Problem with a Printer..

Hello, So here is the deal with my printer. I had tried to update the driver from HP's website. It had some errors and it wouldnt install it. So, I decided to download the complete file, the software + driver. Basic Driver File Name : DJ_AIO_03_F4200_NonNet_Basic_Win_enu_110_182.exe Complete Software Name : 100_215_DJ_AIO_03_F4200_Full_NonNet_enu_MB.exe I have both those files on the desktop. When I tried to initially install the complete software, I got an error message: "A new version of this software is already installed on your Deskjet Computer. Just plug the printer and it should work fine.".. or something along those lines. I tried to plug the printer, and it started looking for drivers which it didnt find. So I went to Add/Remove programs and I deleted everything with HP in it. I was talking to someone from HP chat at that time, so I also went to my %temp% folder and ran level 3 uninstall and level 4 uninstall. Right now, there is no HP under my printers&faxes. There is nothing with HP in my add/remove programs. Still when I try to install the software, it gives me the same darn error message. Is there any other removal tool ? I just dont know what to do. I could install the solution center and stuff with F4400 software, but it wouldnt recognize my 4235 printer. So I had to remove all that also. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Hello Parth,

Sorry to hear you're having problems.

For uninstalling all the HP software, you could try using Revo Uninstaller.

http://www.revouninstaller.com/revo_uninst…e_download.html

If there are any HP applications left, uninstall them and run the Advanced Scan. If it comes up with anything, for both registry keys and files, have a close look and delete any which you are sure belong to the HP application.

As for the drivers, sometimes uninstalling the software doesn't necessarily uninstall all the drivers. Let's try uninstalling the drivers through windows:

1. Plug your printer in via the USB port.
2. Go to your start menu and type "devmgmt.msc" in the search bar, or in the "run" box.
3. Hit enter and you should be presented with a long list of devices and drivers currently attached or installed on your machine.
4. Search for any devices with a yellow exclamation mark next to the name. Right click any of them, click properties and post the error codes in your next reply.
5. Next, try searching for your printer.
6. If you find it, right click it and click on uninstall.
7. Unplug your printer and restart your machine
8. Try installing the drivers again without the printer plugged in.


Let me know how it works,

Nahumi

Where is this advanced scan you are talking bout in Revo Pro?

There was no exclaimation mark but some ? and I did properties on them. Under Other devices… Deskjet F4200 series - This device is not configured correctly. (Code 1) To reinstall the drivers for this device, click Reinstall Driver. Location : Location 0 (Deskjet F4200 series) HP Deskjet F4200 series printer - This device is working properly. If you are having problems with this device, click Troubleshoot to start the troubleshooter. Location : on HP Deskjet F4200 series (DOT4PRT) HPDeskjet F4200 Series: This device is working properly. If you are having problems with this device, click Troubleshoot to start the troubleshooter. Location : on USB Printing Support

It should be in the dialogue box that comes up when you click "Uninstall". You should be shown three steps. The first creates a system restore point and backs up your registry. The second tries running the default uninstaller. The third, which is at the bottom of the screen, gives you the option to do a scan for leftover items. You have the choice of doing a "Safe", "Moderate" or "Advanced" scan. Just choose the "Advanced" option and hit scan. This will only work if you have any HP applications left. If you don't, just move onto the next set of instructions.

Looks like you might have multiple drivers installed. Try "uninstalling" all the three drivers that you listed through the device manager. Just right click them, and click "uninstall". Then follow steps 7 and 8, and hopefully it works.

Nahumi, I uninstalled all of it from device manager, then rebooted the computer. I tried to run the software installation with drivers, etc and it gives me the same error about a newer version is still on my computer. I do not have anything with HP under revo pro thing… So I dunno what else to look for >< Parth

Parth, Have a look in C:\Program Files\ If there are any remnants of HP left after the uninstall, or even an HP folder that is empty, go ahead and DELETE.

I had already done that >< I went to search and did hp*.* Got a huge list… 255 files…a lot of them are *blue*, so guessing its hidden ? Think I should delete those ? Trying to figure out how I can show you that list lol.

Ok, I print screen and put it in MS word then converted it into pdf lol. I hope you can view it and it helps… Now back to question, you think I can delete all those ?

That probably wouldn't be a good idea. Those files just happen to have the letters "hp" in them. Deleting all of them will probably make your system very unstable. Are you entirely sure that you've downloaded the right drivers? Are you running a 32-bit, or 64-bit version of Vista?

Nahumi,

I think I did not explain quite properly. Sorry about that.
I am 100% sure I have a 32 bit system. Its Windows XP.
Here is a link to where I got the drivers + software from.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwar…product=3571316

Under drivers, there are 2 files.
You can either download the *Basic* Driver or the complete *Software+driver*.

Right now as it stands, If I run the basic driver, it will install my printer just fine. And I can print documents just fine.
But the problem is, I cant scan documents.
For scanning, you need the HP software(well 1 way, I think), its called HP solution software or something. It comes with the software part, the cd that originally came with the printer which course I lost =).


So basically, the problem where I am stuck is, If I run the *Software+driver* file, it tells me that I already have a newer version of the software installed ><

I have installed the same file on my wife's laptop with same XP as this desktop and it installed just fine.
So, somewhere, somehow there is some hp carp** still on this machine, which I just cant find heh.

I have removed everything from Add/Remove Programs.
I have removed all *HP* stuff from Program Files/Common Files.
I have ran CCleaner and cleared Registry entries.

And that is when I got stuck =).

One of my other unfortunate problem is, I had talked with a HP chat support guy like 2 days ago, when this initially happened. That genius made me run a disk cleanup and in turn, got me to clear my system restore points also. I wasnt thinking right and did it, so now I cant even restore it back ><

Hence, I am out of suggestions and came to my favorite spot…these forums =) lol.

Hope that explains the problem some more =p


Parth

Okay, yeah. That explains things a bit more.

A system restore point really would have come in handy.

I'm having another quick look at the HP website. By the looks of it, and I could be wrong, HP released the "Basic" drivers about a year after the full install with all their own applications. This would certainly explain why installing the older driver throws up an error. The other thing I've noticed is that their download file names are slightly different to the ones you gave. But I don't think that's really a problem.

Okay, what we can do is reinstall using only the drivers, and then find a different way for you to scan in documents. I did find this help document on the HP website. Try following their steps for XP to see if it works:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/documen…;sw_lang=#N1046

Nahumi, Not trying to be a pain lol but what I couldnt understand is, we removed everything, as far as drivers are concerned. And yes you are right, the software cd is like a year older to basic drivers which they released again later. The thing though is this, the installation cuts off in step 1, I dont believe it even gets to the driver stage. So, supposively, it just finds old traces of software somewhere, which I just cant understand where lol. I appreciate the link for diff ways to scan =) I dont even have paint right now lol but I can figure that out. and stupid adobe scan doesnt work cuz of some DEP error, which is on adobe's site also. But anyway, if you can think of anyway I can remove the software, I would really appreciate it. Cuz that HP software is indeed pretty darn good with some diff options and stuff. If we cant get it, its still all good and I really appreciate all the help =) Thanks again. Parth

Nahumi/Doug: Thanks again for all the help. Finally tried something and it worked lol. If you had seen my search list, it had bunch of files in this path: c:\windows\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86\hpdeskjet_f4200_seri4fb I moved that whole folder somewhere else to try it out. And viola, the software installation + driver installation worked lol. I do have one more question if you guys know about it…. When I use adobe to create pdf, if I do create from scanner, it gives me a Data Execution Error and crashes…. Any of you have any knowledge about it ? I have searched a lot for it and found some replies from 2009 that it was problem with microsoft and DEP… But never really found a solution. It sucks cuz whenever I scan documents, the file is usually huge…and I have to scan huge documents, like 40-50 pages and convert them to pdf… If either of you know, would be great. If not, thanks again for all the help and you can close this thread =) Thanks, Parth