What do XP printer drivers look like, and where are they located?

[Nomen]

This pertains to XP-pro 32 bit, SP3. Task Manager shows 15 running processes in total (from all users) when system boots up and desktop is ready.

I've run some sort of general purpose install package for a new printer (Samsung C410W) which is connected via ethernet on the local lan.

After installing the Samsung software, I bring up start, settings, printers and faxes, right-click on the printer, select properties, which spawns a "Samsung C410 Series Properties" window. I click the "print a test page" button. A new window opens:

-------------------------

Samsung C410 series

Internet Connection Usage Agreement

Samsung software may log user interactions and use your IP address and internet connection to transmt data for software updates, troubleshoting problems and to provide improved customer support. The data transmitted to Samsung shall be used in an anonymous and/or aggregate form and may be transferred to a Samsung entity located overseas. Click the link below to review or change the settings that customizes how your internet connection may be used.

( ) I have reviewed and accept the terms of the agreement

[ok]

-------------------------

Three web-looking links are visible in the window. Two of them spawn a browser to access web content, the third (click here for setup options) opens another window, allowing me to de-select any of the following:

- toublehooting system via web content

- samsung product improvement study

- smart update

Even if all 3 are de-selected, I can't leave the Internet connection usage agreement screen without accepting the terms. I can't close it - I can't even find it running with taskmanager, nor with sys internals process explorer.

I refuse to agree to the terms of the agreement, so I don't check the agreement box.

Watching task manager when I bring up printer properties and try to print test page shows no change. I see no new process pop up that I can kill.

The print spooler says there's a page spooling in the queue, but I can't force it to print. If I try to cancel the job, the print job status changes to "Deleting" and remains stuck in that status. If I stop the print spooler service, the Samsung Internet Connection Usage Agreement window remains on-screen.

There are 3 SVCHOST processes running, and I can kill them one at a time (killing one of them will spawn a small window with the title "System Shutdown" but the system remains running as I kill the other SVCHOST processes). Even with the three SVCHOST processes killed, the Samsung permissions window is still there. The system remains in this state for about 30 seconds before it goes to black screen and restarts.

So I want to uninstall all this Samsung crapware, but I first want to grab whatever files constitutes the "driver" for this printer and put them somewhere so I can put them back later, and hopefully I won't have to deal with the spyware that Samsung has somehow built into their driver.

Any ideas?

[Kelsenellenelvian]

Might as well look for a new printer and take that one back.

[Guest]

Have to agree with Kelsenellenelvian as far as taking that one back.  The best solution I've found is to find a printer whose drivers are already included with Windows.  No third-party crapware, whatsoever. 

I'm still using a 14-year-old printer/scanner combo (networked HP OfficeJet g55).  It's not terribly fast or capable of photo printing, but it does what I need without bloat.  It's still supported in Windows 7, including "advanced" features like double-sided printing.  Scanning is done from within a web browser window, surprisingly with the latest Java 7 update installed (originally developed for MSJava which was discontinued in XP SP1a).

Edited December 21, 2014 by 5eraph

[pangoomis]

Whoever installs extra drivers for their printers (that is, anything else than the *.inf) is making their computer miserable.

The only time you might want such thing, is to check the toner/ink level...not much else...

I have a HP Deskjet F2290, that has builtin drivers in Win7, and a Brother HL-1112E, which I only install the *.inf file, works flawlessly.

 

So in you case, try to find the folder with the *.inf file, and install it manually via Device Manager.