Intermittent refusal to print

[Chilko]

Occasionally--usually when I'm doing a rush job--my printer refuses to print and deleting has no effect.  Unplugging, rebooting, re-entering don't work.  Print Doctor fixes the problem without saying what it was--but that takes time, which I usually don't have! 

When first installing the printer I switched from wireless to USB, as our internet connection is often down here, and I'm wondering if that could be an issue.  If so, how would I correct it?

[Chimney_83 · Accepted solution]

Greetings @Chilko, 

Welcome to HP Forums and Thanks for the post. 

I understand that you are facing an issue with your printer not printing intermittently. Don't worry, I will be glad to assist you. 

Kudos to you for trying to troubleshoot the issue on your own.

Have you updated the firmware on the printer?

When your printer does not respond, are you able to make a copy?

How is the printer connected? (USB or wireless)

Do you get any error message? (Offline or print job stuck in queue)

Recommend you to uninstall the printer software following the method suggested below. 

Uninstall the printer from programs and features from the control panel.

Check in device manager, if the printer is listed there, please delete it.

Go to devices and printers, select any printer listed there and you will get some options on the top. 

Click on print server properties. 

You will get a popup, click on the drivers tab and delete all the HP printer drivers listed there, if any.

Delete all the instances of your printer listed in devices and printers.

Restart the PC.

Update the firmware on the printer using the control panel on the printer. (Will require the printer to be connected to your wireless network.)

Once the PC is on the desktop, press Win + R, it would bring a Run dialog box, 

Type %temp% in the run box and click Ok or hit the Enter button.

It would bring up the temporary files folder. Delete the files in the folder (You might not be able to delete all the files).

If possible, delete the printer from the registries using Regedit or using any other 3rd party application.

Restart the PC again. 

Download the latest full feature driver from www.hp.com/drivers and install it on the computer. 

Once the printer is setup, recommend you to assign a static IP address to the printer as suggested in this article. 

HP Printers - Print Jobs Stuck in Print Queue (Windows)

Let me know if this helped. 

If the information I've provided was helpful,

Please give us some reinforcement by clicking the "Accepted Solution" and "Kudos" buttons,

That’ll help us and others see that we’ve got the answers!

Good Luck.

[Chilko]

Chimney_83....thanks for the help.  I did get bogged down a few times on your directions, but called on my spouse and we manage to muddle through.  We're both in our mid 70's and computers and their jargon aren't intuitive for us, as they are for younger people (when a watch needs to be reset, we look for a kid to do it).  As to whether the fix worked or not...that remains to be seen, as the problem was intermittent!

[Chimney_83]

Thanks for the reply, I am sure this should resolve the issue you are facing. However, if you come across the issue again. Please do share a screenshot if possible. 

Please click ‘Accepted Solution’ on the post that solves your issue to help others find the solution. To show appreciation for my help, please click the ‘Thumbs Up’ Icon below.