Print Monitor is Unknown

Problem:
When installing a networked printer on Windows Vista RTM you recieve a “The Specified Print Monitor is Unknown error”.

Solution:
This is what fixed the problem for me.
1. Enable UAC (Go into the control panel and type UAC in the search bar then follow through the ‘wizard’) – restart your computer when prompted
2. Install the printer
3. Disable UAC

Yipee!!

11 thoughts on “Print Monitor is Unknown”

  1. xmun says:
    January 26, 2007 at 2:38 am

    Thanks a lot man! I work in an environment that uses many network printers and I couldn’t find the solution to this problem. I suppose this is an M$ bug since it doesn’t exactly make sense.

  2. J says:
    January 31, 2007 at 10:42 am

    I can confirm this fix, but would like to add that in my environment, only HP printers cause this error. Dell and Lexmark printers install normally with UAC turned off.

  3. Andrew Parker says:
    March 1, 2007 at 7:43 am

    I too can confirm this with HP LaserJet 3380. This fix is better and easier than others I have seen on the web.

  4. tumere says:
    March 12, 2007 at 9:47 pm

    Thanks!….. Great fix…Thought I had turned stupid or something. Struggled for a week to get this HP5500 loaded on a Vista Business Ed. laptop to the network. Driver loaded fine on two Ultimate Editions with UAC turned off. Seems the trend continues HP software=BAD>>

  5. Lori Beth says:
    March 16, 2007 at 10:29 pm

    Thank you so much!!! I have been going crazy trying to get our printer to network on my husband’s PC. We were going to buy a new printer cause we thought our Epson Stylus Photo RX620 Printer, Scanner, Copier wouldn’t work with Windows Vista. You are a lifesaver. It was so easy and I searched for an hour before I came across your website. Thank you…thank you…thank you!

  6. alexis says:
    March 27, 2007 at 5:28 pm

    hello there, i disabled UAC and tried installing my HP 5650 in my Vaio laptop. after getting the monitor error i read this post. I enabled UAC but the error is still there. I’ve disabled and reenabled it several times, but the result is always the same…

    pleasee HELP!!

    thanks a lot

  7. LCD Projector Rentals Guy says:
    April 18, 2007 at 8:10 am

    This is my first comment over here. I like this blog a lot.
    I liked this blog entry the most though, the way you said it was just amazing!
    See ya Later 😉
    P.S. – CSS update?
    LCD Projector Rentals Guy

  8. Ozeyarn Online Knitting Yarn says:
    June 16, 2007 at 11:22 pm

    We struck this error when trying to install a networked printer (i.e. shared from a Vista PC) to a seperate Vista PC. In our case, this was a Canon MP600. Turned on UAC, rebooted, added printer just fine. Thanks a bunch! Ozeyarn

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  11. microphone rental says:
    November 25, 2011 at 10:50 pm

    hello there, i disabled UAC and tried installing my HP 5650 in my Vaio laptop. after getting the monitor error i read this post. I enabled UAC but the error is still there. I’ve disabled and reenabled it several times, but the result is always the same…

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