Setting printer defaults to A4 instead of Letter

[Graphyte]

I've been reading through this trying to find a solution to get my C3100 (Canadian) printer set from the default A4 to Letter as a default (it's not fun living in a place where officially you're metric but you have to use imperial because of your big southern neighbour).

I've tried using the HP Solution Centre and the Features, metric/imperial conversion but it won't take; each time I print something new it frustratingly reverts back to A4.

I give up. This printer was a gift so I'm not out of pocket. The defaults won't change and even if I use expensive HP photo paper with the HP Photocentre software the thing still can't print a 4x6 photo centred on the paper. The multi-function unit at work always breaks down, never prints clearly, and the HP reps can never seem to get it working right (the unit has been replaced at least once a year).

A relative bought a new shiny Kodak all-in-one that uses less (and cheaper) toner, is easy to use, and always prints perfectly.

HP, after more than a decade, you've finally lost me as a customer for good.

Edit: <sigh> I can't believe that after all these years, I'm now listed as a "visitor" with a first post who only registered today?!?

[Frankl02]

Possibly the only realistic solution would be for us to swap printers (I have Letter and want A4 as default; you want the opposite). Only joking, of course.

I very much regret to say that I have to agree with you completely. It is frankly unbelievable that (a) the problem occurs at all and (b) support have no way to help us.

I have been through an extensive effort with a series of (patient) support people, but nothing will work. So I will be very, very cautious in future about buying HP, despite all my former good experiences with the company.

[splonkie]

Just to say that the problem is still there. No solution. Installed the latest upgrades, tried the suggested solution centre fix, nothing works. I have saved aliases for the various printing options but for scans etc the default remains US letter size.  Empire!

[AWAlarms]

Hi Peeps

Ive been having the same problem but with a different printer model. - Ive found a solution which has worked for me.

Im running a network with various machines and O/S's ive found my problem relating to the XP  systems.

Solution was

Control Panel

Regional  & Language

Advanced

Change Language for Non Unicode programs from english US To English UK

Tick Apply all settings to current user

Hit Apply

 Windows will install the changes reboot

When reboot complete Printer shows paper size as A4

Hope its of some help

[phil12550]

yes i have had problems with HP Officejet 6310, it will not use the default settings that i change. i change the default settings to fast print. when i print something is prints in slow/high quality speed using up lots of ink. if i click on print and then i click on properties fast is already chosen as the print settings, i then click ok and print, then and only then will is print with the settings that i have in place. it should not do this and i have never had this problem with any other printer before and this printer has been installed on an XP and win7 computer with the same problem. i called HP and they wanted me to pay for them to fix their defect. after arguing with someone who was no doubt from india and his supervisor, nothing was done. and i still have the problem. ether it is a driver problem or they make it really hard for the average person to change the default settings, no doubt so that you will use more ink and buy more ink from them. ether way its bad business put out by HP and i will think twice before ever buying another HP product again. BTW i am the purchasing manager for a simicon company and i have purchased more than 500 different types of printers in the past 10 years

[Frankl02]

A quick response, as the OP.

Glad this worked for you, AWAlarms.

But in my case, on XP SP3, Regional and Language Options is already set to English UK for non-Unicode programs.

I have, by the way, the same problem on Win 7 Starter and Ultimate. 

And it is repeated on all machines in this small network (8 or 9).

No such problem exists with other printers on the network.

[holzchole]

Thanks AWAlarms Your tip led me to the solution. In my case (2008 R2) it wasn't the regional and language options für non-Unicode programs. I had to copy the actual regional settings to "welcom sites" and "new accounts". After that I had to reinstall the driver! (this lasted several minutes, looking the program hung up) Now everything is on A4. Juhui!

[Frankl02]

Interesting post. Could you please let us all know exactly which steps you took (in particular, you copied which regional settings to which location?) Are you using Server 2008 R2? Thanks.

[holzchole]

Yes. We use 2008R2

We use the german version of 2008R2 so i'm not shure about the correct translation.

regional and language settings.

tab: administration

welcome site and new user accounts --> copy settings

The settings before were:

Actual User: german / german (switzerland) / german (switzerland) / switzerland

welcome site: (i'm not quite certain) englisch / englisch (US) / englisch (US) /USA

new user account: (i'm not quite certain) englisch / englisch (US) / englisch (US) /USA

Then i copied this settings (actual user; german ...) by activating the two checkboxes and applying.

After this i opend "printer properties"

On tab "share" i pressed "change share options" then on tab "advanced" i reinstalled the same driver by pressing "new driver".

[hidtechnologies]

I think I have finally figured this problem out.

It worked for me.

Download the latest installation file for me it was OJP8500vA909_Full_14.exe

Extract to a directory, or run the file and extract it to a directory you will remember. eg :\OJP8500vA909_Full_14\

run util\cfgedt\hpbcfgap.exe

Click File -> Open

Then in the main folder eg :\OJP8500vA909_Full_14\  there were in my case 3 files hpwl85a0.cf_ , hpwl85g0.cf_ , hpwl85n0.cf_

Open the files one by one and edit the default paper size to be A4 or whatever you want.

Save each one.

If you have already installed the software etc. Uninstall all of it.

Reinstall using setup.exe from the main folder eg :\OJP8500vA909_Full_14\

Hope the above makes sense.