Photosmart premium c309a win 7 and solution center

[RotorMarc]

Got win 7 RTM x64, finally decoded to install SW for the c309a printer.

I have V12 on CD, but grabbed V13 which I used previously in vista x64 with no issues.

Install starts, says win 7 detected, move on past this.

At one point get another window saying flash trying to install not current (I have v10 installed) clickj ok, move on.

All goes fine, Sw installs, get time to select wifi for connection, communications ensue and I'm good.

Skip the photo test page, as I don't wish to use up ink, test page is asked for, sent to printer and it prints fine.

NOW ... then the fax setup wiz would start, but I get a communications have failed msg. I skip, and go on to finish the install.

The printer is on the network ok, going to its IP address I get a ready status (It's been on my network for other PC's and my lappy for a while).

Solution center says it is disconnected.

Devices and printers in control panel do not show the printer series, or the fax.

HOWEVER, any standard print dialog box, such as in notepad, IE, word, etc. SHOW both the c309a series printer AND fax, correctly identifying the IP, and a ready status, AND I can print fine.

What the heck is going on with the solution center then with communications? Why hasn't loaded to devices and printers?

If I try to add thru Devices and printers, it will attempt to make it a (copy 1), indicating to me this may be where the issue is, its like they're there, but not there.

Now,m the first time I tried install, I got a hpzidr12.dll missing for install, and I got one online, after which I retried full install after uninstall with results given at topp of thread.

Should I abandon v13 and go with v12? Wait until after the 22nd in which case HP can officially say they still have no clue?

I hear other have had no issues with v13, so here I am ...

Argh ...

[RotorMarc]

Additional information on this:

Ok, I decided to take another desktop in which I just completed a fresh install of win 7 RTM and see what occurs.

downloaded V13, and ran... I elected in terms of time to just install the drivers, solution center and imaging monitor.

Goes thru ok, sees printer, and lo and behold! It lists one in devices and printers.

But alas, it was not to be.

What ends up happening is that you get two (2) printer drivers and one fax seen in the print dialog boxes, one of them being a (copy 1), and that

is the one listed in solution center, though I suppose that's better then not having it see the printer at all. It did communicate and get ink levels and all.

"print on cd/dvd, print photos, share photos and create photo project" are not listed in solution center, but I know that is likely because photosmart essential was not installed on this machine.

Eseentially however I have a hard time believing that HP places a "Supports windows 7" statement and lists this OS as compatible, if these are the results gained.

This version is not yet supporting the OS, if I need to uninstall and reinstall with compatibility mode, I've already tried that with vista, and even XP SP2.

I hope someone else here may know of a an interim solution, or we'll just be waiting for a new release. I can say that all of us will have every right to be angry with HP if they do not have those releases ready on the 22nd.

[russ1]

I am running windows 7 ultimate and have encountered the same problem.The solution center will not run. I can print to the printer from either the wireless or the bluetooth. But I do not have access to any of the features using Windows 7. I have installed the printer and software on virtual xp and it works fine.

[RotorMarc]

Hello Russ,

I also found my interim solution was to remove the software and just go to devices and printers and add it. This will give me basic printing functionality, but I can't for the life of me wonder why HP would say this supports win 7 at all. It doesn't.

I've also been watching the site for the unit and they haven't been able to make up their minds, at one point over teh last week, the two links for windows 7 and 7 x64 were missing for OS choices, then they returned a day ago.

I hope that there will be a dedicated win 7 SW release for this printer, because I will get rightly angry if all they do is keep the link to v13 for win 7.

It doesn't work. and this would be the second time that one of the best photosmarts were left for dead with a OS transition. The first being the 7550 going to vista.

[russ1]

I had this software working on Vista 64 bit without a problem. I had the opportunity to buy Windows 7 Ultimate early and have had very few problems with it, most of which were solved by Windows 7 figuring out the compatibility issues and fixing them. Even when I have gotten the install to go the entire way through the process, the solution center won't work. I've tried version 12 and 13. I'm not sure why hp says this is compatible. I have even turned off all startup services before installing without success. Also disabled the antivirus. I hope there is a solution provided when 7 is officially launched.

[RotorMarc]

I agree.

I've got my laptop running vista x64 and another running XP x32, both run fine with the printer, but a clean install of 7 with the first thing being loaded is v13 for the printer and failing to work - Sw issue plain and simple.

[RotorMarc]

I have bumped this, because seeing the posts about the solution center and win 7 issues gave m ehope.

however this issue as I have posted in this thread, the first two posts prove this is NOT related to an upgrade of vista,

IT OCCURS ON A FRESH WIN 7 INSTALL AS WELL. Please refer back to my first two posts in the thread, it says it all.

This thread: Resolving HP Solution Center Scan and Product Status Issues After Upgrading Windows Vista to Windows...

Needs to be updated because it implies that the issue is an upgrade one only, and in addition checking the link to the MS KB document, one can see that it no longer exists, and no update has been released by MS thru win update that touches this.

HP, you guys need to address this ...

[Chilly]

Has anyone been able to get there c309a to show up under Devices & Printers in Windows 7?

[russ1]

My c309 shows up in my devices and printers in Windows 7. It shows up as a wireless printer connection and a bluetooth connection. In addition, I have had them linked with a usb cable and it also will show up as a wired printer when I do that. My only issue is that I cannot use the solution center when running Windows 7. It will run when using virtual xp.

[Chilly]

I have the opposite problem, my solution center works on Windows 7 Ultimate, but my networked printer does not show up in devices & printers. If I do File/Print it is there, and if I use Windows own driver it is there, but not using HP ver 13 drivers.