I can't get my scanner or camera to install

Cause: If you are having problems installing the scanner or camera, make certain that you are following the manufacturer instructions provided with the device and that the scanner or camera is connected to the computer correctly. USB devices may require that you install the drivers before plugging in the device, so check the documentation for details. If you are sure that you have followed the instructions and that your device is compatible with Windows XP, you can use the Add an Imaging Device Wizard to help you.

My printer color or fonts do not look good

Cause: This problem typically occurs if incorrect settings are configured for the printer or setup has gone haywire.

I can't stop a document from printing

Cause: If you chose to print a document and now you want it to stop printing, you can use the print queue. The print queue is particularly helpful when you have a long document that you no longer want to print.

My printer works very slowly

Cause: If printing files seems to be very slow, you may be running low of system resources, such as RAM or hard disk space.

A certain file will not print

Cause: If a certain file type will not print, but other documents print fine, there is probably some kind of software problem between the application you are using and your operating system. This happens sometimes with games and programs that have print features, especially if those games were written for a different operating system. 

One of my Game Controlers wont work

Cause: When you have more than one game controller, the computer will typically default to the first one you installed. However, you can change the default game controller so that the one you want to use always comes up first.

My printer prints garbled text

Cause: If your printer prints garbled text, it is almost always a sign of a bad or corrupt driver. Even if you installed the correct driver, it may have become corrupt over time. In this case, you need to reinstall the driver for the printer.

My USB printer does not work

Cause: USB hubs allow a number of different devices to connect to them, but some devices can pull too much power, causing other devices not to work or not to work well.

I cannot get an older printer to work with Windows XP

Cause: Hardware, such as a printer, has to be compatible with Windows XP. You may be able to get an older model printer to work with Windows XP, but you will often need an updated driver.

Difficulties with Game Controllers

With the popularity of computer games comes the onslaught of game controllers. There are all kinds of available game controllers, including joysticks, flight yokes, gamepads, and others. Most of the game controllers are hooked up to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, or they can function over an infrared port if your computer is equipped with one. Generally, they work like any other peripheral.

My game controller does not work.

Cause: As with any hardware, you need to make sure that the game controller you want to use is compatible with Windows XP. If compatibility does not seem to be an issue, then Plug and Play may have a difficult time detecting the device for one reason or another or may have trouble installing the correct driver. Make sure you follow the manufacturer’s setup instructions.

I am having problems with a wireless mouse & keyboard

Cause: A number of wireless mice and keyboards are available, all of which work with your computer’s infrared port. These devices are great because they allow you flexibility and a computing experience without aggravating wires. However, you can have some problems with infrared devices.

I have problems using a mouse because of a disability

Cause: The mouse is a major input device on any computer. However, if you have a disability that makes using the mouse difficult, you can check for alternative devices at your local computer store. Also, you can use the MouseKeys feature, which allows you to use the numeric keypad on your keyboard as input for the mouse movement. Finally, you may consider trying a trackball, which does the same thing as a mouse but is easier to use.

My mouse wheel makes entire pages scroll

Cause: Most mice have a scroll wheel that is located between the two keys. This makes scrolling through documents and Web pages easier. However, if the setting it too high, you may have difficulty scrolling.

My mouse pointer disappears when I am typing

Cause: Mouse pointers typically remain available when you are typing on the keyboard; however, a setting can be selected that makes the mouse pointer disappear when you are typing.

My mouse pointer moves too fast/slow

Cause: Mouse pointer speed can be a real pain if it is not configured correctly. Fortunately, if your mouse pointer moves too quickly or too slowly on the screen, you can easily fix the problem.

My mouse pointer creates a trailing effect when I move it

Cause: Your mouse pointer can be configured to trail when it is moved, which just gives it a blurring movement effect. Some people like this; others get a feeling of motion sickness. If you don’t like it, you can easily stop the behavior.

My mouse pointer is too small/large

Cause: The mouse pointers that you see on your computer screen are the pointers for the default Windows mouse pointer scheme. The scheme tells Windows the kind of pointer to display when you are moving your mouse, when the system is busy, when you are working in the background, and in a number of other situations as well. If you do not like the default Windows scheme, you can choose another one or even customize different pointer options so that the mouse pointers work well for you.

Double-clicking does not work well

Cause: The double-click response rate is determined by a setting in the Mouse Properties window. If the double-click feature is too fast or too slow, you can adjust it to meet your needs.

I am left-handed, and I find right-clicking difficult

Cause: Mouse keys provide right and left buttons; but to left-handed people, who use the mouse on the left side, it sometimes feels wrong to find the right-click features on the right side. The good news is that you can easily reverse the keys so that the left key is the primary key and the right key is the secondary key. This means that right-click features will work on the left key and left-click features will work on the right key.

My mouse keeps sticking

Cause: If your mouse pointer seems to stick on the screen when you move the mouse, there are two possible problems:

• The mouse ball has collected gunk over time and needs to be cleaned.
• The mouse ball is wearing out and is not communicating movement to the computer.