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Yikes!

I looked for that and did NOT see it.

Here’s to you!

Thanks.

Here’s what I did.

Since I’m new to writing scripts, I found a program that sends email by command line. It has a GUI interface and is easy to configure.  It is SwithMail. More info can be found here: https://sourceforge.net/p/swithmail/wiki/Home/

Task Scheduler however could not send the email using SwithMail when shutting down, I think there probably was not enough time to send the email. So, I will use a keyboard launcher to run SwithMail at shutdown. This solution has worked. The smartplug now turns off when the computer is shutdown.

Thanks for everyone’s response. I appreciate the effort.

There was no app for the computer by the manufacturer of the smartplug. Perhaps this post will help others who are trying to communicate with a smartplug from the computer.

I can only describe what I want is a “mirror copy” when I’m backing up, paying particular attention to the date and time stamp.

When windows explorer changes the date and time at copying, to me, that is modifying the file attributes and that is modifying the file.

Well, OK, enough said.

Thanks for all input. Received some leads on software that may do what I’m looking for.

Thanks again, all.

Looks Promising

I read a forum post that SyncBack does NOT mirror duplicate the date and time, but instead follows windows method for date and time when copying.

So, if windows explorer keeps the date and time, so will syncback, if windows explorer deems the date and time should be changed when copying, based on whatever variables Microsoft gave it, then it will be changed. I’m not IT. Just what I read. If it works for you, great.

Well, OK! Took a look at it. It has possibilities. I like full mirror duplicates, but I’m still leaning toward a “consumer” or “home” user software, if possible.

Thanks!

robocopy – looking for an easy gui, thanks anyway
back4sure – will try it out, reviews look good

Are there any other of the better known, highly rated file synchronization/backup software that keep date and time stamp?

that’s what I’m thinking, too

I made some configuration changes to tuneup utilities and the icon no longer pops-up.

continue to monitor the external hard drive and wireless printer, if the printer error message occurs again, I’ll post back what I’ve found.

Thanks again for your continued effort! Excellent info in the posts and good reference for others.

It’s still popping up when external hard drive turned on and printer is printing O.K., it doesn’t pop-up when printing with the external hard drive turned off.

Continuing to investigate tuneup utilities configuration with external hard drive…..

Good idea, checked the first tray icon it is related to the software program tuneup utilities.

I am checking tuneup utilities configuration to see if it blocked the printer when external hard drive turned on. Maybe some security setting, still looking.

I use wired to internet and wireless to printer, so internet remained unaffected by printer error.

There is another clue that might be helpful. When starting the external hard drive two additional icons appear in the taskbar. The first additional appears to be related to scanning

36752-Image-1

and the second additional is the windows device icon.

36753-Image-2

Hovering the mouse over the first icon gives no information and when clicking on it, it disappears. But it has appeared when scanning. There is no scanning, only the turning on of the external hard drive. There might be an issue with the wireless scanning built-into the printer and the wired usb 3.0 external hard drive.

On another matter, I have been updating the hardware drivers of the computer (cpu, wireless drivers, usb drivers, etc) The computer was working O.K. before the driver update and is still working O.K., but since the driver update I have been unable to replicate the printer error message when turning on the external hard drive connected by usb 3.0. I’ve tried several times to get the printer error, but wireless printer and external hard drive operate smoothly and with no issues, except that tray icon which appears when scanning and/or when turning on the external hard drive still appears (no warning messages are being given and printer and computer is working O.K.)

Any thoughts?

Thanks, selected troubleshoot and it was not able to fix the issue and simply suggested an internet search – no help from troubleshoot.

Have not yet connected a wire to printer and tried to duplicate the printer error. Will follow-up soon with a wire and report back.

There are actually two wireless printers, an hp officejet which is used most often and a wireless hp laserjet. When I got the printing error to the officejet, I tried again to the laserjet, no luck, same printing error. The two printers have different ip addresses but neither are static.

There is a warning mark on the control panel of the printer when it cannot print. Turning off the printer and computer, disconnect/reconnect wireless router power, then restarting both removes the warning mark on the control panel of the printer and the printer can print again.

I’ll check device manager disk drives next time there is a fail to print error when the external hard drive is on and post back what I found.

Thanks

Thanks, the external hard drive is a backup drive and there is no printing from the drive itself.

I downloaded RouterStatsLite. My router was not listed but looked into configuring it anyway. I really don’t think it is a wireless interference issue, but a driver or software issue.

The external hard drive is manually powered on/off with its own external power supply. I think it is an issue with the drive being powered on and then later off that is (sometimes) causing the wireless printer to not print.

The hp print and scan doctor WILL print a wireless diagnostic test page every time, so I don’t think it is a wireless interference issue, but using win 7 device and printers, selecting the wireless printer, then choosing print a test page, that will NOT print (sometimes), nor will printing from web browser or word document at those times, either, even though HP print doctor will print.

I understand there might be wireless interference at that exact moment with web browser or word document but not with hp print doctor when it sends a test page, but its been tested several times and the results are the same, so the odds are that I don’t think it is a wireless interference issue.

Hope that helps clarify.

Thanks, moved the external hard drive away from the wireless router (it was not directly connected to the router) and then the printer would print again. Then, moved the external hard drive back close to the router and the printer still prints. So probably is not related to the closeness of wireless router to external hard drive. But a good idea and good reason to keep hard drive some distance from wireless router.

I’ll keep looking for a reason why wireless printer will not print (sometimes) when the external hard drive is on. If I find the reason, I’ll post back the solution.

Anyone else?

Thanks