PIXMA MG6450 Another computer is using the printer

[Yatesy1990]

Up to now we've printed ok but yesterday our Windows 8 laptops report that "Another computer is using the prnter". We have a Canon MG6450 printer; ona  wireless network. We have rebooted our laptops; the router; and switched off printer but to no avail. Any other suggestions ?

Another computer is using the printer.
The following status is the usage status of that computer.
---
Creating print data

A follow up query is why is there a need to register is the need to send email docs to [Email address removed in accordance with forum guidelines] to get printed ? It is both time consuming, over elaborate and completely unnecessary to use a "Print from E-mail" service and " to complete the printer owner registration".

[Mikeyswifey09]

I am running my canon MG7120 through Windows 10 over "secured" wifi and I keep getting the same message as everyone else:

Another computer is using the printer.
The following status is the usage status of that computer.
---
Creating print data.

However, there are no other computers in the house, much less one that is linked to my printer. What can I do to resolve this problem.

PS. I have had nothing but problems with this computer since my husband got it for me almost 2 yrs ago and it has sat more than it has printed because everytime I turn around there is one error message after another.

[joanpeffley]

All of a sudden my printer will not print from a new computer but has before.  Ir says another computer is using printer.  What do I do?

[Braunsky]

What printer and what operating system?  Many messages under this topic had to do with Windows 8 and a specific Canon printer. A variety of solutions have been offered, some more time consuming than others.  My own problem was with Photoshop Elements 14, a Pro-100 printer, operating under Windows 7 Professional 64 bit.  I received that same error message about the print being prepared but another computer was using the printer.  When I checked the status of the print, it showed that the print was 51.6 MB, when I was in fact trying to print just a 6 MB image.  I believe my problem started when I tried to print a photo package of 4 images on one 8.5 x 11 inch paper.  The accumulated size of that print job may have been 51 MB.  I received that error message, cancelled that print package, and could never get beyond the error. I cancelled the small image job, unplugged the printer, rebooted the computer, rubbed my stomach and patted my head.  I finally deleted the printer definition and reinstalled it.  This time I selected "do not share" on the network.  The sharing may not have had anything to do with this problem, but I do not need to print off any other computer.  My print at last started to process, but it was still showing as 51.6 MB.  It went through, verrry slowwwly, and when finished the job cleared and the next print went through at the actual size in normal time.  My problem was potentially solved by 2 things I did, not a good experimental approach, but there you have it.  Good luck. 

[digger333444555]

I had this error, I downloaded driver from Canon.  Problem fixed.

[harlequin2]

I get this error with a iP8760 connected by wifi to a windows 10 computer. Deleting the printer and re-installing it always fixes it, but I have found that if I turn the printer on before the computer then it works OK. If I do it the other way around, it generally gets this error. Just remember to turn the printer on first and its fine! There arer so many posts about this error, you'd think Canan would take some notice instead of pretending all is well.

[bob742]

We had this problem. Re-installed the drivers and it worked again. Then the problem came up. We tried printing with the "WS" (I think web services) printer instaed of the standard one (you tend to get at least two printers in the system) and it worked. Go figure.

This problem seems to have occured for years and for all sorts of different printers. Canon don't seem to be able to fix it - or can't be bothered to.  Whatever is causing this it has nothing to do with another computer using the printer.

It is unlikely we will buy another Canon printer!

[PrinterWoes]

Recently bought a Canon 7720 and we have this very problem. What a nightmare.

We have 2 PCs and the printer effectively gets stuck in this "Another computer is using the printer..creating print data" literally ALL the time. Yes you can temporarily resolve by deleting printers/rebooting/restarting printer/waving your hands but what kind of a solution is that? And it just comes back the next time you want to print something.

This is pretty pathetic Canon....and its truly making me consider ditching this piece of cr*p and go for an Espon or something.

Seeming as this problem as been around for literally years one can only conclude that either

a) Canon simply don't care one iota about their community

or

b) They are completely clueless about the resolution of the problem

Yours

Seriously Irritated

[Vin55]

I have a long history of struggling with printers. My second-to-best weapon is to restart the print spooler service (the best is to restart everything, including including the pc and the printer). I've just used it to solve the issue discussed here (I have a Canon Pixma MX535).

Here is how you do it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjNpty4tbls

Note 1: it is easier to get into the services window by bringing up the task manager with ctrl+shift+esc, navigating to the services tab, then opening the target window by clicking the link in the bottom of task manager.

Note 2: if you are using Windows in your native language (other than English), you might look for the words corresponding to "printer" and "queue" if you don't know what "spooler" is.

[BrightonBabe]

Hi 

I also have it on the IP7260 and in both offices where there is an M range printer in each. We have taken to not using wifi between this problem and a pretty flaky wifi anyway on the m range in the offices.

We now have this on the IP intermittently, fortunately I only print intermittently.

However, the decision has been made at the next replacement, we will not be replacing any printer with a Canon. We're not a big user, hardly going to hurt Canon, but its time to walk away and find another solution. 

I will see if there is an updated driver under Windows 10, but unless that fixes the problem, we'll just walk away.

[raffia]

Solved here !!!

I've been also impacted by the blocking error message with a MX535 multifunction: 

"Another computer is using the printer"

As there's no menu in this multifunction to reset the device, the simple solution that solved the issue for me was to:

• unplug the device from the electrical plug,
• wait a little bit and try to power it on so that it completly empties any remaining sleep power in it,
• then replug the device on the electrical plug
• Power it on

After it has restarted, the message "Another computer is using the printer" did not reappear .

BTW, some precisions with drivers stuff for these WSD printers:

• Printer supports 2 types of drivers: Legacy Windows driver type, and starting from Windows 8, WSD driver type.
• If you're using Win 8 or 10, and installed the Canon printer driver (called legacy-type here), then you end up with 2 printers installed on your computer:
  
  1. The Canon driver legacy-type
  2. A Canon WSD driver, automatically installed by Windows, when it detects that your printer is WSD compatible.
• You can use either one, but with a WSD compatible printer, it is not necessary anymore to install any driver !
  Simply power on the printer, then make it accessible to your computer either by:
  - Network cable (configure IP through printer keyboard panel)
  - Wifi (Choose SSID, ... with panel)
  - or USB cable
  As soon as printer gets detected by Windows, within a minute, Windows automatically fetches the correct driver from its driver store, and installs it, making the printer ready to go with NO manual driver installation!!
• That worked fine for me on 3 different Win 10 computers, and really a piece of cake to install such a WSD printer without manual driver installation anymore