I can't add my Photosmart Plus B210a to the list of printers / can't create printer queue.

[NialaNL]

See title.

I'm on a late 2010 Macbook Air 11" and run Mac OS X 10.6.8.

Thanks in advance.

[PrintDoc]

Let's reset the printing system:

- Sys Prefs, Print & Fax
- Right (control) click in the rectangle listing your printers and select Reset Printing System.
WARNING - this will delete ALL of your printers!
- Select the plus sign to re-add it. Look for the printer, select it and wait until the "Add" button becomes available. Click it.

[NialaNL]

I have already tried this, without success. Any other ideas that could help?

[ShlomiL]

What do you mean by unable adding the printer queue:

Is there any error message while selecting the printer?

Can you see the printer listed at all?

Connected by usb or network?

[NialaNL]

I will give you kudos if your post is helpful, but it's not (yet) And I will accept the solution, but again: if it is the solution.

Back on topic:
I see the printer trough Bonjour and USB (if I have the USB cable plugged in, of course, which I tested to be sure) in the add printer screen. When clicking add, Apple's software update asks to check for downloads and install software. If I do that, the software appears to install just fine, but the printer doesn't show in the printer list after the installation is completed (and I can't print, for that sake).

When trying to add the printer again, it wants to check for software like before, but the I get a message that tells me that no software can be found at this moment. This gives me the feeling that the software part is not the problem. I think it's somehow my printer screen that won't see that the printer actually installed correctly.

The printer works, by the way. I installed it without any hassle on my HP EliteBook, which runs on Windows. I want to print from my MacBook though!

[ShlomiL]

Ok, tet's try the following:

Have you installed the full software compatible with Mac OS 10.6?

If not, Please reset the Printing system as described, and then install the software from the link below:

http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib/software11/COL34274/mp-84878-2/PS_AIO_08_B210_USW_Full_Mac_WW_74.dmg

Follow the installation and configure the printer while being asked to do so during the HP Setup Assistant.

Make sure to install the HP Printer Software Update 2.7 by following the Apple Menu > Software Update.

For any case the issue persists try and install the complete HP Software Update package from the link below, and add try to  the printer then:

http://support.apple.com/downloads/DL907/en_US/HewlettPackardPrinterDrivers2.7.2.dmg

[NialaNL]

I already tried both of those options... Neither work (they work exactly as described earlier). I'm thinking of reinstalling Mac OS X, but I'm not sure if it will help to have a clean install and what stuff I will lose. Is there any easy way to reinstall Mac OS X, using the external hard disk I have for backing up stuff?