C7280 Duplex Printing

[RichyRicardo]

Yes, I was just on HP HelpDesk for an hour+ . Got the thing to duplex print, but still get that "Dual-sided Module Not Installed, Print One-Sided?" error message, to which I select Yes, and it prints dual-sided anyway. My HP guy's workaround was to download the driver for the C6380 and change devices.  Wouldn't it just be easier for them to quit clogging up their Helpdesk and fix the driver?

[RichyRicardo]

On the other hand, the Duplexer wasn't even mentioned in the instruction manual. I remembered that when I bought it last week, it was one of the features I liked, thought I had bought the wrong model. Finally went on HP FAQs to realize why it wasn't working ("Not Installed" in properties).

[VK4DN]

My view exactly. Unfortuneately I was unaware of this forum at the time I was having the problem. I was also told by retailer that duplexer was an optional extra!!

What a waste of $150.00. I could have almost bought an additional printer.

I have 4 other HP printers and have never had such poor backup as I have with this one.

Will be very wary next purchase!!

[RichyRicardo]

Well, there's always e-Bay . Which is what I'm going to do with my deskjet 950, since HP gave up on developing a driver for it for Vista - now has to use a generic Vista driver that's kind of non-functional. Otherwise, that old 950 was a real workhorse. I guess they have to get them obsolete somehow.

Yes, I've always had HP printers, and great backup, instructions, etc. It seems now, though, they're kind of rushing things to market without QA on the driver software, manuals, etc.

[syxie]

I have had this problem before - about 2 years ago.  Can't remember the model.  Back then the printer would NOT print duplex, so got returned and replaced.  At least this time the C7280 does duplex, you just need to ignore the message.  The first reaction on seeing the message is to cancel the print job rather than get it single-sided, and I guess many will do this at first (as I did).  Then, having just a two-page document to print, I selected "Print" at the message and of course it double-sided!

The reason for the problem is that the printer and duplexer do not have a PHYSICAL electronic connection.  If you look at the duplexer internals, you'll see a small spring-loaded connector at one end.  there should be a similarly located small circuit board connector on the printer and, when the duplexer is installed, these connect and make a circuit.  I have had several other HP models, all of which have this circuit board connection.  It looks like the wiring may be inside the back of the printer - it's just not terminated.  Since the duplexing does actually work, maybe HP should should mod the driver (as someone already said) to bypass this annoying little message.

Message Edited by syxie on 12-09-2008 04:56 PM

[Bassin]

I also have this same problem. I do get the pop-up and can print the double sided document, however when I que up several documents, I should not have to sit at my system and answer this question each time the next print job starts to print. I should be able to walk away from my system and have all the print jobs print automatically.

[steven-h]

Well I received an eight page email from HP with suggestions on things to try and fix this problem.  After the fist fix I could not get any of the HP software to install.  So I returned the printer and purchased a Lexmark.  It works fine.

[grahamt]

Don't bother trying to fix this problem because there is no fix no matter what HP says. I also spent several hours discussing this with HP Support earlier this year and finally they admitted that it is a bug in the HP Solution Center software and that there is no fix available and they cannot even suggest when a fix will be available.  It only affects the printer when it is network connected.  There is no problem when it is USB connected.

That's the bad news.

The good news is that despite that the pop-up window says, if you click "Print" (anyway) it WILL print duplex.  The error is only in the very annoying pop-up window message.  The printer actually does what it is supposed to do.

The current version of HP Solution Center available for this printer is Rel 10.  There is a Rel 11 but it still hasn't yet been packaged for this printer despite the fact that the release fixes another annoying problem with this printer (DeviceIO and hpqSTE08.exe refusing to terminate at shutdown).  I know because I upgraded HP Solution Center with the software intended for a different printer.  It was a real hassle to do so but it has fixed that problem.

I'm sorry to have to say that I am very much less than impressed with HP's software authors. I was in IT for 37 years, much spent as a computer programmer.  The quality of this HP software, sadly, leaves much to be desired.

For the full gory details you can read my review of this printer here: http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/fax-machine/hp-photosmart-c7280-all-in-one/1094735/

[pedro]

Was wondering why printing from Microsoft word, would give me a message that duplex or double sided printing wasn't available. Checked all connections, switched on/off and nothing, using 15 minutes or so. I'm glad i already had the information that the software still had a couple of bugs which prompted me to search only, which got me to this site in no time. I'm glad I read these posts before wasting hours!!! I've always been a fan of HP for its great printers and quality, but not happy with this since they've had plenty of time since february 2008 till december 2008 to get this sorted in new software! (I checked earlier for new updated sofware and there was none).

This bug is enough for me to take printer back to agent and tell them it doesn't work, which i can demonstrate to them - leaving them with a printer with no packaging!!

I expect HP tech to monitor these forums, so, HP get your act sorted!

[Amfortas]

I really wish HP would fix these duplex issues.  I've used HP products exclusivly for MANY years.  I never had any problems until my last printer (Officejet 7410).  When I bought it Vista had just been released and HP listed the 7410 as Vista compatable.  Everything was compatible except for duplexing.  It'd only print in "tablet" and not "booklet" format. On a few of my older XP systems the 7410 runs flawless.  All but one of those XP systems have been replaced, so it's vital that the printer play nicely with Vista.

For months HP support blamed Microsoft.  Then they started promising a patch was being worked on.  I did a temperary fix by installing the printer as the 6500 series, but lost other functions.  After almost two years I have given up.  It is obvious that HP isn't going to direct resources to fixing a printer that is no longer sold.

Now I'm seriously concidering the C7280.  I had hoped that since it's a newer all-in-one created after Vista had been out for sometime, that the problems would be fixed.  After reading these posts my continued support of HP's brand is further tested.  Is this issue a Vista related problem, or is it across various platforms?  If it's a Vista incompatibilty issue I'll look at other brands.  Vista has been out long enough for HP to work out problems related to compatibility.

Thanks in advance and Happy Holidays...