Problem with Universal Print Driver

[GaryLynnMass]

Desktop:  HP Envy 700-214

OS:  Windows 10 64 bit

Printer:  HP LaserJet 4100 (with a USB to parallel cable)

I have been able to sucessfully use my LaserJet from Windows 8.1 through my transition to Windows 10 (which I upgraded to about 18 months ago).  Fairly recently I allowed Windows to install an upgrade, and at that point I lost my printing ability.   It was set to my default printer, but gave an error message when I tried to print.

I tried to "Add a Printer" and selected the HP 4100 connected to LPT1.  It wouldn't print a test page, and the printer did not respond as in receiving data.

I then tried installing the Universal Print Driver (both PCL6 and Postscript) with similar lack of results.

I have tried uninstallinDeg and reinstalling the drivers, but again no joy.  Incidentally, although I go to Device Manager>Print Queues and remove the drivers, when I bring up an application like Word  and select the Print Menu, numerous copies of the drivers still remain.  When I go to remove them using printui /s /t2,  it says that they are in use and can't be removed.

Again, to reiterate - it is not a hardware problem because everything was working fine before Windows upgraded.  I just need to find a way to reinstall a driver that will talk to my printer.  It's frustrating because I was able to do this before but can't figure out what I am doing wrong.

Thanks in advance.

[Cold-print · Accepted solution]

Hello GaryLynn,

You seen to have done many things to try solving this issue.

However the USB to Parallel is not anHP  officially supported connection type.

Anyways, What I´d suggest is that you try this:

• Unplug the hybrid cable you are using
• Uninstall all copies of the printer and its duplicates.
• Stop the print spooler by using the services on windows (type on cortana services.msc), locate print spooler and it stop
• Go to Run, and type spool, look for the Printers folder and erase all files are in there (if any)
• Start the print spooler from services again.
• dowload  and install this driver package
  http://h20564.www2.hp.com/hpsc/swd/public/detail?swItemId=fp-148007-1
• Power off and on your printer, and plug in the cable.

After this drill, check out if windows 10 was able to locate the best driver to use your printer.
If Widows did not automatically find it, try  the manual add on Add a printer wizard.

If not read as LPT1, check throughout the ports for either USB00"#" or  DOT4 port, those should be the ports to use.

I hope this helps you get your printer going again.

Thanks

[GaryLynnMass]

Many many thanks.  I'd been beating my head against the wall for days.  If I can give you two kudos, I will.

Thanks again,

Gary

[GaryLynnMass]

Okay, a qualified "yes".  The test page printed perfectly.  A pdf, however, printed with streaks across it.  The underlying image came out okay, but it added additional smears across the image.  It didn't happen with the test page or a blank page, so it is having some problem printing graphics.  I'll try fooling around with some settings to see if there is a way to resolve this, or uninstall and reinstall the driver.  If you have any thoughts, they would be welcome.

[Cold-print]

Maybe what you can try is selecting Advance,

Print as Image, this so that you simplify the print processing...

Just a Raw Idea.. because this print environment is a bit quite complex now  hehe!

regards,

[GaryLynnMass]

It looks like that option is not available under Printer Driver Properties.  Many thanks, though.  It's looking to be a conflict between Adobe Acrobat Reader DC and the printer driver, because other applications seem to print without this problem.

Thanks again.

[Cold-print]

Maybe you want to try the non DC version of the adobe reader.

http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/product.jsp?platform=windows&product=10

Try adobe reader 11.

Sorry to not get it fully working, but at least you got it going good Job!!

[GaryLynnMass]

It turns out that it is a conflict between pdf readers and the latest Windows 10 upgrade:

https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2192197

So Adobe DC, Adobe XI, CutePDF and Foxit among others are all experiencing this.

Which means that the problem is not with the printer or the driver.  Thanks again for all your help.