Why does XP see a replacement printer as a new device?

I have replaced a broken Canon printer with an identical model. XP has the driver but sees this as a new device and wants to install another version of the driver for it. As I don’t have admin rights I cannot use this printer until I can get back to the office to have one of the administrators do it for me. Could XP have been configured differently to start with so that all printers of a particular model are recognised out of the box? If so then please tell so that I can pass this on when I drive the 200 mile round trip to get it fixed.