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HP Recommended

@nofail wrote:

KEYWORDS RELATED TO THIS POST

  • Installing HP Software
  • Fatal Error Installing HP Software
  • HP Solution Center Error
  • Upgrading HP Solution Center
  • Office Jet L7550 install
  • Office Jet Install problems

 

I have been having trouble for months getting the HP Solution Center to work.  After upgrading to version 14, my Solution Center stopped working.  I finally called HP and paid for support and spoke with a nice guy named Tony who helped me fix the problem.  It took a bit of fixing but Tony was able to find the solution and I wanted to pass on what I learned during this process about problems with installing the HP Solution Center software.

 

My problem turned out to be 2 things:  a corrupt DotNet Framework install AND I also learned it's better to install all the software for your printer incrementally, each bit of software in the installer package, being installed one at a time instead of using the default method in the installer that installs it all in one go.  This is particularly important under Windows 7 according to HP.

 

STEPS I'D RECOMMEND

  1. If you have the HP software or ANY HP drivers installed already, you must do this step.  In Windows 7, go to start menu and type in %temp% and hit enter.  This will open your temporary files.  In this location you should see a folder that mostly likely begins with a "7z" followed by some letters and numbers.  Basically you are looking for either this folder or in your particular case the folder that contains all the HP temporary install files.  The location of this will vary depending on where you extracted those files to.  Once you think you've found it, look in it to confirm it it contains your HP setup files for your printer.  This folder and all the files gets placed here when you run the file you downloaded for for your All in One Printer model.  You can always re-download the software and run the installer (even if it fails to install your printer properly) and then pick up following the procedure at step 2
  2. Somewhere in these files, most likely in a folder called "Util" you will find a program called "Uninstall_L3".  Find this and run this program.  This will do a thorough uninstall of the HP software. 
  3. After it finished you will have to reboot.
  4. Next and this could be where your problem lies, go to http://www.microsoft.com/net/download.aspx and download DotNet Framework (the latest version... as of 3-1-2011 is version 4).  Download and install this software and then reboot your computer.
  5. Next, go back to the temp file location of where your printer install files are and look for a program called "bpd_scan_Carrier", usually located in a "bpd_scan" folder off.  Run  this program.
  6. Next go back to the temp file location of where your printer install files are and look for a program called "scan.msi" which should be located in a folder named "scan".  Run this program.
  7. Next.... run the HP setup program again... but pay close attention while you're running it.... because you're not going to run it through accepting all the defaults... you're going to get to a step/screen (about the 3rd one in) where it's going to install the software and you actually will have options of installing all the software or doing a SELECTIVE INSTALL of the software.  These options will actually appear as hyperlinks (which makes them hard to see) on the install wizard.  Look for the hyperlink/option that say something like selective install or custom software install.  When you see that hyperlink, click it.  It will pop open a windows with checkboxes in it.  Uncheck everything except the main printer DRIVER.  Then continue with the install.
  8. It will complete the installation of that
  9. Next go back to the setup program and run it again.  This time select to install additional software.  Again, look for that selective install screen, click the hyperlink and deselect everything except I think it's called "Imaging Device Functions Software" or something like that.  Go through with that install.
  10. Next repeat the same process as above and this time select Solution Center... complete the install.
  11. Fire up the HP Solution Center and it should work now.

I hope this helps someone because I spent a LOT of time trying to fix this.  If it  doesn't give the HP staff a try.  I paid like $37 for a year of support and they fixed it in less than an hour via remote desktop.  I highly recommend using them if you cannot fix using above procedure.  I wasted so much time futzing with this myself I could have been done with this 6 months ago.  Oh well, live and learn....

 

KEY POINTS

  • Get the latest Dot Net Framework (v4.0 as of 3/1/2011)
  • Run bpd_scan_Carrier
  • Run scan.msi
  • Most Importantly - RUN A SELECTIVE SOFTWARE INSTALL.  Look for this option in the hyperlinks on one of the install wizard screens.  It's easy to overlook, so pay attention.  It's about 3 wizard screens in, in the section having to do with installing the software. Install first the drivers, then "Imaging Device Functions Software" and then finally "Solution Center".  TRYING TO RUN THE INSTALLER, ON WINDOWS 7, WITHOUT SELECTIVE SOFTWARE INSTALL CAN PREVENT THE SOFTWARE FROM INSTALLING PROPERLY (duh, right?!... they need to fix this!)

Sorry to revive an old thread.

 

I am having this problem since upgrading to Windows 7. Frustratingly, My HP Photosmart C3180 is recognised by Win7 and prints and scans using Windows drivers/software. But, I can't check ink levels or used the advanced items such as scan to pdf, etc.

 

I did the step by step install including .net. This time the installation did NOT fail at the last step "Configuring Product.."

 

Alas, Solution Center still does not work. hp.png

Somebody, please help, I am pulling my hair out on this one.

Thanks.



HP Recommended

I ended up having the problem AGAIN myself and I finally gave in and called up HP again (still under a 1 year support warranty on the support call I had paid for).  Guess what. They couldn't fix it, despite remote desktop. The recommended solution: REINSTALL WINDOWS!

 

I'm quite a reasonable guy myself and pretty technical. Work on computers all day. The fact that windows needs to be re-installed to get a dang printer to work is so unacceptable, it's beyond words. I have vowed to never buy another HP product again. There's no excuse for this. It's a printer and scanner and it's 2012. I'm no Apple fanboy but this is why more and more people are making the move to Apple's products... they are buying into an eco system that just works. Again, I don't blame this on Windows but HP but come on.  I would highly recommend skipping over HP and buying a printer that works without the bull****. It's a shame because the hardware is decent in my opinion but the drivers are what ultimately  make it work. I have had continual problems with solution center over the last several years and so it's not an isolated incident. I've not seen anything like this with any other devices from other manufacturers.

 

So, you could try calling in to HP. They should offer free support to purchasers of their hardware when they make such crummy software that breaks every 6 months. They will give you a year warranty on the support call and they might be able to fix it or they might tell you also that you need to reinstall windows.

 

It's a shame to see a leading printer mfg not get it and I think they will pay for this dearly. People expect Tech to just work and things like printers should be plug and play for the most part.

 

I think this says enough about the situation:

https://www.google.com/finance?client=ob&q=NYSE:HPQ

 

HP Recommended

Thanks nofail,

Not quite the answer I was hoping for. I hope you got a refund!!

I think I'll resign myself to not being able to use Solution Center. And just like you I won't be buying HP when it comes to my next purchase. Shame because it worked on Vista.

 

And the laughable thing is I only changed to Windows 7 because I could upgrade rather than do a new install. So, I defintely won;t be re-installing to get this software working. Besides, same error would probably arise.

HP Recommended
I ran into the same symptom, and if I remember correctly, it was because I connected the device (F380) at the wrong point in the one-at-a-time procedure. I'm going great now; the oneatatime process is what made the difference for me. TNX nofail!
HP Recommended

BE SURE TO REINSTALL dotNET4; another problem I faced was a corrupt version of this that I didn't catch until following nofail's prescription.


@Snerticus wrote:

Well, it used to be (for me anyway) that the actual product kept malfunctioning.  My 6500 still works like a charm but it's the software that's gone wonky. 

 

The software worked fine for the first year and a half, then all of a sudden the Solution Center just stopped working and kept telling me my installation was incomplete.  I'll try re-installing my .NET (I already had 4.0 so I didn't think I needed to) again.  I'm just tired of uninstalling and reinstalling and making sure as many registry items are deleted as possible. It takes forever and a day.

 

The only other option is simply not to use Solution Center.  I managed to get the scanner to basically work without it, so it's possible to bypass it.  It's just extremely convenient to have all the printer functions right at your fingertips when Solution Center actually works.


 

HP Recommended

I gave up trying. I just use Windows Fax and Scan now or Acrobat Professional if I want to scan a searchable pdf. For ink levels, I just wait until it starts to look faded on paper.

 

Besides, it's one less piece of bloatware clogging up my OS.

 

I'm unsubscribing from this thread now.

 

Byeeee!!

HP Recommended
That didn't work for me either. I did untinstall and reinstall dotNET many many times along with all the other software and scrubbers etc.... I finally gave up and got a new printer. Over a year with buggy software while the product itself worked fine was too much for me. I gave the printer away. I bought a new printer. PROBLEM SOLVED!
HP Recommended

I have a J4680.  Worked fine until recently.  The software has always been 10th rate.  Now suddenly for no apparant reason, cannot get anything but the basic drivers loaded and that took MANY hours.  I will not pay HP to stumble around as they always do, but i will share that I have done everything in this post plus used all the HP remove tools and wizards.  No matter what you do, this junk fails at configuartion.  Neither i or my companies will touch an HP product of any kind again because there software and support are so poor.

HP Recommended

after more than a week and hours  of reading and trying solutions with no result, came this genius and saved me, this is the solution we need here, thanks my friend!!!!:smileyhappy:

HP Recommended

win 7=%temp% + Hz (check all folders starting with this 2 letters) open one at a time in case is more than one) look for util + CCC then scroll down to uninstall_l_1 click on it and follow the instruccions,after finish computer reboot, do this again for the uninstal1,2,3 &4 in each folders, then download the instalation program and that's it everything start again as my genius said!!!! This is to uninstall the all in one printer and programs that come with it.

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