What Are the Filenames of the Printer Drivers For the Pixma Pro 200?

[baumgrenze]

I received my Canon Pixma Pro 200 color printer on 6/5/23. I am using a 2 m USB cable. Previously I successfully printed a few files using the same cable.

Today I tried to print a page of text. I briefly saw the unhelpful message "the printer cannot print (file name)" followed by the more permanent message "The printer is not responding."

As a starting point I would like to know the filenames of the drivers that must be available for the Pixma Pro 200 to function. I use ZTreeWin as my file manager. I know it will allow me to establish if they are all on my system drive (Windows10/Pro x64.) I tried the Canon way to download and install them and it didn't work. I know that without the drivers the printer will not work.

Windows 10/Pro x64. OS 22H2 (OS Build 19045.3324).

thanks
baumgrenze

 

[kdsdata]

Hello @baumgrenze, This may be a redundant question, but have you downloaded the latest software for your printer from Canon. I have a Pro-100, and I started having all sort of issues when I was still running Windows 8.1.

When I switched to Windows 10 22H2, the Windows driver were not sufficient. I was very disappointed with Windows 10. I thought Oh NO, I am going to continue have problems with the printer.

Then I downloaded the latest driver software from Canon, and the software set up the printer just fine. I access my printer via WiFi, but for the first install I had to connect a USB cable to the printer to enable the printer for WiFi.

In the Canon install module you have the option of just staying with a USB cable to the printer.

BTW, the 2 m USB cable should not be a problem, IF, and it is that if that's important, if you have a good quality cable. Make sure you have a good quality cable. I have one in operation that's 110 m (30ft), it has caused no problems. A thin cable may be cheaper, but I would not buy one of those for 10 m. Although you don't need the "power" side of the cable, if you buy a, say, 10 m "power and data" cable, you can usually go longer distanced.

Hope this help, kdsdata.

 

[baumgrenze]

Thank you kdsdata

The install hangs at the Printer Connection screen. The printer is on. The software is aware that it is connected by a USB cable. This cable worked with this printer before, now it does not. The 'help' for troubleshooting has these instructions:

If you cannot proceed beyond the Printer Connection screen, check the following.

Check1 Make sure USB cable is securely plugged in to printer and computer.

Connect the printer and the computer using a USB cable as the illustration below. The USB port is located at the back of the printer.



Important

For macOS, make sure the lock icon is on the lower left of the Printers & Scanners screen.

If the icon (locked) is displayed, click the icon to unlock. (The administrator name and the password are necessary to unlock.)

Unplug USB cable from printer and computer and connect it again.

Make sure no printer operation is in progress and turn off.

Turn on printer.

Check3 If you cannot resolve problem, follow procedure below to reinstall printer driver.

Finish setup

Turn off printer.

Restart computer.

Make sure you have no application software running.

Click here and perform setup.

My Comments and My Experience

The machine is a Windows 10 PC not a Mac.

The setup recognized that I am using a USB cable.

The Check2 section says to turn on the printer. It never asked me to turn it off. Mine is running because the install instructions asked me to turn it on.

Check3 says to 'finish the setup' but I cannot because it is stuck.

Catch 22 Captain Yossarian.

thanks
baumgrenze

 

[kdsdata]

Ouch. This gets into some tricky stuff, and the totally off the cuff advice. A couple of things I might try.

First, you might have already attempted this, unplugging and re-plugging the USB cable while it hangs, but wait, say 20 sec, between each step. Or unplug the printer, reboot, run the install software, and plug in the printer when requested.

Second (part a), find a program like I use. Mine is called "Total Uninstall". I love it to keep my system from becoming clogged with uninstalled software/programs/drivers that don't actually uninstall their files or settings. It may be against forum rules, so please excuse, I "highly recommend it" (it's not free, and I don't get anything for the recommendation).

It works by monitoring "installs" (it interrupts and asks if you want to monitor), then when you need to do an uninstall of some software it handles all the deletes to remove that often well intentioned trash that the Windows uninstall leaves behind. I say well intentioned, because a lot of time the left overs are left behind "just" in case you want to reinstall the software/program/driver. Too often such a reinstall then uses data or files from those left overs. And that is what more than not can give you the problems that you may be facing.

Importantly, the program also does some clean up during uninstalling software/drivers, etc. that were installed without having been monitored, such as software that was already installed prior to using TU. I need say "some", because I can't confirm how much.

Why do I use a program like TU? I understand that a CANON "install" is one of those packages that does a lot of extra stuff then just simply install drivers. There are all sorts of supplies management, printer status and network monitoring, and other utility software modules that get installed along with basic printer driver. As a developer (retired) myself, I dare say that an uninstall of such a package never cleans up everything. There is no incentive to do so (that is a totally different subject). But a reinstall, or version upgrade, can then get lost in its own good intentions. And yes, I am speaking from my own experiences.

Second (part b). Without TU, to remove the installed drivers, you need to go into the "Control Panel", "Device Manager" (not "Printers and Devices"), and under "Print Queues" find your printer. At the easiest, right click and uninstall the driver (under "Printers" don't uninstall what is there; it support your other Microsoft devices). Restart the computer, and try the CANON reinstall. Start with the printer unplugged until the program tells you to plug in. That "might" work, but I am not inclined to give it much hope.

In either case part a or b, when that didn't work for me, and yes I have been there, I finally resorted to reinstall Windows. I know, I know, that that is not a pretty picture. But I have also been in the situation where I literally spent a day or two troubleshooting, only to then resort to a clean Windows install. I ran into this when I switched from a wired network to WiFi.

Anyway, as soon as I had a clean Windows install I ran the CANON install program and had good success. The Windows and printer install was no real issue, but of course the other software and settings do take many hours.

To overcome the time-consuming situation of a Windows reinstall I did find a way that now saves me lots of time. At each step of a rebuild of this nature I now use a utility called "AOMEI Backupper" (it's free, and I don't get anything for the recommendation). The free (simple) version is very adequate for a home user. Again, sorry if it's against forum rules. AOMEI Backupper creates a full "backup", also called "ghost", of the system drives. What does that mean? It means that when I run into a situation like the subject of these discussions I can simply "recover" with a recent "backup". I then have a totally clean system from the time of the backup, to try new things with the system.

I apologize if this got a bit more involved than any advice you might be looking for, but I hope that it might help you in some way.

All the Best, kdsdata

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

I just can confirm that the (free) AOMEI Backupper does the job, it's pretty easy to use . But a backup created with the free version cannot be used to migrate a Windows system to another drive, such actions like mirroring and migrating can only be done with the full version. But you might use other backup programs at your convenience - the important point is - just do backups on a regular base - regardless which software you are using

 

[kdsdata]

I concur. The free version is only useful for your "one" computer. But it's great for that. I hadn't meant it for more complicated jobs. If I needed that, or more so "when" I need that, I would be inclined to purchase the pro version, because AOMEI does a good job. It seems a very robust piece of software.