Thanks, the registry edit did it - I wonder how long it will work for. i should have realised actually - MS has already just deleted one print driver with no warning because it didn't like it (I was perplexed when my default printer suddenly changed to being a fax machine).
Incidently, I'm in the process of moving lock. stock and barrel to Linux at the moment, the above being one reason, the general direction of Windows being another. On my test Linux installation (Ubuntu 24.04) I found I could not get gutenprint to print sensibly at all with my photo printer (one of the Canon ip8700 series), and had to use the (commercial) Turbo print. That did a good job - but at a cost, of course.
Incidently, I'm in the process of moving lock. stock and barrel to Linux at the moment, the above being one reason, the general direction of Windows being another. On my test Linux installation (Ubuntu 24.04) I found I could not get gutenprint to print sensibly at all with my photo printer (one of the Canon ip8700 series), and had to use the (commercial) Turbo print. That did a good job - but at a cost, of course.