OFF: "Cannot change printers" and Similar Error Messages

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Office 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Office for Windows 95, version 7.0
• Microsoft Access 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Access version 7.0
• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0
• Microsoft PowerPoint 97 for Windows
• Microsoft PowerPoint for Windows 95, version 7.0
• Microsoft Schedule+ for Windows 95, version 7.0
• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Word for Windows 95, version 7.0

SYMPTOMS

When you print from a Microsoft Office for Windows program, you receive one of the following error messages:

   Word
   ----

   Word cannot change printers. No printers are installed.

   -or-

   Word cannot print due to a problem with the current printer setup.

   Microsoft Excel
   ---------------

   There is no printer installed. Use the Printers option in Control
   Panel to install a printer.

   PowerPoint
   ----------

   There is no printer installed.

   -or-

   The printer could not be found.

   Schedule
   --------

   Unable to complete the print operation. There is no default printer.
   Use the Control Panel to select a default printer.

CAUSE

The error messages listed above may occur if one of the following conditions exist:

   You do not have a Win.ini file.

    -or-

   The Devices section of the Win.ini file is missing.

    -or-

   The Devices section of the Win.ini file contains incomplete or incorrect
   information.

WORKAROUND

Method 1: Reinstall the Printer Driver

This will create the required information for the Devices section as well as write the correct entries for the Ports, Printer Ports, and Windows sections in the Win.ini.

Method 2: Correct an Entry in Win.ini

Locate the Win.ini file and correct the Devices section:

1. On the Windows 95 taskbar, click Start and point to Find.

2. Click "Files or Folders."

3. In the Find All Files dialog box, click the Name & Location tab.

4. In the Named box, type "Win.ini" (without the quotation marks).

5. In the Look In box, choose the name of your hard disk.

6. Select the Include Subfolders check box and click Find Now.

7. Right-click the Win.ini file, and click Open.

8. In the Win.ini file, find the [Devices] section.

9. The Devices section should list the friendly name of the printer followed by an equal sign, the driver name, comma, and then the port or network path. If the [Devices] section is missing, add it. The following is a sample [Devices] section:

         [Devices]
         HP LaserJet 4/4M=HPPCL5MS,LPT1:
         HP LaserJet IIISi=HPPCL5MS,\\Server\Sharename
   

Method 3: Create a new Win.ini

If neither Method 1 nor Method 2 resolves your problem, you can create a new Win.ini file with the correct information.

Rename the Win.ini to Win.old, and reinstall Windows 95. Windows 95 detects that you are reinstalling, and a dialog box will appear with the title "Run Setup Again?" The dialog box will give you two options. Select the first option (to restore Windows files that are changed or corrupted) and reinstall Windows 95.

This method recreates a new, complete Win.ini with all of the required sections.

STATUS

Microsoft is researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.