The problem may be that if you plug something into USB port 1, then later plug it into USB port 2, Windows doesn't recognize it as the same hardware that it already knows from before. Then, if you plug in a hub and plug the device into the hub, it's seen as yet another new piece of hardware. Same thing happens if you then plug the hub into the other port. The problem you then run into is figuring out which of the HP Photosmart C4200 printers you see is the one to print to.

Here's all of it..I didn't know if it would all come through on here, but I think it does: Operating System new � server roles System Model Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3 (build 2600) Install Language: English (United States) System Locale: English (United States) Installed: 12/14/2006 8:46:58 AM Hewlett-Packard HP Compaq dc7700p Convertible Minitower System Serial Number: MXL64800ZF Asset Tag: MXL64800ZF Chassis Serial Number: MXL64800ZF Enclosure Type: Mini-Tower Processor a Main Circuit Board b 2.13 gigahertz Intel Core 2 Duo 64 kilobyte primary memory cache 2048 kilobyte secondary memory cache 64-bit ready Multi-core (2 total) Not hyper-threaded Board: Hewlett-Packard 0A58h Serial Number: MXL64800ZF Bus Clock: 1066 megahertz BIOS: Hewlett-Packard 786E1 v01.05 08/30/2006 new USB Storage Use in past 30 Days (mouse over last used for details) new Hosted Virtual Machines (mouse over name for details) Last Used HP Photosmart C5180, rev 1.00 6/17/2012 8:25:26 AM* * Possibly used again before the reboot following this time. None discovered Drives new � drive encryption Memory Modules c,d 491.41 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity 432.05 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space HL-DT-ST DVD+-RW GSA-H31L [Optical drive] ST3250824AS [Hard drive] (250.06 GB) -- drive 1, s/n 9ND0B8Y3, rev 3.AHJ, SMART Status: Healthy WDC WD2500AAKX-083CA1 [Hard drive] (250.06 GB) -- drive 0, s/n WD-WCAYV0892374, rev 17.01H17, SMART Status: Healthy 2032 Megabytes Usable Installed Memory Slot 'XMM1' has 1024 MB (serial number 110CAEC5) Slot 'XMM2' is Empty Slot 'XMM3' has 1024 MB (serial number 140CB19A) Slot 'XMM4' is Empty Local Drive Volumes new � volume encryption c: (NTFS on drive 0) * 241.35 GB 193.94 GB free d: (NTFS on drive 1) 250.06 GB 238.10 GB free * Operating System is installed on c: Network Drives None discovered Users (mouse over user name for details) Printers local user accounts last logon Administrator 6/18/2012 12:16:11 PM (admin) local system accounts Admin never (admin) ASPNET never Guest never HelpAssistant never SUPPORT_388945a0 never Marks a disabled account; Marks a locked account HP Photosmart C5100 series on USB003 Microsoft Office Document Image Writer Driver on Microsoft Document Imaging Writer Port: Microsoft XPS Document Writer on XPSPort: Controllers Display Standard floppy disk controller Intel(R) ICH8 4 port Serial ATA Storage Controller - 2820 Primary IDE Channel [Controller] (2x) Secondary IDE Channel [Controller] (2x) Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller ATI Radeon HD 3600 Series [Display adapter] Acer V223W [Monitor] (22.0"vis, s/n ETLC3081381320C9224238, August 2011) Bus Adapters Multimedia Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2830 Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2831 Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2834 Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB Universal Host Controller - 2835 Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB2 Enhanced Host Controller - 2836 Intel(R) ICH8 Family USB2 Enhanced Host Controller - 283A AMD High Definition Audio Device Realtek High Definition Audio Virus Protection [Back to Top] Group Policies Microsoft Security Essentials Version 4.0.1526.0 Scan Engine Version 1.1.8403.0 Virus Definitions Version 1.127.2180.0 Realtime File Scanning On Microsoft Security Essentials Version 2.1.6805.0 Virus Definitions Version Up To Date Realtime File Scanning Off None discovered Communications new � connection speed & status Other Devices U.S. Robotics V92 Fax PCI [Modem] ↑ Intel(R) 82566DM Gigabit Network Connection primary Auto IP Address: 192.168.1.10 / 24 Gateway: 192.168.1.1 Dhcp Server: 192.168.1.1 Physical Address: 00:0F:FE:48:02:BF Networking Dns Server: 192.168.1.1 USB Human Interface Device Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard HID-compliant mouse PS/2 Compatible Mouse Generic USB Hub USB Root Hub (6x) See your entire network map... click for Belarc's System Management products Network Map (mouse over IP address for physical address) [Back to Top] IP Device Type Device Details Device Roles 192.168.1.1 Router Netgear DHCP Server, Gateway, Domain Name Server, Web Server 192.168.1.10 Windows XP Workstation Pcs4464 (in WORKGROUP) Print Server, Browse Master Find your security vulnerabilities... click for Belarc's System Management products Missing Microsoft Security Hotfixes [Back to Top] All required security hotfixes (using the 06/12/2012 Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary) have been installed. Hotfixes from Microsoft Update (agent version 7.4.7600.226) wait for download and install approval. Last install: 6/4/2012 7:41:09 AM, download: 6/4/2012 7:39:20 AM, check: 6/18/2012 5:13:47 AM.

I've had good luck on client machines using a command prompt when all easier troubleshooting isn't working. Especially if you are seeing 'ghost' jobs in the printer queue or job list and you cannot delete them. You would not be able to print until the stuck jobs are deleted. *** This looks more complicated than it is only because each step is thoroughly explained. I am copy/pasting from the microsoft website. Method D: Stop the print spooler and delete all spooled files If you tried Methods A through C (pretty much all the steps you've tried)and you were not successful, Method D should work for you. If you came to Method D immediately only to delete a print job, some of what we say here might not apply to you, so please bear with us. Method D is somewhat more complex and will require a bit more work than the other methods, but don't worry. Method D looks much more difficult than it really is. First, in case that you don't know how printing works, here is a short explanation. Print jobs are sent to the printer as spooled files. This means that the files are put in a temporary location so that the printer can access a print queue and print jobs at its own speed. If you stop the spooler and its files, most of the time, you both cancel printing and delete the print job. Note To use this method, you must have Computer Administrator status. If you are using your own printer, you most likely have Computer Administrator status. If you are printing to a shared printer, you might have to ask the system administrator to cancel the print job for you. Step 1: Start Notepad To stop the print spooler and its files, we will have you create and run a script file that will automatically stop the service. This sounds difficult, but it really isn't. Just follow these steps carefully. Click Start, and then click Run. In the Open box, type notepad, and then click OK. Notice that a blank Notepad document opens. Step 2: Copy a command script to Notepad Now we will have you copy and paste some commands to the Notepad document. Carefully select (highlight) all the following text: net stop spooler del %systemroot%\system32\spool\printers\*.shd del %systemroot%\system32\spool\printers\*.spl net start spooler Right-click the text that you selected, and then click Copy. In Notepad, right-click in the blank document, and then click Paste. Carefully select (highlight) all the following text: C:\DeletePrintJobs.cmd Right-click the text that you selected, and then click Copy. In Notepad, click Save As on the File menu. In the File Name box, right-click, and then click Paste. Note Notice that this file name differs from most other file names that you might have seen. That is because this file is a command script file. Click Save. Step 3: Run the command script file Now that you have created the command script file, you will run it. To run it, you will copy and paste the name of the command script file in the Run box. Carefully select (highlight) all the following text: C:\DeletePrintJobs.cmd Right-click the text that you selected, and then click Copy. Click Start, and then click Run. In the Open box, right-click, and then click Paste. Click OK. Notice that the Command Prompt window opens to run the command script file that you created. Notice also that this window closes automatically when the command script file has finished running. If you do not see the Command Prompt window open, check that you saved the command script file by using the correct name and that you entered the correct command script file name in the Run box. Note If this method does not work the first time, or if you cannot print anything after you use this method, restart your computer, and then try again. Here is a link that might be useful: How to cancel printing or to delete a print job that is stuck in the print queue in Windows XP

The bad news is that apparently this is a very common problem with this printer. Not sure if there's good news or not. The way it sounds from what I've found is that there's probably an issue with, most likely the color cartridge. Several resolved it by replacing the color cartridge, whether defective or a low tank, I'm not sure. Here's one excerpt I found: "I just got off the HP help line. After changing my black ink cartridge a test page was printing each time I turned the machine on. This is very costly, in both time and ink as the cartridges themselves for this machine hold very little ink. I tried to learn from HP tech how to turn off the test-print while keeping my color cartridge empty. It turns out that you cant do it. HP requires you to keep buying and using cartridges whether you need them or not.If you buy the color ink it will use it up in its testings. And if you dont buy the color cartridge it will use up your black ink by printing the test each time you turn on the printer. The printer was inexpensive sure, but I'm paying for it in wasted ink." But I did find this at the HP support center: "To ensure the highest-quality prints, the product performs an automatic alignment process when you setup the product for the first time, and when you replace the cartridges as part of normal maintenance. The product prints an alignment page during this alignment process. You must complete the full alignment process or the product continues to print an alignment page each time you turn the product on or off, or start a print job. HP used to be solid printers. (sigh) Not anymore. Do you have new cartridges? Also, are the ones in there HP brand or a generic? Here is a link that might be useful: An Alignment Page Prints Every Time that the All-in-One is Turned On or Off or a Print Job is Started