Other driver installation paths in Windows 8

Overview

For other installation instructions, see:

• New Driver feature in Printing Properties under the Advanced tab
• Print Management Installation
• Windows Server 2012 recommendations and 'Class' driver information

Adding a Driver via the Printing Properties Advanced Tab

When to use

• Replace your existing printer object or printer driver.
• Your application generates its own PostScript or the application is better suited for PCL datastreams.
• Your operating system automatically installed and configured a Windows 8 (Class) driver, but you require special driver features only found in the Lexmark custom PCL, PS, or UPD driver.
• You have downloaded a diver and extracted its driver files to a specified folder or the default C:\Lexmark directory.

Note:  For Windows 8: After downloading and extracting the driver files, Windows will attempt to automate the installation process by automatically opening Add Printer and searching the network for existing printers.

If you want to replace the existing printer object with the newly downloaded and extracted printer driver then proceed below with adding the printer through the existing printer object and stop the Windows discovery of printers and Cancel out of the wizard and then proceed below. Click here for image.

Steps for Windows 8 (X264 example)

1. Again, if you have not yet downloaded and extracted a printer driver, you will need to do so now. You can find different driver packages for your printer via Lexmark.com.



2. Open Devices and Printers by navigating to your desktop to open the Control Panel and then Devices and Printers.



3. Right- click on the Printer Object you wish to replace with a different driver, and select Printer properties.



4. Click on the Advanced tab.



5. Click on New Driver.



6. Welcome to the Add Printer Wizard appears. Click Next. You will see (Retrieving a list of all devices).

   Note:  The next step is optional if driver is already available.



7. Now, if you think you have installed this driver once before, you can attempt to locate it by selecting Lexmark under Manufacturer and scrolling down the list of Printers in the right column. If so, you can select it here, and then select Next. Otherwise, proceed to the next step.



8. Click Have Disk.



9. Under Copy manufacturer's files from: Click the down-arrow to next to the dialog box.

   • If you see the proper path for the driver listed; e.g., C:\LEXMARK\DRIVERS\SYSXL64WIN\DRIVERS\PRINT\... then select it, click OK, and continue to Step 11.
   • If you do not see the proper path listed, you will have to manually locate the extracted driver .inf file then proceed to next step.


10. Click Browse, and locate the driver .inf file. This file is located under C:\ LEXMARK by default. Click here for an example.



11. Once the .inf file shows next to File Name, click Open, and then OK from the Install From Disk window.



12. You will now return to the Add Printer Driver Wizard. Select the printer you wish to install if more than one is listed, and then click Next.



13. Click Finish to complete the installation.



14. A new printer object will replace the existing the printer object.

Adding a Print Driver via the Print Management Console

Open the Print Management Console. Using the Microsoft Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 Print Management Snap-In Tool if you are unsure how to do this.

Or, locate this icon for Print Management under Search > Apps > Administrative Tools

How To install v4 drivers using the Print Management Console

1. Expand Print Servers. Click here for an illustration.



2. Expand the Print Server name as seen here.



3. Two ways to install the printer. Click here for an illustration.

   • Right-click Drivers > Add Driver.
   • Alternatively, click on Action > Add Driver.
   • This opens Add Printer Driver Wizard.
   • Right-click Printers > Add Printer
   • Opens Network Printer Installation Wizard, and allows the classic Add a Printer path with these options:
   • Search the network for printers
   • Add a TCP/IP or Web Services Printer by IP address or hostname
   • Add a new printer using an existing port
   • Create a new port and add a new printer

Add Driver "Class Driver Example"

To add a v4 driver for a device, select the driver that has v4 or Class Driver in the name

1. Processor Selection – Place a check next to x64 or x86, and click Next as seen here.

   Use System Information to determine x86 or x64 (32-bit or 64-bit) processor).



2. Select the Manufacturer (Lexmark) and the Printer (Model), and then click Next.

   The driver will have v4 or Class Driver in the name. Click here for an illustration.



3. Click Finish. The driver should display in the list of installed drivers upon returning to the console as seen here.

   For example: Lexmark C520 Class Driver, x64, Type-4 User Mode

   <Printer Name>, <Driver>,<x64/x86>, <Version type 3/4>, <Mode>

Search the network for printers

This path is most beneficial attempting to locate a specific printer.

1. Select Search the network for printers, and then click Next. Click here for an illustration.



2. Locate and select the printer either by printer name or by IP address, and then click Next as seen here.



3. Provide a Name and select whether or not to share the printer, and then click Next. Click here for an illustration.



4. You will observe Status: Installing Printer... followed by Status: Printer installation succeeded. Choose to Print test page or select Add another printer to repeat the process as seen here.



5. Click Finish.

Add a TCP/IP or Web Services Printer by IP address or hostname

1. Select Add a TCP/IP or Web Services Printer by IP address or hostname, and then click Next. Click here for an illustration.



2. Select Type of Device:

   • Autodetect
   • TCP/IP Device
   • Web Services Printer

   Note:  For any of these selections, you have to enter Host Name or IP address or you will receive "The address is not valid" message as seen here.



3. Detecting TCP/IP (observation). Click here for an illustration.



4. Detecting the driver model... (observation). Click here for an illustration.



5. Provide a Name and select whether or not to share the printer, and then click Next as seen here.



6. Click Next.



7. You will observe Status: Installing Printer... followed by Status: Printer installation succeeded. Choose to Print test page or select Add another printer to repeat the process. Click here for an illustration.

Add a new printer using an existing port

1. Select Add a new printer using an existing port, locate the existing port, and then click Next. Click here for an illustration.



2. Select one of the following options:

   • Use the printer driver that the wizard selected.
   • Use an existing printer driver on the computer (See next step)
   • Install a New driver (See Step 4.)

   Click Next as seen here.



3. If you chose to Use an existing printer driver on the computer, then locate and select the driver, and then click Next. Click here for an illustration.



4. If you chose to Install a New driver, you can attempt to perform a Windows Update to locate your driver, or select Have Disk to locate the driver .inf installation file. Click here for (X364 XL) example.



5. Complete the steps as displayed by the Add Network Printer Installation Wizard.

Create a new port and add a new printer

1. Select Create a new port and add a new printer, locate the existing port, and then click Next. Click here for an illustration.



2. Provide a Port Name and click Ok as seen here.



3. Proceed with Add a new printer using an existing port outlined in procedure directly above to complete the driver installation. Click here for an illustration.

Windows Server 2012 Recommendations

Using v4 drivers with Windows Server 2012 Print Servers is recommended wherever possible. If Windows 8 client computers are being used, users and IT administrators will receive the new printing experience and receive all of the benefits of the v4 driver model. For some devices, using a v3 driver will be necessary and differences between Windows Server 2012 and previous versions of Windows will also be discussed.

• Class Drivers – V4 drivers that ship with Windows Server 2012 are known as Class Drivers. Drivers of this type should always display Class Driver in the name.
• Model Specific Drivers – V4 drivers that are downloaded directly from a printer manufacturer website or downloaded from Windows Update are known as Model-Specific Drivers.