HP Color LaserJet Enterprise MFP M577 backup issues

[IT_Nub]

Hi there, I need some help or advice with backing up the M577 Laserjets.   I recently took over managing a office with 17 HP Color LaserJet Enterprise MFP M577 printers.  All of them are in different states of neglect and I was tasked with bringing them all up to compliance and getting them all the same.  To top it off company I work for doesn't have a print server or any approved printer management software and I was told to hand jam it all.  

So my idea was to upgrade them all the the lasted firmware:(2410035_055380), which I did and all them took it.  I than base lined one of them and am trying to make a backup of it.  Figured would be easier to make a backup since they are all the same model and firmware and just correct IP address after the restore.  But that is where I am running into a problem.  My first idea was to enable the USB port and just backup to portable hard drive, but no portable hard drive I had worked.  I tried NTFS, FAT32 and exfat.  The backup option just stayed grayed out the the touch pad. (I was in admin mode on printer)

So next I tried to do a backup from EWS using the backup to server option.  Made a shareable folder on my desk top and did \\..IP...\User\Documents\Printbackup  But printer said invalid file path.  So I looked at the file path that was shared and swapped out IP for system name, but still no luck.  I than looked to see if any company group policies were blocking anything.  Found they were so I disabled them on my local box and rebooted and tried again.  No luck on both file paths again.  So figure its  the network department blocking it thru access list or something else on network blocking it. 

So I removed the printer off the network waited till it dropped to a local IP and than setup a laptop to be on its local IP range.  Can ping the printer and access the EWS, tried to backup to the laptop and again file path could not be found by printer.  Me and the other IT guy are at a dead end.  Either we need to know why the file path isn't being seen even tho laptop is screaming a shareable folder at this point or we need to know what format to format a hard rive for USB backup option to work.

[Repairatrooper]

The backups are small, you need to use a USB stick, 8 gig works fine. Go to device maintenance tab and select backup/restore. Due to security, some scan to folder settings may not backup.  Take stick to next machine when done and run restore. Your other option is to setup a WebJet Admin server and create a template and apply to all units.

[IT_Nub]

Do portable hard drives not work?  Only asking because area is a controlled area and getting  approved usb is going to take awhile or never...  Will submit Webjet to software guys to see if they will allow it for use on the network as well.