Word 2000, Win XP Home: Can I install a default printer without having a printer?

I was given a new machine just over two weeks ago. It's running XP
Home. My dealer installed my MIcrosoft Office 2000, and updated XP
Home and Office 2000 for me.

I've lost my old configuration for Word (the only Office program I
typically use at all), but that's probably good, rather than bad; I
can re-learn (I was barely on the way to learning, with Win98SE), and
set up Word 2000 cleanly - I hope! (I used these newsgroups before to
help me on the old machine).

I have an old Okidata 830 that's not in working order at all; I don't
even dare turn it on; would have to get a new toner cartridge first.
Its printer drive is apparently HP LaserJet III. I think I located
that driver, but was somehow unable to install it.. Still, I might
need to install a default printer (driver?) in order to use Word and
view Printer view, and so forth.

Would it make sense for me to install some printer driver for some
popular printer I don't have? Or would that drive my machine nuts? Or
drive Word 2000 nuts? Or what? Or is it me who is nuts? (quite
possible <g>).

Thanks!

Almali del Benian

TF
Sun Feb 29 13:23:23 CST 2004

Correct. You must install a default printer driver. Anything you find on the
Windows CD will do fine for the time being. Obviously you will need to
install the correct driver when you get a working printer. This will
probably affect the document layout. See
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/TextReflow.htm for more information.

--
Terry Farrell - Word MVP
http://word.mvps.org/

"Almali del Benian" <adbenian@islandnet.com> wrote in message
news:404227f3.6510453@news.islandnet.com...
: I was given a new machine just over two weeks ago. It's running XP
: Home. My dealer installed my MIcrosoft Office 2000, and updated XP
: Home and Office 2000 for me.
:
: I've lost my old configuration for Word (the only Office program I
: typically use at all), but that's probably good, rather than bad; I
: can re-learn (I was barely on the way to learning, with Win98SE), and
: set up Word 2000 cleanly - I hope! (I used these newsgroups before to
: help me on the old machine).
:
: I have an old Okidata 830 that's not in working order at all; I don't
: even dare turn it on; would have to get a new toner cartridge first.
: Its printer drive is apparently HP LaserJet III. I think I located
: that driver, but was somehow unable to install it.. Still, I might
: need to install a default printer (driver?) in order to use Word and
: view Printer view, and so forth.
:
: Would it make sense for me to install some printer driver for some
: popular printer I don't have? Or would that drive my machine nuts? Or
: drive Word 2000 nuts? Or what? Or is it me who is nuts? (quite
: possible <g>).
:
: Thanks!
:
: Almali del Benian

adbenian
Sun Feb 29 16:50:02 CST 2004

Hello Terry,

Thanks for a fast response!

On Sun, 29 Feb 2004 19:23:23 -0000, "TF"
<terryfarrell%40%6d%73%6e%2ecom> wrote:

>Correct. You must install a default printer driver. Anything you find on the
>Windows CD will do fine for the time being.

How handy! I just discovered how to use that CD (OEM version). I put
in NTBackup, and it works! (Preening myself wildly <g>). So I can
probably do this, all right.

> Obviously you will need to
>install the correct driver when you get a working printer. This will
>probably affect the document layout.

Amazing <G>. Yes; I'd think it would affect the layout. I work to keep
things just as simple as possible, using largely Body Text, and a few
headings (following Shauna Kelly's web site to help with numbering -
but I have to review how to do all that!)

> See
>http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/TextReflow.htm for more information.

Wonderful! I'm saving your post to a text file so I can put it in
Notepad and put a shortcut on my desktop.

>Terry Farrell - Word MVP
>http://word.mvps.org/
>
>"Almali del Benian" <adbenian@islandnet.com> wrote in message
>news:404227f3.6510453@news.islandnet.com...
>: I was given a new machine just over two weeks ago. It's running XP
>: Home. My dealer installed my MIcrosoft Office 2000, and updated XP

.... and so forth.

Almali del Benian