So while trying to install a printer this week, I was getting this error message on SBS 2003: “Unable to install printer. Operation could not complete.”
The printer was an HP OfficeJet 8000 (not my idea). I stay away from HP printers due to their total incompetence to make good drivers for their lower end printers. I’ve spent to much time fixing their problems.
I had all the latest print drivers, and I was installing it using a TCP/IP port (network printer).
I tried several times… Deleted drivers, etc each time. The fix? Restart the print spooler and try again. Go to services.msc, find the print spooler, and right click and hit “restart.” Did the trick for me!
When printing from Internet Explorer in Protected Mode, you may find that Internet Explorer locks up. After, or possibly even before, you kill the Internet Explorer process, you receive the following error:
IE Protected Mode Error
A website wants to open web content using a program on this computer? What does that have to do with printing?
Well, thanks to several blogs, I pieced together that it is due to the fact that my paraticular printer (a HP LaserJet P1505n) is trying to open the HP print monitor when you print. Since IE is in protected mode, it blocks that (as it should).
My solution was a little ugly, but it works! I renamed the HP1006MC.exe file referenced in the error to HP1006MC.exeOLD. I noticed that there is an option to disable printer status alerts in the print properties, but since this is a network pritner, I didn’t have the option to change that.
…Back to printing!
UPDATE
Ok, for some reason I didn’t even think to try checking the box “Do not show me the warning for this program again.” Do that and click “Allow” and that should solve your problem! :) Some things aren’t as complicated as they seem!
Luke
