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Q83427: Reinstalling Windows Printer Drivers with 3.1=YES

Article: Q83427
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): WINDOWS:3.1,3.11
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 05-OCT-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows versions 3.1, 3.11 
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SUMMARY
=======

If a Microsoft Windows printer driver file is corrupted, you may have to force
Windows to replace it. The easiest way to do this is to modify the [Installed]
section of the CONTROL.INI file.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The Control Panel maintains a list of all Windows 3.1 files it has installed in
the Printers and International dialog boxes. This list is maintained in the
[Installed] section of CONTROL.INI, as in the following example:

     [Installed]
     3.1=yes
     HPPCL5A.DRV=yes
     HPPCL5A.HLP=yes
     FINSTALL.DLL=yes
     FINSTALL.HLP=yes
     HPPCL5OP.HLP=yes
     PSCRIPT.DRV=yes
     PSCRIPT.HLP=yes
     TESTPS.TXT=yes

If you remove the line "3.1=yes," all drivers are marked as old. If you reinstall
the printer driver, the corrupted driver is then replaced with the functioning
driver from the original disks. To modify CONTROL.INI, use the following steps:

1. Edit the CONTROL.INI file with a standard ACSII text editor.

2. Locate the line "3.1=yes" and delete it.

3. Save the file and restart Windows.

4. Open the Control Panel.

5. Choose the Printers icon, then choose the Add button. Reinstall the printer
  driver.

The line "3.1=yes" informs Control Panel that the following list of files were
installed with Windows 3.1 (specifically with version 3.1 of MAIN.CPL, which
comes with Windows). When a newer version of Windows is released, Control Panel
will know that all of the following files are obsolete and should be replaced.
If a file exists in this section and this section was created with the current
version of Windows, Control Panel does not need to copy the file from the
original disks again.

Additional query words: 3.10 3.11

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWin3xSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbWin310 kbWin311
Version           : WINDOWS:3.1,3.11

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