Installing LJ 4+ printer in Windows 10

[dbmcgaw]

I have a PC with Windows 10.  It was operating just fine with my LJ 4+ printer using a TCP/IP connection. I had problems with the PC, so backed up my files and reinstalled a fresh copy of Win 10.  Now I cannot find a driver for the LJ 4+ on the web that will work with Win 10.

There is a thread that deals with this problem but by using a parallel port connection, and I want to use the TCP/IP route.  I know the TCP/IP number.

My question is in two parts:

1)  Does anyone know where I can get an HP LJ 4+ driver without downloading crappy software from sites that are trying to rope me in?  This driver - if available - will probably work even if originally designed for Win 7 or earlier, since it worked after I originally upgraded my PC to Win 10.

2)  If that is not feasible, then are there any HP LJ printers available on the HP list on Win 10 that work with the same codes as the LJ 4+ ?  eg: HP LaserJet 4350 or 6L or something like that?

That LJ 4+ may be 20 or 25 years old, but it is a beautiful workhorse and should not need replacing.

[dansdaduk · Accepted solution]

My Windows 10 Professional 64-bit system has a built-in driver for LaserJet 4 and LaserJet 4 Plus printers:

You may have to click the Windows Update button in the Add Printer dialogue, then wait (perhaps for several minutes) whilst additional drivers are downloaded, before the list is repopulated.

Of course, I have no idea if this driver will work successfully, or if it will provide all of the features that you may want. 

[dansdaduk · Accepted solution]

My Windows 10 Professional 64-bit system has a built-in driver for LaserJet 4 and LaserJet 4 Plus printers:

You may have to click the Windows Update button in the Add Printer dialogue, then wait (perhaps for several minutes) whilst additional drivers are downloaded, before the list is repopulated.

Of course, I have no idea if this driver will work successfully, or if it will provide all of the features that you may want. 

[dbmcgaw]

dansdaduk... Thanks so much.  This is what I needed!  It took forever to bring in all those printers from Windows update, and a while to install the driver, but it works as expected.

[DaaBoss]

Seems to me that, there should be an alternate method of installing printers.  After spending 2 hours searching all over the place, several things became apparent:

"Windows Update" fails very often, so you cannot install the legacy printers AT ALL.  When clicked, and the error message says immediately when clicked, "Try again later", that is NOT what they mean.  What it really says is, "We couldn't update the printer list, and we have no clue why it failed.  But, rather that tell you something meaningful, we will instead give you the false hope, that if you keep clicking on this, you will feel better, and most importantly, you won't bother anyone in support, or HP." 

In my case, I have a fully patched system, with zero problems and zero network problems, and a NON corrupt Windous update folder.  Nevertheless, it didn't even try to go to the internet to try to download anything.  So, the only other option is to FIND the DRIVERS.  Since HP thinks Windows should make sure it works, they won't help.  Our only option is to HOPE that the drivers we get are safe, (but most are NOT safe!!), and then figure out how to install them, OTHER than through windows update.  (If and when Windows update works, and gives you the complete catalog, then fine, by all means, DO THAT first, and then get your legacy driver.)

The legacy drivers are not secret, and can easily be taken from another computer that has these legacy drivers, and then you can install all the drivers you want for ALL the HP printers, or at least hundreds of them that were available in 2006.  First, find the CAB FILE.  luckily, I had several installations of working drivers.  Finding the file was a bit of a chore, but once I did, it was fairly easy.  Here's how:

From a WORKING PC, running windows 7, 8 or 10, go to and grab THIS file:

-- > For a 64 bit PC, you should see:

C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\x64\PCC\prnhp001.inf_amd64_081cf2b90ec9e6d5.cab
-- > For a 32 bit PC, you should see somthing SIMILAR to the following:
  (Approximate) = C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\W32x86\PCC\prnhp001.inf_amd64x86_081cf2b90ec9e6d5.cab

• Put that file anywhere on your other PC that needs a printer. 
• Get UNRar.EXE for free from WinRar at http://www.rarlab.com/rar/unrarw32.exe and put that file in the same folder, like C:\TEMP\. 
• Now, try to make the file a more manageable name by shortening it to SOMETHINGshort.CAB (make sure you leave the extension,  .CAB).  
• From a commandline, (CMD.EXE)  run:   UNRar  HPdriversORwhatEVER.CAB --- and this should extract ALL the files and make folders for them.  It is about 100 MB, so make sure you have room.
• PICK your printer AFTER choosing to browse to your drivers: 
• Now, when it asks to insert disk for drivers, go to that folder you ran UNRar from, and
• find the file:  prnhp001.inf and click on it.
• NOW pick your printer, and it should install.

NOW, you can install one of hundreds of OTHER HP printers this way, from the SAME folder, all WITHOUT windows update!!

BE NICE and put a copy of the 32 bit CAB file on ARCHIVE.ORG for others, so they can get the file:   POST the MD5 for the file, so you can be sure it is not fake or infected with malware. 

Since I've only go the 64 bit available, I'll post that here:

For the 64 BIT ---- >>   prnhp001.inf_amd64_081cf2b90ec9e6d5.cab

C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\x64\PCC\prnhp001.inf_amd64_081cf2b90ec9e6d5.cab >
  MD5: 363CE864CE1B81D168801ED96DE308D9
  SHA-1: 677C682C505494F50EF61DC5D96ADEFEE34C7EDF
  SHA-256: F73963D67DA9F92227A2D2658D487917A0A63153FA6505C2B039F8CAFAD16B61