Question:  I would like to contact the manufacturer of my printer.  I've misplaced the user manual for it.  Can you help me contact them?

Answer:  We're glad to be of help!  Here's a list of the major printer manufacturers, along with their customer service telephone numbers, and links to their websites.  Frequently there is abundant technical information available on printer manufacturer websites that may address a specific problem you might be having.

Hint:  Before you call, make sure you know your printer’s model and serial numbers.   

Question:  I understand that the problem I am having may be due to a "printer driver" issue.  Can you tell me what a printer driver is, and where I can get a new one?

Answer:  A "printer driver" is nothing more than a small program that permits the printer to be able to translate information from the computer's operating system for your specific printer hardware device.  In our experience, the best place to start when looking for a particular printer driver is on a diskette or CD-ROM that came with your printer.  If that's unavailable, or if it doesn't work, the the installation CD-ROM for your Operating System is the next best choice.  Still no success?  Microsoft may have updated drivers for the Operating System you are using.  Check the following URL to see:

http://www.microsoft.com.

You may find it in the "Downloads" section (or elsewhere, as Microsoft frequently revises its site navigation).  Finally, if that's not successful, the manufacturer of your printer may have an updated driver for you.  We found this was often the case back when Windows Me was first released.

When you locate the correct driver, installation is usually either automatic (if you're installing from the printer's installation diskette or your Operating System CD-ROM).  If you're obtaining it from a website, a download will be necessary, and you may need to run an installation program that comes with the driver to install it.  Finally, you'll frequently have to restart your PC before the new software will take effect.

We've found that for some of the very newest laser printers the drivers shipped with them (as well as the default Windows drivers) are not yet solid enough to print complex forms accurately.  Usually the solution to this problem is to use an older printer driver from the same manufacturer that approximates the basic functionality of the printer you are using.  

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