Computers and printer problems, enough already

Printer errors and slow computers…very common problem for many users lately. I have seen folks not only calling that their systems are slow, but they are getting odd errors too. For the most part, we can remove the problematic printer issues to make the system faster and get rid of the errors, but let’s review a few things for you folks.

All printers install HUGE software programs with the printer. So understand this, you go out and buy a new HP or Canon printer. You put in the disk and the install isn’t difficult, but you have to babysit it for almost 45 minutes! How annoying! Next up, the printer installs fine, works like a charm, but you can’t figure out how to scan/fax/etc because the software is not easy to understand.

Question…are you buying an all in one printer to save money or because you need all of those functions? I am highly recommending the following:

If you just need a printer, shop around. Buy something affordable, ink is cheap to replace and won’t cost you a bundle to get repaired. Usually a home user can get away with a $75 dollar printer. Our rates to fix a printer is the standard $75, so trust me…I don’t put too much time into troubleshooting a cheap printer!

To save you problems, if you don’t need the fancy software, skip installing it. Just plug the printer in the computer and then do a “add a printer” function and hopefully your comptuer will find it automatically (most do, especially the newer ones).

What does Call That Girl have for printers? haha…Ask my interns, I don’t allow printing! They get antsy and irritated I think, but that makes them do things electronically…save and share files. I have found too many scrap print jobs in my day to know that printing is not necessary for everyday things. We do have an old Lexmark in the workshop for scanning (but haven’t in months) and a nicer HP that my friend Mary borrowed us many months ago, but it hasn’t worked right since I re-did the wifi network and is almost out of ink, so I gave up on it and went back to my “no printing” policy. Seems to work fine, we are still a “No print” company!

Tags: Computer Repair St. Paul MN, Computer support St. Paul Minnesota, Saint Paul Computer repair

Category: General