Can I use HP Vista 64bit software on Win 7 64bit?

[RainManOr]

I have an HP Deskjet 6940 which I will be using on a new Win7 64bit computer after the first of the year.

Checking for Win7 64 bit software for the HP6940, HP support  indicates full featured software for HP6940 is not available and to use the basic software supplied by Win7 install disk. This is not good. I need to switch between various printing modes with some modifications. I do not believe this will be available in Win 7 basic.

HP support of HP6940 shows full support software for Vista 64bit. Microsoft documentation indicates most Vista 64bit drivers etc will work on Win7 64bit. The operative word is most. Therefore the question is, can I go ahead and use the HP Vista 64bit software on Win7 64bit to get the features I need or am I out of luck? If it will not work how soon can I expect Win7 64bit software for the HP6940 being available? The printer is not THAT old that HP should discontinue support. 

Thanks in advance for any info.

[SophiaS]

HP released drivers especially for the HP Deskjet 6940 with the MS operating system.

You should be able to switch print modes using what released with Windows 7.

HP Deskjet 6940 Installing the Product with the USB Cable and Using the Driver Located in the Window...

Please let me know if you try this and the driver does not allow you to do what you need to do.

[RainManOr]

SophiaS

Thanks for info that I maybe ok with Win7 basic support. You appear to be implying HP sent MS a full set of HP6940 software for Win7 64bit. I am not sure that is true since HP support says Win7 has only basic support for HP6940.  

I would have a more warm and fuzzy if I could use the full support HP Vista 64bit software. Even better would be full support software for Win7 64bit. I am sure the basic would not cover full range of printing shortcuts that are in HP software.

[SophiaS]

Thank you for letting me know

The unfortunate situation with the DeskJet 6940 is it will only be supported by drivers HP published with Windows 7. 

I hope are pleasantly surprised at the capability of the print driver that several HP colleagues of mine spent months developing.

I wish I had an answer that would be satisfactory.

At minimum I wanted to provide you with confirmation that a full solution is not planned.

[Bob_Headrick]

The Deskjet 6940 driver in Win 7 is pretty fully featured.  The printing shortcuts include the following:

• General Everyday Printing
•  Photo Printing - Borderless
• Photo Printing with White Borders
• Two-sided (duplex) printing
• Presentation Printing
• Fast/Exonomical printing

Additionally there are options for page scaling, tray selection, dozens of paper type selections (including automatic), HP Real-life photo enhancements and others.

[RainManOr]

Bob

Thanks for the info with a more complete description of Win7 64bit "basic" support for the HP9640. Sophia was trying to be re-assuring but didn't supply details of support.

Based on previous experience "basic" is basic without a lot of control options. Expected only basic radio buttons for quality=good, better, best plus type=text and photographic and oriantation=portrait, landscape. The video associated with the Win 7 support message for the HP6940 was not very helpful and did not show the potential options/setup being provided. Either that or it went so fast you could not really see what was available/presented. 

[Bob_Headrick · Accepted solution]

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RainManOr wrote:

Based on previous experience "basic" is basic without a lot of control options. Expected only basic radio buttons for quality=good, better, best plus type=text and photographic and oriantation=portrait, landscape. The video associated with the Win 7 support message for the HP6940 was not very helpful and did not show the potential options/setup being provided. Either that or it went so fast you could not really see what was available/presented. 

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It is an unfortunate choice of words to suggest the drivers are "basic", for the Deskjet 6940 they look like what I would expect from a full featured download from HP.  Personally I like the Windows Update method of delivering drivers a bit better than searching at hp.com for drivers, but it is a bit more difficult to know in advance what you are getting.  Drivers such as the Deskjet 990 are what I would call "basic", others like the 6940 are pretty full featured.

[TVic]

I have the printer installed in Windows 7 64 bit using the standard Win 7 drivers and it works fine  The issue is what about aligning the printer?  If you get new cartridges, the first thing you do is align the printer.  Win 7 drivers do not do this.  When can we get something to be able to align the printer under Win 7?

Thanks,

Vic

[Bob_Headrick]

AFAIK the Deskjet 6940 performs an automatic alignment when a new cartrdige is installed.  The printer will print an alignment page and scan it while printing to complete the alignment process without any user intervention required.