This article describes how to use the Printing Troubleshooter that is included in Microsoft Windows XP Help and Support Center. This article also provides a list of online support services that may help you solve your printing problem.

The Printing Troubleshooter includes step-by-step instructions for troubleshooting the following printing problems in Windows XP:

•	You cannot install a local printer.
•	Your photo printout quality is poor.
•	Your document does not print at all.
•	Some of the features that came with your printer do not work.
•	Printed text or graphics is incomplete.
•	Fonts are missing or do not look the same as they do on the screen.
•	Printing is unusually slow.
•	You cannot print from an MS-DOS-based program or from the MS-DOS command prompt.
•	You receive the following error message: The printer driver is not compatible with a policy enabled on your computer that blocks Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 kernel-mode drivers.

How to start the Printing Troubleshooter

If you are already familiar with Windows XP Help and Support Center, click here (hcp://help/tshoot/tsprint.htm) to start the Printing Troubleshooter automatically.

If you are not yet familiar with Windows XP Help and Support Center, we recommend that you use the following steps to start the Printing Troubleshooter (to help you become familiar with this feature):

1.	Click Start, and then click Help and Support.
2.	Under Pick a Help Topic, click Fixing a problem.
3.	In the left pane, click Printing problems.
4.	In the right pane, click Printing Troubleshooter.

How to use the Printing Troubleshooter

1.	Click the option that describes the problem that is occurring, and then click Next.
2.	Repeat step 1 until your problem is resolved or you have reached the end of the troubleshooting path. Note that you can click Back at any time to repeat the last step, or click Start Over to start the Printing Troubleshooter again.

How to use the Microsoft Product Support Services Web site to find a solution

If you cannot resolve the problem by using the Printing Troubleshooter or by viewing the recommended Knowledge Base articles, you can use the Microsoft Product Support Services Web site to find a solution to your problem. Some of the services that the Microsoft Product Support Services Web site provides include:

•	Searchable Knowledge Base - Search technical support information and self-help tools for Microsoft products. http://support.microsoft.com/search?ln=en-us&sd=gn (http://support.microsoft.com/search?ln=en-us&sd=gn)
•	Self Support - Select a Product Solution Center. http://support.microsoft.com/select/?target=hub (http://support.microsoft.com/select/?target=hub)
•	Microsoft Product Support Newsgroups - Consult with your counterparts, peers, and Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs). http://support.microsoft.com/newsgroups (http://support.microsoft.com/newsgroups)
•	Software and Updates - Find software and updates on the Download Center. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/search.asp (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/search.asp)
•	Assisted Support - Select a product to view your assisted support options. http://support.microsoft.com/gp/assistsupport (http://support.microsoft.com/gp/assistsupport)