# Cannot install *any* PDF creator printer



## nickatbristol (Jan 7, 2010)

Hello all

Very peculiar problem.

- Newly rebuild Windows XP machine from an n-lite slipstreamed SP3 genuine disk OEM with geniune key (good specs - X2, 2GB RAM, 500GB HD etc)
- SP3 + all updates
- AVG Antivirus
...nothing else of note running

1. Installing PDFCREATOR: Installation completes with errors. Application is installed by the printer is not installed in the Printers and Faxes part of control panel = no use

2. PrimoPDF: Installation fails with errors at the last stage

3. CUtePDF: Installation times out

4. PDF995: Seems to install, but it laden with shareware popups and costs ~$50

--

I plugged in a real HP printer, and with the HP driver pack from the website successfully installed and printed a test page.

-

I have tried:

- checking services - print spooler is running
- reinstalling, uninstalling and reinstalling all of the above programs
- removing all \system32\drivers\printer items and also registry-related things
- reimage.com repair

I am close to conceding defeat. I am an IT admin and the smallest thing here is defeating me. I have wasted 2-3 hours of IT time, which is colossal in this business on such a small thing!

Please help me out TSF - assume I have tried most things obvious...

Many thanks in advance,

Nick


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## nickatbristol (Jan 7, 2010)

log file:

Printerstatus before installing:
Spooler service: is running
Printermonitors [4]:
Standard TCP/IP Port
PDF995 Monitor
Local Port
CutePDF Writer Monitor

Printerports [13]:
USB001
DOT4_001
PDF995PORT
COM1:
COM2:
COM3:
COM4:
FILE:
LPT1:
LPT2:
LPT3:
XPSPort:
CPW2:

Printerdrivers (Windows 4.0) [0]:

Printerdrivers (Windows NT x86) [6]:
PrimoPDF
PDFCreator
PDF995 Printer Driver
Microsoft XPS Document Writer
HP Deskjet 6940 series
CutePDF Writer

Printerdrivers (Windows x64) [0]:

Printerdrivers (Windows IA64) [0]:

Printerdrivers (Windows NT Alpha_AXP) [0]:

Printers [0]:

Printerdriver-Directory (Environment: Windows 4.0):
Result: Success = C:\WINDOWS\System32\spool\DRIVERS\WIN40

Printerdriver-Directory (Environment: Windows NT x86):
Result: Success = C:\WINDOWS\System32\spool\DRIVERS\W32X86

InstallMonitor:
Monitorname : PDFCreator
Environment : Windows NT x86
Result: Success

Install printerport:
Portname : PDFCreator:
Result: Success

Install printerdriver for Win2kXP2k3 (32bit):
Drivername : PDFCreator
Environment : Windows NT x86
Result: Success

InstallPrinter:
Printername: PDFCreator
Drivername : PDFCreator
Portname : PDFCreator:
Result: Error 1801 = The printer name is invalid

Printerstatus after installing:
Spooler service: is running
Printermonitors [5]:
PDFCreator
Standard TCP/IP Port
PDF995 Monitor
Local Port
CutePDF Writer Monitor

Printerports [14]:
PDFCreator:
USB001
DOT4_001
PDF995PORT
COM1:
COM2:
COM3:
COM4:
FILE:
LPT1:
LPT2:
LPT3:
XPSPort:
CPW2:

Printerdrivers (Windows 4.0) [0]:

Printerdrivers (Windows NT x86) [6]:
PrimoPDF
PDFCreator
PDF995 Printer Driver
Microsoft XPS Document Writer
HP Deskjet 6940 series
CutePDF Writer

Printerdrivers (Windows x64) [0]:

Printerdrivers (Windows IA64) [0]:

Printerdrivers (Windows NT Alpha_AXP) [0]:

Printers [0]:

--------------------------------------

Windowsversion: 5.01.2600
WinDir: C:\WINDOWS
Win64: false
ProcessorArchitecture: X86
.Net 1.1: true
.Net 1.1 regasm.exe:C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\RegAsm.exe
SystemDir: C:\WINDOWS\system32
TempDir: C:\DOCUME~1\NEWUSE~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\
CurrentDir: C:\WINDOWS\system32
Computername: PC-398B61909D93
Username: new user
UILanguage: 1033
Internet Explorer version: 8.0.6001.18702
Path: C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\Program Files\QuickTime\QTSystem\
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Wbem\framedyn.dll: found
framedyn.dll: found in path
Environment:
=::=::\
ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\All Users
APPDATA=C:\Documents and Settings\new user\Application Data
asl.log=Destination=file;OnFirstLog=command,environment
CLASSPATH=.;C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\lib\ext\QTJava.zip
CommonProgramFiles=C:\Program Files\Common Files
COMPUTERNAME=PC-398B61909D93
ComSpec=C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe
FP_NO_HOST_CHECK=NO
HOMEDRIVE=C:
HOMEPATH=\Documents and Settings\new user
LOGONSERVER=\\PC-398B61909D93
NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS=2
OS=Windows_NT
Path=C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\Program Files\QuickTime\QTSystem\
PATHEXT=.COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH
PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE=x86
PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER=x86 Family 16 Model 2 Stepping 3, AuthenticAMD
PROCESSOR_LEVEL=16
PROCESSOR_REVISION=0203
ProgramFiles=C:\Program Files
QTJAVA=C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\lib\ext\QTJava.zip
SESSIONNAME=Console
SystemDrive=C:
SystemRoot=C:\WINDOWS
TEMP=C:\DOCUME~1\NEWUSE~1\LOCALS~1\Temp
TMP=C:\DOCUME~1\NEWUSE~1\LOCALS~1\Temp
USERDOMAIN=PC-398B61909D93
USERNAME=new user
USERPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\new user
windir=C:\WINDOWS


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## nickatbristol (Jan 7, 2010)

Thanks for your help you sent over, in the end this was the fix/workaround:

The fix was...

1. Install PDFCreator program, even with the errors
2. Add Printer -> Local Printer (uncheck detect P&P) -> specify the PDFCreator port and GS8.71 Driver by hand in c:\program files\pdfcreator\gs8.71

it was only the actual final stage of linking the port + software together into a real printer that was automatically not working.

I think the route cause was maybe my slipstreamed SP3 Nlite XP which might have been too restrictive on system files/services!


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## Arca1234 (Jun 11, 2010)

Good that you got it sorted out.
[email protected]


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