How to Print Device Manager Contents to a Text File

When you print the contents of Device Manager to a file, the file does not contain readable information.

By default, Windows does not support printing Device Manager information to a text file. When Windows prints Device Manager information to a file, it uses printer-specific language instead of plain text.

To print Device Manager information to a readable text file, install and use the Generic/Text Only printer. To install the Generic/Text Only printer, follow these steps:

1. Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Printers.
2. Double-click the Add Printer icon.
3. Click the Next button.
4. When you are prompted "How is this printer attached to your computer?" click the Local Printer option button, and then click Next.
5. In the Manufacturers box, click Generic. In the Printers box, click Generic/Text Only, and then click Next.
6. In the Available Ports box, click FILE, and then click Next.
7. When you are prompted "Do you want your Windows-based programs to use this printer as the default printer?" click the No option button, and then click Next.
8. When you are prompted "Would you like to print a test page?" click the No option button, and then click the Finish button.

To print the contents of Device Manager to a file, follow these steps:

1. Use the right mouse button to click My Computer, and then click Properties on the menu that appears.
2. Click the Device Manager tab, then click the Print button.
3. In the Report Type box, click the option button for the report you want.
   
   NOTE: To print the Selected Class Or Device report, you must first click the class or device you want on the Device Manager Tab.
4. Click the Setup button.
5. In the Specific Printer box, click Generic/Text Only On FILE, and then click the OK button.
6. Click OK.
7. In the File Name box, type the path and name that you want to use for the file, and then click OK.
8. To print the contents of the .prn file you created, locate the file in the path you specified, double-click the .prn file, and select Notepad from the Open With dialog box.
9. After the file opens in Notepad, click File, click Print, and then click OK.