports (COM & LPT), and then double-click the port that your printer is using.
  4. If the Device status box says that the device is working correctly, you may have some other system problem.
  5. If the Device Status box indicates a problem, click OK, and then click Remove.
  6. Click OK, and then restart your computer.
  7. Click Start, and then click Control Panel. If the Control Panel icons are not displayed, click Switch to Classic View under Control Panel.
  8. Double-click Add Hardware, and wait for Windows to detect the hardware in your computer.
If the port still does not work after you remove and reinstall it, examine the printer cable or the BIOS settings on your computer to make sure that the port is turned on. See your computer documentation for instructions about how to do so.

Files in the Windows Printing Subsystem Are Damaged

You can use the System File Checker tool to scan all protected files and verify their versions:
  1. Click Start, and then click Run.
  2. In the Open box, type sfc /scannow, and then click OK.

    NOTE: This command scans all protected system files and replaces incorrect versions with correct Microsoft versions. You may have to provide access to the Windows installation source files.
For additional information about the System File Checker for Windows XP, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

310747 Description of the Windows System File Checker Tool

There Is a Problem with Your Fax Configuration

If you receive this error message when you try to send a fax, there may be a problem with the way that your fax software is configured. If your fax software is provided by a third-party, view the documentation that is included with the software for information about how to resolve this issue.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about printing problems, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

321611 HOW TO: Troubleshoot Print Failure in Word 2002

304433 WD2000: Troubleshooting Printer Output Issues in Word 2000

128345 HOW TO: Troubleshoot Printing Problems in Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Millennium Edition

243075 How to Troubleshoot Network Printing Problems

163551 Troubleshooting Printing Problems in Windows

291336 WD2002: Part 1: How to Troubleshoot Printing Problems in Word

291344 WD2002: Part 2: How to Troubleshoot Printing Problems in Word

191516 Cannot Print in Windows


Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:11/17/2005
Keywords:kbdownload kberrmsg kbprb kbprint KB329842