Cannot set a default printer in Vista

[marvml33]

I am running Visa Home Premium and all of a sudden I cannot set a default printer.

I am not sure of when this happened but I think perhaps after I installed Service Pack One. I cannot print from programs like Windows Photo Gallery that don't pop up the print window where I can select a printer, giving me a message that no printer is installed.

Instead of a check mark next to the printer I want as my default there is a tiny icon with what looks like two
people. I have reinstalled the printer to no avail. Any ideas?

[gtd]

What's the brand and the reference of your printer ?

Could you provide some screenshots ?

[marvml33]

The printer is a HP Photosmart C4280 All-in-one.

I have tried to attach two screet captures. One the error message and two the Printer screen from the Control Panel. As you can see I even tried to install a second verion of the printer.

Marvml33

[gtd]

It's weird, this icon diplaying two people means your printer is shared.

How do you install your printer ? Are you using the control panel ?

[marvml33]

I do have the printer shared with my notebook through my wireless network and am not having the same print problems. I installed my printer using the cd that came with it. I have been using the printer section of the control panel to try and set the printer as the default. Is that what you mean by using the control panel?

Thanks for your interest in my problem.

Marv

[jermaghs07]

did this happen right after you installed service pack 1?

you might try uninstalling SP1 and see if it is just a problem with the update.

[jermaghs07]

Service packs are known to be full of faults and glitches. this is why most people wait for about 6 months to install the newest service pack. i installed SP3 for xp and it was so glitchy that i had to completely remove it.

[marvml33]

Thanks for the suggestion about uninstalling Vista Sv Pack one. I really think the proplem started before that but if nobody can come up with anything else then as a last resort I will try that. Appreciate your interest in my problem.

[jermaghs07]

If you think it happened before the installation of SP1 then you should uninstall your printer, then instead of using the CD to install the printer. Go into your Control pannel select printers and select add a printer then when it asks you what kind of printer it is you should be able to select browse. at that point you should insert the driver disk that came with the printer and the select your CD drive as the browse target.

if that is a little confusing let me know sometimes i get a little carried away.

[gtd]

What I meant by "using the control panel" is indeed what jermaghs07 mentioned in his post.

What's more, is there a yellow question mark beside your printer in the device manager ?

[jermaghs07]

i know you had suggested it earlier but i was just trying to expand upon that and give him a little more detail.

not trying to steal your thunder....

[gtd]

The previous message was not intended to you, in any way...

I have read it again and I don't see why you may have thought it was against you.

Any way, keep us posted about your problem marvml33.

[jermaghs07]

Sorry... i think i came off a little rude earlier i wasn't trying to imply that you were against me i was just explaining that i was expanding on your idea so that you didn't think i was trying to steal your explanation and pawn it off as my own. just giving credit where credit was due, that's all.

i just don't want to be one of those posters that just repeats what everyone else has already said.

[gtd]

No problem here :)

[jermaghs07]

ok col