Laser Jet 6L and Windows 10

[Gert2011]

My HD crashed, I nuked it and I just got back and running Windows 10 Home 64 bit, just like before.  I have a 6L (model C3990A) running off of a Parallel port card.

I remember fighting installing this printer when I upgraded to 10 a few years ago but I finally got it and it worked fine until the crash.

I can not find the HP 6L printer when using the install, only the HP LaserJet 6L PS Class Driver that doesn't work.  I know it says to update windows and then it will show up, but not for me tonight anyway.

Windows is up to date.

I went and downloaded the lj372en files but when I manually click on that file it says there isn't a driver that works with my computer.

Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance

[dezinku]

Search google / bing "microsoft update catalog".
Go to this "Microsoft update catalog" site and on this "Microsoft update catalog" site in the "Search box" write "HP LaserJet 6L" Enter. You will see three records:
they are "*.cab" cabinet files representing the "print driver"
---
First record is for i386 - 32 bit
Second for AMD64 - 64 bit
Third for IA64 - Intel itanium - never used this
---
You must extract either the "*.cab" containing "i386 for 32 bit" or "AMD64 for 64 bit windows Intel or AMD". Extract the appropriate "*. cab" into e.g.:
"c:\install-temp" directory.
Then manually install the driver through:
Control panel->Devices and printers->Add Printer->Manually try to get to the "Have a disk" option where you select the above mentioned directory:
c:\install-temp
where is "*.inf" file of the driver.

[Gert2011]

Thanks for the response and the detailed instructions.  I have Windows 10 Home 64 bit so I assume I need the second .cab file (4188_bacd1413e93b4a6362d9a2ca653c869f1c02f6f7.cab) so I downloaded it first, couldn't get to work, so downloaded the 1st one into same folder.

It gets stuck when I;

Open Control Panel

Select Devices and printers

Select Add a Printer

Allow it to search

Select "The printer that I want isn't listed"

Select "Add a local printer or network printer with manual settings"

Select "Use an existing port:" and select LPT3: where my Paralellel card is

Select "Have Disk"

In the Install from disk box I select browse

In the Locate File box I point to the folder that has the .cab file and it is looking for a *.inf file but the folder says "No items match your search"

Now I'm stuck.

What am I missing?  Thanks again for your response.

[dezinku]

You must extract the "*.cab" file - unzip it in a directory:

c:\install-temp

Maybe if you have 7zip or "right mouse click" on the "*.cab" file and "Open in new window" and copy the content in a directory.

In the directory

c:\install-temp

the extracted content cointains the "*.inf" file.

If you have 64-bit windows it must also contain "AMD64" directory, not "i386" or "IA64" directory.

[Gert2011]

Thanks again for your response to my ignorance.

So I extracted the files into the same folder and all the files start with HP except two that are prnhp001. None have AMD64 so I did a search in that folder of amd64 and one file shows up as prnhp001 at 319KB so I assume I have the right files for 64bit windows 10.

So I added a printer.

Changed the port to LPT3

clicked have disk

Browsed to my folder with the files

One file shows, prnhp001.Inf, the type is "Setup Information" and the size is 320KB

Click open and it now shows a list of HP printers with HP LaserJet 6L and 6MP, and 6P, and 6P/PMP PostScript so I chose "HP LaserJet6L" and clicked next

It came up with HP LaserJet 6L as the name

Clicked next

and it starts installing printer for about 3 seconds and up pops a "Add Printer error saying Printer driver was not installed, the system cannot find the file specified.

I'm closer but still don't have it.  I will start over by deleting the files and making a folder on the "C" root drive called "Printer" and extract to there.

Thanks again.

[Gert2011]

I'm going to spell out exactly in detail my steps in case I'm missing something simple as I can't get this to work.

I made a folder on my C: drive called Printer

I went to the Microsoft Update Catalog

I downloaded the middle one which saved a folder on C:\Downloads

I copied the compressed folded called "4188_bacd1413e93b4a6362d9a2ca653c869f1c02f6f7" to C:\Printer

I went to C:\Printer folder

I double clicked on the compressed folder and extracted into the same folder, C:\Printer which now says has 518 items in it.  (doesn't look like that many but I didn't count them and the folder size is 78 MB)

Went and opened control panel and selected devices and printers

I clicked on Add a printer

I clicked on "The printer that I want isn't listed"

An Add Printer box opens and I clicked on "Add a local printer or network printer with manual settings"

Next I clicked on "Use an existing port and changed from LPT1: to LPT3 then click next

On "Install the printer driver I clicked on "Have Disk"

An "Install From Disk" box opens and I Browsed to C:\Printer and clicked open

One file shows, prnhp001.Inf, the type is "Setup Information" and the size is 320KB so I click on it to highlight

I Click "Open" and it goes back to Install From Disk box which now says at the bottom "Copy manufacturer's files from: and C:\Printer is in the box so I click on OK.

Now a large list of HP printers show to choose from with, HP LaserJet 6L, and also HP LaserJet 6MP, and 6P, and 6P/PMP PostScript so I chose "HP LaserJet6L" and clicked next

It came up with "HP LaserJet 6L" in the Printer name box where you can Type in a printer name.  I left it.

Clicked next and it starts installing printer for about 2 seconds and up pops a "Add Printer error box saying Printer driver was not installed, the system cannot find the file specified with a red X for a warning

The Installing printer green line keeps scrolling across like it is installing but never does. (I have left for 20 minutes)

I tried this on HP 6MP, 6P, 6P/PMP, HP LaserJet 5L, HP LaserJet 4L with all the same results.

I even tried the 32bit download and it says the files aren't compatable.

How do I get to find the correct file?

Thanks in advance.

[dezinku · Accepted solution]

It seems that windows will incorrectly open the "*.cab" file with windows "File explorer".

I previously wrote you can open the "*.cab" file with windows "File Explorer"->right click on the "*.cab" file ->"Open in new window". It will INCORRECTLY open and extract the "*.cab" file and you get garbage.

Instead you have 2 options:

---

1.

Use "windows built-in command" to correctly extract the "*.cab" file.

Open "cmd" / "windows command line", then run this command:

---

Expand c:\dir1\dir2\cab_file.cab -F:* c:\install-temp

---

Of course You will have to change the paths in the command to suit your environment.

Afte running the "expand" command you should have 4 items in the:

c:\install-temp:

----

component.man

prnhp001.Inf

prnhp001.cat

Amd64 <dir>

----------------------

or

2.

You will need som tool like "7zip". 7zip will correctly extract the "*.cab" file you downloaded from "Microsoft update catalog" where you should have directory "AMD64".

After installing "7zip".

Right click on the "*.cab" file->7zip->Open Archive

and extract the "*.cab" file in a directory.

-----

Then you install the driver as you previously did in Control panel.

[Gert2011]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

That was it.  It was not extracting the files properly.  I tried cmp but couldn't get the directries figured out properly so just downloaded 7zip, right clicked on the .cab file and "extracted here" and all is well.

You were amazing going the extra mile to help me out.  I've worked probably at least 4 hours on trying toget this to work and with the right information, it can be done in 5 minutes.

Thanks again.