Unable to reinstall Deskjet 2540 after reload

[Geoffoh]

Unable To use HP Deskjet 2540 on Compaq Presario running Windows XP.

First cause of trouble:  virus infection causing reload of all software, October 2016.

Came the printer’s turn, my installation disk was not accepted.  Apparent missing file.  "An error occurred during the installation.  The specified module could not be found.Some alternatives (fresh download etc,) also not successful.

Used my other computer for few months to do all printing work for both computers (on same 2540, over a wireless connection).

This week:

Tried instal disk (for XP et al, v.32.0, Part no. ASU23-10002) again, no success, Tried to download a current instal package: website advises there are no packages available for this environment: choose a different printer (!) or visit the printer’s home page, which did not help.

Tried a previously downloaded instal package from my archives:   DJ2540_188.exe, 13.10.2015.  Would not run – needs .NET 3.0/3.5, set me up to install.  But instal fails -  MSI error code 1603.   Working through possible causes for that error, glaring possibility is “already installed” _ and it does seem to be.

Find on desktop – but on selecting, the window that opens offers only a choice between Connect new printer and Add more Software.

Open Control Panel > Printers & Faxes, find Faxes and XPS writer  but 2540 is not listed.

Find in Program files, but bin\device setup.exe will not run.

Not sure what to do next to use this printer as I did up to 6 months ago.

Geoffoh

[DavidSMP]

Hi @Geoffoh,

Good Day! Thank you for visiting the HP Forums! 🙂 I understand that you have several with printer installation. It will be a genuine pleasure to assist you here. 🙂

Brilliant effort and superb diagnosis of the issue before posting. Kudos to you on that score. 🙂 I am amazed at your technical expertise. 🙂  Such copious and exhaustive troubleshooting makes even a technician proud.  Spectacular stuff! Kudos to you for a job well done. 🙂

We greatly value your relationship with HP. You are a valued HP customer and we appreciate you greatly for doing business with HP. I take it as a privilege to share this platform with you.:)

For better clarity, let me gather some information here.

• Did you try a root level installation of the printer?

Please try these steps:

• Please go to control panel add or remove programs
• Select your HP printer.
• Select Uninstall.
• In control panel look for Devices and  Printers and open it.
• In the Devices and Printers window look for your HP Printer. If you see it listed, right-click on it and choose "Delete" or "Remove Device.”
• Open up the run command with the "Windows Key + R" key combo.
• Type printui.exe /s and click OK.
• Click on Drivers tab.
• Look for HP Printer driver. If you see it click on it and click Remove at the bottom.
• Select OK.

Then please download and reinstall the full feature printer software from this link: http://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/swdetails/HP-Deskjet-2540-All-in-One-Printer-series/... and try the installation.

This should do the trick for you.

Otherwise please try the windows built in driver from this link: http://support.hp.com/in-en/document/c01796879

Hope this helps. Let me know how this goes. I genuinely hope the issue gets resolved without hassles and the unit works great. Please reach out for any issues and I'll be there to assist you. 🙂

To simply say thanks, please click the "Thumbs Up" button to give me a Kudos to appreciate my efforts to help.:)

If this helps, please mark this as “Accepted Solution” as it will help several others with the same issue to get it resolved without hassles. 🙂

Take care now and have a splendid week ahead. 🙂

[Geoffoh]

Thanks for speedy and comprehensive reply to my grump, David.  Following your steps, I note that my PC found no copy of printui.exe in memory. 

Your first download was 2 versions later than my archive copy but results were the same:  Can't action, needs .NET 3.0/3.5, but those frameworks could not instal and presented the same error code as yesterday , as  this sequence displays.

Not sure how to find and send you that (? displayed above)  information, and whether it may be significant.

Then tried the built-in driver link.  Needed to upgrade Flash Player, but that's probably not significant. 

Then a video text  starts inviting use of Windows key, which only displays the standard Start panel - no place to enter your "Change device ...  from the list of results"  selection.  I can't progress.

I checked - Printer is still not accessible from this device.

Any further suggestions?

[MKazi]

@Geoffoh

You are welcome. 🙂 I appreciate you taking your valuable time to troubleshoot.

DavidSMP is presently out of office and therefore I will take it from here. I have reviewed the case history and see that the drivers for your HP printer do not get installed in WinXP. 

Have you tried to download and install the .NET 3.0/3.5 from this Microsoft link?

Post installing the .NET 3.0/3.5, then try to install the drivers.

If nothing works then I recommend you to try installing the HP Deskjet 990c drivers from the inbuilt Windows print drivers. When you get a list of inbuilt HP print drivers, then select HP Deskjet 990c and complete the installation.

I sincerely hope this fixes the issue. Let me know. Cheers!

[Geoffoh]

Sorry, Kazi, I need to be more specific.

Control Panel > Add/remove programs :: HP printer is not listed, unable to uninstall.

Control Panel > Devices & Printers (Printers & Faxes) : HP printer not listed, as mentioned in my first message.

Run command - printui not installed. found, downloaded, could not instal - not compatible with hardware.

Download full-feature, instal failed due to need for .NET 3/3.5.  Could not instal due to error code message shown on the log window I copied with last message. Abandoned that sequence.

Downloaded the Windows built-in driver: could not proceed due to need to upgrade Flash Player. Done.  Procedure failed again, and I forget why, and have lost interest.

Those are a short view of my work, but they address the main points in your colleague David's suggestions.

Does this sequence to re-install a printer (which is working well on another computer) seem excessive?  I'm impatient because this is just one step in a ransomware recovery.  I'm insensitive because you're paid to deal with this complexity and it's a cost for me.  I concede that H-P is trying hard, but I've found supporting their printers very trying - over three decades.

Please close this support request; I have better things to do.

[MKazi]

@Geoffoh

I appreciate the hard work you have done so far. 

I suggest you to upgrade the operating system if possible because as WinXP is phased out, there could be issues installing software/drivers because all new drivers and software are designed to be more compatible with later operating systems. The.NET is a part of Windows and not the HP drivers. 

Please let us know if you have any questions. Take care!.