Plug the new one in and see what happens at that point. Chances are it will work. If not then I would proceed to uninstall the old one. I try to avoid using the disks that come with printers as they install a lot of unnecessary software. The driver for the printer may already be on the machine or the old driver may work fine too.

How old is the printer that died? Is it still available for sale as new, or are you planning to by a used one? Using the software delivered with that specific printer is probably the best way to get going. You can always check the mfr website to see if an updated driver is available for that model. If it turns out that you don't get an identical one and have to settle for something that uses a different cartridge, you can try asking the vendor if they will exchange the unopened cartridges you have for the ones that go with the printer you get. Nothing to lose by trying.

The printer that died is 6 years old. The one I want to purchase is a refurbished one.

The ink cartridges that I have I bought on ebay with no original packaging. If I decide to get a new printer I though I would ask if I could exchange cartridges.

Thanks

Some printers are being phased out. I have HP Photo smart 3210 and it acted up, Found out they don't make it anymore using 02 cartridges. (02 being phased out) Someone here was going to use them, but all of a sudden it started working again. Haven't a clue what happened So if you do get the "exact model" you want find out if they are going make the cartridges.

Without knowing how many $ you have tied up in cartridges on hand vs the price of the refurb printer, your plan is still a bit of a gamble. Depending on where the refurb is coming from, you're getting something that someone else has used for several years. I'd be hesitant, especially if there is no warranty. Are you wanting an identical printer because the old one was so good, or because you were comfortable with your ability to use it? If the former, an identical model is no guarantee of the same quality. If the latter, a new printer shouldn't be that difficult to learn, and you might find a deal (especially now) that would offset what you'll be losing on the old cartridges. You don't mention which OS you are using, but there are still many new printers available that have drivers for both XP & Vista. Do some shopping if you haven't already. I bought a cheap point-and-shoot digital camera last year, and it came with an excellent Epson printer-scanner-copier that was free.

Sorry, I disagree. A clean install is the way to proceed. Uninstall all software from the defunct printer.

Assuming you still have the driver/software disk start there as many disks have the uninstall/repair utility on the disk. If not, REVO would be my protocol followed by a registry check using the CCleaner tool. (Be absolutely sure the reported registry offerings by either application is related to the printer. When in doubt ignore. No guessing.)

Printer conflicts are not common, but they do occur so why create a concern.

As far as the ink cartridges go research the makes and models you are interested in. The manufacturer's website should identify the proper ink cartridge.

DA