You receive a "Problem retrieving printer information" error message in Access 2002 and in Access 2003

When you try to preview or to print a report in Microsoft Access, you receive the following error message:

Note Microsoft Office XP has built-in functionality that you can use to obtain more information about difficult-to-troubleshoot alerts or error messages. If you want to enable this functionality for this error message and other error messages in Office XP, download the Microsoft Office XP Customizable Alerts file from the Microsoft Office Update Web site at the following Microsoft Web site: If you reached this article by clicking Web Info in an error message, you already have Customizable Alerts enabled.

NOTE: Because there are several versions of Microsoft Windows, the following steps may be different on your computer. If they are, see your product documentation to complete these steps.

The regional settings for your computer may be corrupted

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click Regional Settings.
3. On the Regional Settings tab, select a different setting from the list, and then click OK.
   
   There are several country settings that use English.
4. Restart your computer.
5. On the Regional Settings tab in Control Panel, click to select your original regional setting again.
6. Click OK, and then restart your computer.

Refresh the printer settings for the reports

1. Exit Access.
2. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers and Faxes.
3. Right-click the problem printer, and then click Properties.
4. In the Properties dialog box, click Printing Preferences.
5. Click each tab in the Printing Preferences dialog box without making any changes.
6. Click OK to close the Printing Preferences dialog box.
7. Click OK to close the Properties dialog box.
8. Restart Access, and then try to create the report again.

If you are using a network printer, the printer driver may require that the printer port is captured

Before you start this procedure, contact your network administrator to make sure that you have the correct path for the network printer.

For computers that run Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows 98, or Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me):

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.
2. Right-click the icon for your printer, and then click Properties.
3. On the Details tab, click Capture Printer Port.
4. In the Device box, click a port that is not used by another printer.
5. In the Path box, type the network path to the printer, and then click OK to close the Capture Printer Port dialog box.
6. In the Print to the following port box, click the port that you selected in step 4, and then click OK.

For computers that run Microsoft Windows NT, Microsoft Windows 2000, or Microsoft Windows XP:

Use the Net.exe command to establish a persistent connection. To do this, use the following syntax at a command prompt:

net use lpt<x> \\<print server>\<share name>/persistent:yes

where <x> is the number of the printer port that you want to map, where <print server> is the print server that shares the printer, and where <share name> is the name of the printer share. For example, to map LPT2 to a printer shared as Laser1 on a print server that is named Pserver, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type cmd, and then click OK.
3. Type net use lpt2 \\pserver\laser1 /persistent:yes, and then press ENTER.
4. To quit the command prompt, type exit, and then press ENTER.
   
   Note that in Microsoft Windows XP, non-administrative users cannot map an LPT port to a network printer path when the LPT port exists on the computer as a physical parallel port.

The printer may not have a valid network name

Before you start this procedure, contact your network administrator to make sure that you have the correct name and the correct path for the network printer.

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.
2. Right-click the icon for your printer, and then click Properties.
3. On the Details tab, click Delete Port.
4. In the Delete Port dialog box, click to select the printer that you want to remove, and then click OK.
5. On the Details tab, click Add Port.
6. In the Add Port dialog box, click Network, type the network path to the printer, and then click OK.
7. In the Print to the following port box, click to select the port that you entered in step 6, and then click OK.

The printer driver may be corrupted

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.
2. Right-click your default printer, and then click Delete. If you are prompted to remove extra files left on the system, click Yes.
3. Double-click Add Printer, and then follow the instructions to reinstall your printer driver.
   
   When you reinstall your printer driver, Microsoft Windows corrects many system files and registry keys.

Notes:

• If your printer model is not listed in the Manufacturers and Printers lists, check the Hardware Compatibility list (HCL) for an updated driver. If your printer is not on the HCL, contact the printer manufacturer for drivers and for instructions.
• If you are on a network, you may have to install the correct printer driver from a network printer share. Contact your network administrator for instructions.

Increase the time-out setting for a printer driver

Increasing the time-out setting for a printer driver to 90 may resolve this error message. On the Details tab of the Printer Properties dialog box, extend the two time-out values to 90. They default to 15.

For more information about hardware and software vendor contact information, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.