Can't install any driver for Laserjet 2420dn in Windows 7 64 bit

[Pfill]

I bought a used LaserJet 2420dn.  The printer prints out info pages fine from its menu / front panel.

I just can't connect it to my Windows computer.

I'm connecting it directly to my computer via USB.

Model/Product# Q5959A

[personal information removed]

DC Controller: F

Firmware datecode: 20041129 08.107.2

I downloaded and tried installing all 3 of the available Windows 7 64-bit printer drivers (PCL5, PCL6, PostScript) for this printer from HP's site, but none of them would install.

I also tried to install the driver that Windows Update finds for this printer, but it wouldn't install.

I tried installing the firmware update (lj2420fw_08.120.4), but it won't install because no driver is installed.

It's supposed to be possible to install the firmware update over the network, but this requires knowing the printer's IP address.

The printer reports its host IP address as 172.21.30.173, but that's a local address, not available on the Intenet.

There does not appear to be any way to assign an IP address to the printer.

Plugging it into my router via its Ethernet port does not make it appear on my network.

I also tried installing the Windows XP 32-bit driver for this printer on my Windows XP computer, in the hopes that I could install the firmware update there, but the XP 32-bit "driver" doesn't have any install software.  There is no way for anyone to install the XP driver.

I also tried the Vista driver, which also will not install.

I'll have to return this printer unless someone can help me install a Windows 7 driver for it.

I suspect that it's necessary to install the firmware update to install the Windows 7 driver, and it's necessary to install the driver before installing the firmware update.

If someone could step me through the process of how I'm supposed to install the Windows XP driver with only a hplj24x0u.inf file, that might solve the problem.

[Cold-print]

Hello Pfill,

You would want to make sure that the printer is being read by the windows 7 OS.
So when you plug in the printer, windows should make a popup sound.
If there´s no sound, then this could be a printer failure (Try other USB cables)
Make sure you plug in the printer directly to the computer.

What I would recommend doing is this.

1. Disconnect USB from computer
2. Download the HP Universal print driver PCL5 6.2.
   
   http://h20566.www2.hp.com/hpsc/swd/public/detail?sp4ts.oid=4157320&swItemId=ds_99378_9&swEnvOid=4063
   
   
3. Install it the driver  as Plug and play mode. (this will have the print driver installed on computer ready for a USB plug event)
4. Plug in the printer to the computer
5. check if a new print queue shows under devices and printers.
   
   If so, you were successfull, test your printer and that will be it.
   
   I hope this helps you!
   
   Regards

[Christopher-SE]

Pfill,

If you only have the option to connect using USB then you can ignore this message.

I see you are having trouble installing the driver for this device.  Someone else might be able to address the installation problem later, but I have another option.

Do you have an option to connect the printer to your network?  If you can do that then ePrint Windows Software can help you find the device on the network and get pages printed.  Here is a link to ePrint Windows Software:

http://www8.hp.com/us/en/solutions/business-solutions/printingsolutions/eprintsoftware.html

#HPExpertDay

[Pfill]

The universal printer driver did the same thing as all the other drivers:

After "installing" the driver, no printer is added to my printer choices.

Plugging the USB cable in and turning the printer on makes the trumpet sound indicating the computer has recognized the USB printer.  Usually a message pops up saying "A device failed to install correctly", but not always.  However, the printer never becomes available.

Under Control Panel->Hardward and Sound->Devices and Printers, I will then have a new printer, "hp LaserJet 2420", but I can't set it as default, and it does not show up as a print destination option.  If I right-click on hp LaserJet 2420 in Devices and Printers, instead of the usual Menu (See what's printing, Set as default printer, Printer preferences, Printer properties, Create shortcut, Troubleshoot, Properties)  I get only (Open, Open in new window, Create shortcut, Troubleshoot, Properties).

Clicking on Properties opens a tab that says nothing useful except Model: hp LaserJet 2420 under the General tab, and under the Hardware tab it says

NAME                                                     TYPE

HP LaserJet 2420 (DOT4PRT)      IEEE 1284.4 compatible printer

HP LaserJet 2420 (DOT4USB)      IEEE 1284.4 devices

HP LaserJet 2420 Printer              Other devices

Clicking on Troubleshoot produces, after a long, long wait, a pop-up that says "A problem is preventing the troubleshooter from starting."  The error code is 0x80004005.  That's what the troubleshooter always does on my Windows 7 system, for any device, so that's uninformative.  I have tried many different methods from Microsoft's website to get the troubleshooter to run, but none work.

Clicking on Open opens a new explorer window that says 'hp LaserJet 2420' but has no files, directories, or any content, and no menu options.

Clicking on "Add a printer->Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer", with the printer connected and turned on, does not enable me to add the 2420, which is not detected.

I should add that I don't have the CD-ROM that originally came with the printer.

[Pfill]

I was able to install the firmware update via ftp, but still no driver of any kind.

[Christopher-SE]

It sounds like the installation of Windows is not behaving normal in many ways.  Could you provide more information about the system?  Where have you obtained the system?  If you have put any parts into the system, what are the new parts?

One reason I ask these questions is because I recently put together a system with relatively new parts including DDR4 RAM and the Intel Skylake chip.  After some trouble I finally managed to get Windows 7 installed on the system, but it did not function correctly.  Some of the symptoms you are describing sound very similar to the issues I ran saw.  Ultimately, I decided to install Windows 10 and it works great.

[Cold-print]

Hello  Again Pfill,

I have seen such errors, where the printer does not get installed correctly.

You would want to change that DOT4PRT to a USB Printing support.

You may follow these instructions on this other article.

http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c02693964

I know it says it is for a fatal error during installation but it is applicable..


Here you have some more details. This is not your printer´s specific, but it may be  applicable.

Details :

• While installing the HP LaserJet Pro Multifunction Printer software, the Window Operation System automatically detects the printer and its creates the USB001 virtual port and installs the relevant driver.

• This will not happen if the Windows 7 Computer (32-bit/64-bit) already has HP Universal Printer Driver (any version).

• The installation will take long time searching for the right HP UPD Printer driver, since these product drivers are built on HP UPD.

• When the installation is taking too long it pops up with the timeout fatal error .

• Because this USB Printer driver uses Microsoft’s usbprint.sys file (C:\Windows\System32\drivers ) to create USB001 virtual port for the printer will not get registered, this fails the installation and pops up the fatal error .

Figure 1: usbprint.sys Properties

Solution

Do not unplug the USB cable from the computer , when the installation pops up with the timeout fatal error .

Follow the below mentioned steps with screenshot to resolve the issue:

NOTE: Turn off the UAC if applicable.

1. Click on windows start button > right-click on Computer > click on Manage .

   Or

   Click on windows start button > under search bar > type Device Manager and when highlighted click on it to open.

2. Now user will see the Computer Management Console/Device Manager . Click on imaging device option in the list > right click on HP PNP Scan Null > uninstall > apply tick on Delete the driver software for this device > ok.

3. Click on Universal Serial Bus Controllers > right click on HP PNP EWS Null uninstall > apply tick on Delete the driver software for this device > ok.

4. Click on Universal Serial Bus Controllers > right click on HP Printer (LEDM) >uninstall > apply tick on Delete the driver software for this device > ok.

5. Click on Universal Serial Bus Controllers > right click on USB Composite Device > uninstall > ok. (Uninstall all the USB composite devices).

6. Now Unplug the USB cable from the computer and open the timeout fatal error window and click on Cancel to uninstall.

7. Reboot the computer and run the installation again.

   This time the USB Printer driver uses Microsoft’s usbprint.sys file that creates USB001 virtual port for the printer will be registered.

Regards

[Pfill · Accepted solution]

It turned out that the problem was that my Windows system environment variables "TEMP" and "TMP" were set to a directory that no longer existed.  This was also why the troubleshooter wouldn't run, and why my recycle bins wouldn't work!

After redirecting those variables (it is no longer necessary to point them to the C drive, BTW; TEMP should really be on a RAM drive) and rebooting, the HP PCL6 USB driver installed and worked.