How to find and delete "hidden" printer object

Question

Windows 11 Pro 22H2

While restoring a software app for printing, I saw 2 printer objects created.

I had to un-install the app because of another issue, so I removed both printer objects.

Upon re-installation of the software, I see "Copy1" of the correct printer object and it works.

However, further processing to setup a network to USB print server picks up and sees the deleted printer and assigns 2 ports.

Question: where is the original printer object and how to I delete it? Device manager only shows print Q for Copy 1 and since this is network printer, it does not appear in Printers.

Thanks

Answer 1

Upon re-installation of the software

You could also reach out to the software developer about this problem. They may provide some cleanup tools.

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Answer 2

Hello,

To find and delete "hidden" printer objects in Windows, you can follow these steps: 

• Open Control Panel: You can open Control Panel by typing "Control Panel" in the Windows search bar. 
• Switch to Large Icons view: In Control Panel, switch the view mode to "Large Icons" to easily locate the desired option. 
• Open Devices and Printers: In Control Panel, find and click on the "Devices and Printers" option. 
• Show hidden devices: In the Devices and Printers window, click on the "View" menu at the top. In the dropdown menu, check the "Show hidden devices" option. 
• Look for hidden printer objects: Now, you will see that the Devices and Printers window displays all the hidden devices. Browse the list and look for entries that might be hidden printer objects. These objects may have unusual names or icons. 
• Delete hidden printer objects: Once you have found the hidden printer objects, right-click on the object and select the "Delete" option. The system may ask you to confirm the deletion, so make sure you proceed with the correct operation.  Note that deleting hidden printer objects may require administrator privileges. If you don't have administrator privileges, make sure to log in to the computer as an administrator or consult with a user who has administrative rights. 

Regards,

Karlie

Answer 3

Try setting

set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1

then open Device Manager\View\Show Hidden Devices

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