How to upload photos from memory card to computer on new Officejet 8500A Plus?

[djssa]

I recently replaced an older HP psc 2410 photosmart printer with a new Officejet Pro 8500A Plus printer.  The installation went fine without error messages, and it prints, scans and copies just fine.  When I insert a memory card into the slot, the printer itself recognizes the files and displays them on the LCD screen and offers to print them.  BUT ... what I want to do is upload the files to my PC (running Windows XP), and I can't figure out how to do it!  There is no HP program that pops up and offers to transfer the photos like with my old printer.   I was also expecting to see the card slots shown as a removeable drive like I did with my old printer, but I don't see them.  Also, my Photoshop Elements program doesn't recognize the card slots either.

Then it dawned on me that my computer doesn't "see" the card slots because it's not connected directly to the printer!  I set this up as a wireless printer and I am totally new to this, so pardon if this is a dumb question... but is there no way to transfer files from the card slot to the PC in a wireless setup??  I'm totally confused...

[banhien]

Hi,

Just skipping thru the manual, it mentiones "Card reader" twice and both areas do not say anything about using card reader on the printer as an external card reader.  You may want to check the manual yourself.

Regards,

[Neon4499 · Accepted solution]

Hi,

If your printer is connected thru network or wireless network, you have to access it thru the IP address.

Find out the IP address of the printer. You can do this by clicking on the network icon on the front panel of your printer.

Open Windows explorer and type \\xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx" where xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx is the ip address of the printer.

You'll see the memory card slot there.

You can do a "map network drive" to it if you want your printer card slot to be listed there permanently.

[djssa]

Hi, thanks for your reply.   I did retrieve the IP address of my printer and type it into my browser, and I do get a web page with lots of information about my printer and its configuration, but I still do not see anything on that page or its tabs/links that tells me how to upload photo files to my computer.  And I don't understand how to map this IP address as a network drive. More advice please??

[djssa]

HI, thanks for your reply.   You know I don't think the manual you sent a link to is the right one for my printer... it says Officejet Pro 8500 on the cover, and mine is 8500A.  The picture on the front cover looks different from my printer also.  The 8500 manual actually has a page that describes "how to save files to your computer", but the directions don't work for me ... it says to hit "save" and there is no button or option like that on my screen.

[Neon4499]

Hi,

Did you put "\\" in front of the IP address?

If you just put the IP address without the "\\", windows explorer will take you to the Embedded Web Server (EWS) of the printer. This is a site where you can get information and do some settings on the printer.

[djssa]

Hi again,

If I type my printer IP address preceded by two backslashes [e.g. \\xx.x.x.x ]  absolutely nothing happens, the browser seems to ignore it, and I stay on my same ISP homepage.

If I type my printer IP address preceded by two forward slashes [e.g. //xx.x.x.x]  I do get taken to the Embedded Web Server page as you described, but I can't figure out how to do anything that lets me save jpeg files from my printer memory card slot to my computer.

[djssa]

The first few times I tried typing the \\ + IP address of the printer into the IE browser nothing happened, then after I'd given up hope, up popped the window and showed my memory card with fotos shown in folders underneath.  I was then able to copy the photo folder onto my computer desktop.  I also figured out how to right-click on it and map it to a network drive, and now it shows up in Windows Explorer.   So thanks for your help Neon4499!!

[Neon4499]

Yes, you need to wait some time before the folder is shown. It's the same amount of time you have to wait if you want to access shared folders from another pc

I'm glad it worked

[Andrew-Flynn]

Nice response!