SOLVED Installing Lexmark printer on a Dell laptop causes major problems.

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I recently purchased a refurbished Inspiron 17 5767 with Windows 10 for wifey. Startup went smoothly until I tried to install my Lexmark S305 wireless printer. It is important to note that I've been using my Dell Inspiron 3847 desktop which has been running Window 10 for several months and printing without any problems. When I tried to add the printer to the laptop, it corrupted things (APC Index Mismatch?). I've tried everything I can think of...including reinstalling after a clean reset several times...all to no avail. Dell tells me it is Lexmark's fault and they have no solution except providing me with a reinstallation file and telling me to ask Lexmark for new drivers. Makes no sense to me that my Dell desktop can print but the laptop can't. Any ideas?
 
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How did you try to install the printer? As it is a wireless printer I would have tried
1) start the laptop and go to devices and printers and just click on add a printer. W10 is not bad at finding wireless printers and installing them with minimal drivers from MS. Tell it to search the web/Windows Update for drivers.
2) go to Lexmark support and look for drivers. Possibly W8.1 drivers will work.
3) Check the Windows store. I just did and your printer is one that is not supported by the store Lexmark app

If that didn't work I would go to the Lexmark printer control panel and see if it has a Web Service set up. I have a Canon and just had ( 'til it died) an HP and they could both be web service printers but the setup was not automatic. If it will set up like that ( as well as its normal wireless connection) try that as per 1) above. In the manual it may give 'Web Service' some name and talk about printing from iPhones and ANdroids but I think Web service is the generic thing.
 
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Seems to me I had a similar problem when I first upgraded to Win 10. I believe the default printer was set to Print to Windows pdf. Check Settings > Devices > Printers and settings and see if you can "Add" your Lexmark S305.
 
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Here is another thing to try. Plug the printer into the laptop USB. Let windows find it and install it....which will likely work with a Microsoft driver.
Unplug the printer reboot the laptop and see if Windows will find it wirelessly. I have see a printer that needed to be installed like that.

Lexus support site suggests that Windows 8 driver will work.

Lexmark site is quite good about using W10...it admits that there are not dedicated W10 drivers for some of the printers and gives work around.

https://www.lexmark.com/en_US/support-downloads/windows10/index.shtml?linkSelected=node5
 
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Tim I think you hit the nail on the head, there is also a check box that allows Windows to recognise the last printer used and use it as the default printer.
 
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One of the things should work. Theoretically one could copy the appropriate drivers from the desktop and try those...I leave ugly stuff like that to regedit 32. I am 11+ years out of date on that.
 
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How did you try to install the printer? As it is a wireless printer I would have tried
1) start the laptop and go to devices and printers and just click on add a printer. W10 is not bad at finding wireless printers and installing them with minimal drivers from MS. Tell it to search the web/Windows Update for drivers.
2) go to Lexmark support and look for drivers. Possibly W8.1 drivers will work.
3) Check the Windows store. I just did and your printer is one that is not supported by the store Lexmark app

If that didn't work I would go to the Lexmark printer control panel and see if it has a Web Service set up. I have a Canon and just had ( 'til it died) an HP and they could both be web service printers but the setup was not automatic. If it will set up like that ( as well as its normal wireless connection) try that as per 1) above. In the manual it may give 'Web Service' some name and talk about printing from iPhones and ANdroids but I think Web service is the generic thing.
 
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Thank you all for your thoughts and suggestions. I was totally frustrated trying to download drivers from Lexmark and finally realized that their download site was screening my out because of my laptop's operating system. I finally stumbled onto an avenue on their website that allowed me to download a Windows 8 version of their driver package. As soon as I had access to that set of drivers, my problems were solved!!! I'm up and running. Again, thank you all for helping me out!!!
 

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