Vertical Markets
HID Global Fargo Support Printing Tips
Problem:
Windows 7 Listing Printer Driver as “Unspecified” for Persona C30e, DTC400e, DTC550, DTC1000, DTC4000, DTC4500 & HDP5000 ID Card Printers
Solution:
The problem of Windows 7 putting a printer driver under “unspecified” happens when a printer is connected to a laptop PC prior to the installation program asking for that connection to be made. Because Windows 7 will remember the serial number of the printer, it is not possible to simply un-install the driver and then install it properly.
The following are 2 solutions:
1) Do not try to get a proper installation of this particular printer onto this particular laptop, and find a different laptop to install the printer on, or use that laptop, but install a different printer onto it.
2) Follow the instructions below.
Instructions For Installing A Fargo Card Printer On A 64 Bit Windows 7 PC After Failing To Read The Install Instructions Before Connecting The USB Cable
When the USB cable is connected prior to starting the driver install, Windows will assign the printer to a generic device driver and it will be listed as an Unknown or Unspecified device in the Devices and Printers window. Anytime thereafter Windows will recognize the printer based on its serial number and reassign it to the generic driver.
(This will probably work on a Vista 64 bit system also and Windows Vista/7 32 bit also)
To install your card printer you must first install the printer driver as a networked printer driver. When installing the driver you can generally use the default settings except for the install screen below. On this page of the installation you need to select “Network Connection (Ethernet)” and then in the “Enter the IP Address of the Printer” box, enter a bogus IP address of “169.254.1.1” (without the quotes) and click “Next”. Continue to the completion of the Driver Install.
When the driver installation has completed, you can connect your printer to your computer’s USB port. Windows will detect the printer and begin searching for a compatible printer driver. In the window that indicates that Windows is searching for a driver, you can click cancel. Eventually Windows should display a window indicating that the driver was not successful installed. Click the “Close” button.
Next, open the Devices and Printers window. (Click the Windows “Start” button and select “Device and Printers”). The Device and Printers window will look something like the following image. Note that the Printer is listed in the Printers and Faxes section. This indicates that the card printer has been successful installed. Note that the card printer is listed in the Unspecified section, indicating that the driver was not successfully installed.
Right click on the Card Printer icon in the Unspecified section and select “Properties”
In the Printer Properties window, click the “Change Settings” button in the lower left corner.
In the Change Settings screen, click the “Update Driver” button.
Then select the “Browse my computer for driver software”
Select “Let me pick from a list of devices on my computer” and then click the “Next” button.
Scroll down the list of device types and choose “Printers”
On the left select “Fargo Electronics Inc.”, On the right select your card printer. Then click the “Next” button.
In the Update Driver Warning window, click the “Yes” button.
When the following window appears click the “Close” button.
Open the Devices and Printers window and notice that there is an additional icon for your card printer named “(printer name) Card Printer (Copy 1)” This printer instance will print to your card printer. Notice also the Unspecified section of the Devices and Printers is no longer displayed.
Right click on the “(printer name) Card Printer (Copy 1)” icon and select Printer Properties from the list.
In the Printer Properties window you can rename the printer to “(printer name) Card Printer” (type the new name in the top text box, (highlighted in blue)).
The printer icon is now displayed in the Devices and Printers
Window.
Next in the Devices and Printers window, Right Click on the Card Printer icon and select “Remove device”
Click Yes to remove the card printer.
Your card printer is now ready to print.
These instructions work for the following Fargo ID card printers:
