After you install Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) on a Windows Vista-based computer, the default printer may change to Microsoft XPS Document Writer. Additionally, when you try to do a print job, you are asked to save the print job as a file.

This problem occurs most frequently if you had set a network printer as the default printer.

Sorry for the backup! My posting software was giving me problems, I think I’ve got it worked out now.

• Vista’s driver ills aren’t just Microsoft’s fault
  There’s plenty of blame to go around.
  (tags: Drivers SP1 )
• Users blast Microsoft over Vista SP1 schedule
  Lots of users, like me, questioning why SP1 can’t be released to technical users, even if it is held back from Windows Update.
  (tags: SP1 )

Keep reading →

Vista is the first OS to include the functionality to backup and restore the print servers in MMC. Keep reading →

When you try to install a network printer on a Windows Vista-based computer, you may receive the following error message:

Windows cannot connect to the printer. Operation could not be completed (error 0×0000000d).

Consider the following scenario. You use a Windows Vista-based computer to print documents on a shared printer that is hosted by a Windows Server 2008-based print server or by a Windows Server 2003-based print server. Additionally, one of the following conditions is true:

• An administrator installed an additional printer on the print server.
• An administrator updated a printer driver for another printer on the print server.
• System files that are used directly by the print drivers, such as unidrv.dll or pscript5.dll, are updated on the print server.

In this scenario, you receive the following message:

To use \\Print_Server\Printer, you need to install the printer driver on your computer and then restart the print job. If you do not recognize or trust the name and location of the printer, do not install the driver.

Also, Driver Update Needed is displayed in the Status field in the Printers folder in Control Panel.

If you click Install driver, and you have administrator user rights, you can continue to print.

You encoutner the following symptoms on the Windows Server 2003 computer or Windows Vista computer:

• When you try to install printer, the add Printer Wizard Hangs.
• The system hangs.
• The printer spooler hangs.

Consider the following scenario:

• You print multiple documents on a Windows Vista-based computer.
• The printer is a Bluetooth printer that uses the Hardcopy Cable Replacement Profile (HCRP) protocol.
• More than one print job is in the print queue.

In this scenario, the second print job and all successive print jobs may fail.

On a computer that runs a 64-bit version of Windows Vista, you install a shared printer. In a Microsoft Office Word 2007 document, you select this shared printer in the Print dialog box to print the document. Then, you receive an error message that resembles the following:

Microsoft Office Word
Word has encountered a problem
Show Help

Therefore, you cannot use this shared computer to print the document.

Note: This problem only occurs if the length of the shared printer name is a specific value.

Consider the following scenario:

• You are running a Windows Vista-based computer.
• You use the Plug and Play service to install a Web Services for Devices (WSD) printer.
• The installation process fails, or it is canceled. However, a WSD-only port is created.

When you try to use the Plug and Play service to install the same WSD printer again in this scenario, you receive the following error message:

Operation could not be completed (error 0×00000643).

Consider the following scenario:

• You have a Windows Vista-based computer that has an XPS printer driver installed.
• On this computer, you print a slide presentation from Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007, from Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003, or from Microsoft PowerPoint 2002.

In this scenario, certain colors in graphics objects in the slide presentation may not be printed as expected.