Solved HP Deskjet 3050 won't print spreadsheet

I have two HP Deskjet 3050 printers; one on main machine with Win7 Ult, and the other on backup machine with Win8 Pro OEM. I am running MS Office 2010 on both machines.

I have files with XL Spreadsheets created from MS Office 2003, 2007 and 2010.

All versions of all XL spreadsheet files can be printed on both W7 and also on Vista, (prior to replacing it with W8).

W8 has the following problem:

1. All older version spreadsheets, (Excel 2003 & 2007), on W8 can be printed OK.

2. All new Excel 2010 spreadsheets created on W8 can be printed OK.

3. All existing Excel 2010 spreadsheets created on either Win7 or Vista by MS Office 2010, will not print on Win8.

When print preview is opened in the spreadsheet, it shows the section of the spreadsheet to be printed. If "Print" is clicked, a small window momentarily appears on the screen showing the print instruction has been sent to the printer.

In the "What's being printed" window, (found in Control Panel > Devices and Printers > What's being printed), the job is listed as queued to be printed, but nothing happens.

After 3 or 4 seconds, the queued job disappears from the "What's being printed" window.

I've discussed this with Hewlett Packhard, and spent an hour or more with them trying to trouble shoot it to no avail. HP believe it is an incompatibility issue with W8, and asked me to take it up with Microsoft , and also with this forum.

Has anyone experienced a similar problem and found a work around?

Update: The problem appears to be a security/compatibility issue.

1. Create a new Excel spreadsheet in Windows 7 using MS Office 2010

2. Open it in either Windows 7 or 8. Then click: File > Check for Issues > Click: Inspect Docment.


3. As a result of the inpsection, the following identical problems are shown in both Windows 7 & 8.


4. With this information left intact the document can be printed in Windows 7 but not in Windows 8.

5. In Windows 8, when attempting to print it, no error message comes up. However, it shows the document queued to be printed, in: Control Panel > Deskjet Printer > See what's printing. However, after 4 or 5 seconds, the item disappears from the queue.

6. If the data is removed completely, the document prints OK in Windows 8.

As I have large numbers of such Excel files I will have to manually change every one of them to print successfully on Windows 8; and this is impractical.

I tried to talk to Microsoft Australia by phone but they said if the job was sent to the printer and was queued, there was nothing wrong in W8, and would not discuss it any further.

Does anyone know how I can get in touch with Microsoft to report the problem in full detail to them?

Have now been able to have an online session with a senior Microsoft Australia techo, where he took control of my computer.

After considerable investigation he agreed there is an issue with Excel in Office 2010 on Windows 8, and said it will be reported to the Microsoft Research and Development team for a patch to be made. Not sure how long before it eventuates.

Once I can get that I'll start using W8 as my flagship.

Thanks for this post - finally some clue as to why Office 2010 does not work with Windows 8 when you go to print. I was told that the new drivers would be out in early November and now it is mid November and nothing yet!

I followed your steps - only I would add to make sure you click on the INSPECT button to start the process when that window opens.

Everything went well until I tested a print - it still does not work! Drats!

What is annoying is that the error message comes up and says there is an error on my networked printer - it does not say that the problem is between Windows 8 and Office 2010.

It could be that your solution worked on an HP printer and not on a XEROX Phaser 6180. Any other ideas?

Richard
Milton Ontario Canada

rlaughton said:

Thanks for this post - finally some clue as to why Office 2010 does not work with Windows 8 when you go to print. I was told that the new drivers would be out in early November and now it is mid November and nothing yet!

I followed your steps - only I would add to make sure you click on the INSPECT button to start the process when that window opens.

Everything went well until I tested a print - it still does not work! Drats!

What is annoying is that the error message comes up and says there is an error on my networked printer - it does not say that the problem is between Windows 8 and Office 2010.

It could be that your solution worked on an HP printer and not on a XEROX Phaser 6180. Any other ideas?

Richard
Milton Ontario Canada

Click to expand...

Hi Richard, and welcome to Windows 8 forum. thanks for the heads up. I have now amended my post to show: click: Inspect

Unfortunately I don't have any new info. Can you print an Excel or Word doco that has been newly created in Office on 2010?

If you can, the other alternative is to copy/paste the entire contents of your doco created in Windows 7 to the newly created doco in W8. Use paste special and also paste Formulas and Format. That works for me. The only glitch is it won't paste correctly if you simply past straight into the new doco when you have first opened it. You have to first save/close the newly created doco. Then re-open it and it wil then paste OK and print OK on my set up at least. So its a bit squiffy!

The irony is that Excel or Word docos created in W8 will print in Windows 7. So W7 is forward compatible, but W8 is not backward compatible, at least not for Excel although it is for Word.

Sorry I can't be more helpful.

Don't know where is your problem but my old Excel 2010 spreadsheet print well on my Xerox M20 and my Brother MFC-9320cw

Mustang:

I tried that - no luck!

Here is the message I get if I created a new WORD document in Office 2010 and try to print it in Windows 8:

This error can appear if a default printer has not been designated or if the application is unable to locate an existing default printer. To correct this problem, try one of the following in Microsoft Windows:If a printer or printer settings is not available after you click the File tab, and then click Print, add a printer.
If the application cannot find an existing printer that is already installed, set the printer as the default printer.
If a default printer is installed but the application is unable to use it, uninstall the printer driver, and then install the latest version of the printer driver.
If the printer is on a print server, make sure the printer is available, the network is functioning, the server is not stalled, the printer is not out of paper, or the printer is not suspended by the administrator. Printing issues associated with a network printer are best handled by your local network administrator.
For more information about setting up and troubleshooting printer connections, see Windows Help and Support. (Click the Start button, and then click Help and Support.)


And if I repeat the same process in EXCEL I get a much different message:

This error can be caused by:
General problems: The printer may be unavailable, the network may be down, the communication port to the printer may be corrupt or unavailable, a hardware error at the computer may have occurred (out of paper, paper jam, out of ink, out of toner, etc), and a language setting may need to be reset from the Regional Options control panel.
Local problems: There are several reasons for a local printer (a printer that is attached directly to your computer) to fail:
Check to make sure the printer has paper, ink, and/or toner and check the cables.
If the printer appears to be functional and a printer test by the printer itself indicates the printer is working properly, then check the cables, printer port from the computer, and configuration of the printer at the computer.
Occasionally, an application can develop a conflict with the printer driver and cause a memory leak which corrupts the printer port. If all else fails, restart the computer, recycle the power to the printer, and try printing again.
Occasionally it is even necessary to delete the printer driver and reinstall the latest version of the printer driver.
Network problems: There are various reasons for a network printer to be inaccessible: the name may have changed, it may be out of paper, out of ink, out of toner, down for maintenance, the network could be down, or a printer job previous to yours has stalled due to incorrect settings on the user's computer who last submitted a print job, or even your printer driver cannot communicate correctly with the printer. Network related printer failures are usually best handled by your local technical support.
Memory problems:On occasion, large print jobs with complex graphics or consisting of several hundred pages, which can consume large quantities of memory on the printer, may cause a problem (especially if there was an over run of memory at the printer). You may want to try reducing the amount of complex graphics in your print job, or break the print job up into smaller segments and see if that corrects your problem. It is not uncommon for a very complex graphic to have a defect or error which prevents it from printing on any printer. It may be necessary to load new or revised graphic converters or drivers in order to alleviate a problem of this type.
For more information about fixing problems related to printing, see Microsoft Windows Help and Support. (Click the Start button, and then click Help and Support.)

All of us that are having this problem know that there is no problem with our printer or our network, as everything works fine except OFFICE 2010 documents. I hope we get a solution soon!!

Richard