HP Officejet 8015e - Not getting passed "validating"

[MikeM-nothappy]

Let's just say I am completely over HP and most likely will be buying a different brand due to this.

I had to print a very important legal document and when I went to print the other day, for the first time ever, it told me the cartridges were not HP Brand. This is true. I do not like to be forced to pay $100 of dollars for the ink when I can buy the same ink off amazon for $40. 

After some research it seems HP rolled out an automatic firmware update that disabled using any cartridges that were not HP Brand. This alone is a reason I most likely will throw this out and go with another brand. Forcing me to buy HP ink at a premium price is absoltely nonsense and ILLEGAL.

Under US law, it is illegal for a printer manufacturer to require you to exclusively use their brand of ink cartridges, as this violates the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, which protects consumers' right to use compatible third-party supplies without voiding their warranty. 

I reached out to chat support and they tried some work arounds, which all were uncessful. I was then told to perfrom a semi-reset from HP's secret little Support screen (pressing the back button - when u cant see it 5x).  So i did. Now the printer reset itself and I re-installed via HP Smart app as well and it is STUCK at the "Validating" screen. WHAT IS THERE TO VALIDATE. IT IS A PRINTER. NOT A SECURITY VAULT.

I have tried everything from removing the power cable while on and leaving unplugged for 5+ minutes.

I have reset it again partially and semi several times now. 

When the printer is reset and starts up, it also says "this printer can not print without being connected to the internet" - which is complete BS. What if my internet is down and i need to print something (VIA USB Cable)? IT WOULDNT EVEN PRINT THE ALIGNMENT PAGE WITHOUT BEING CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET. So i made sure it was installed via HP Smart app and connected to my WIFI and then the next step it went into "Validating".

IT WILL NOT PASS THE SCREEN. It wont tell me any errors, it wont tell me i am not using genuine hp ink, nothing, it just sits there at VALIDATING.

I Let it sit for several hours and nothing. Like i said above i have performed SEVERAL resets from the control panel of the printer (by leaving the ink out so it tells me no ink and using the support menu). I have unplugged and left unplugged for over 5 minutes each time.

What is the FIX? Why would HP BLOCK the option for non HP Brand ink and break the law? 

I most likely will be throwing this printer out and making sure i go and review every HP printer i can and make sure everyone i can help knows that HP will force you to buy their ink or your printer wont work.

THERE has to be a workaround for this. There has to be a fix for this. If not, HP is truly not for me and I will be getting a printer from their competitors. 

[Max3Aj]

Hi @MikeM-nothappy,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

Let's tackle your situation step by step to see if we can get your OfficeJet 8015e working again.
 

Possible Fixes for "Validating" Screen Issue

1. Hard Reset with Power Drain

Since you've done resets, try this deep reset method:

1. Turn the printer on.
2. Unplug it from the wall (without turning it off).
3. Hold the power button for 30 seconds.
4. Wait 10-15 minutes before plugging it back in.
5. Power it back on and check if it passes "Validating."

2. Bypass HP+ / Internet Requirement

Since your printer is saying it "cannot print without an internet connection," it might be locked into HP+ mode. If your printer is in HP+ mode, it will not work without HP-brand ink.

Try these steps:

1. Restart your router and reconnect the printer—it might be stuck waiting for an HP server response.
2. Try setting up the printer using a different Wi-Fi network (such as a mobile hotspot).
3. Try installing it using USB instead of Wi-Fi and see if it lets you continue past "Validating."

3. Firmware Downgrade (If Possible)

HP firmware updates are known to block third-party cartridges, but sometimes you can roll back the firmware.

1. Check the firmware version on your printer by pressing "Home" > "Settings" > "Printer Maintenance" > "Printer Information."
2. Go to HP's firmware rollback site: https://support.hp.com/us-en and check if older firmware is available.
3. If a rollback option exists, install the previous firmware version.
4. Disable automatic updates in the printer settings to prevent this from happening again.

4. Factory Reset (Advanced)

Since the printer is stuck in "Validating," a full factory reset might help:

1. Enter the hidden service menu:
   • Tap Back (←) 4 times quickly.
2. Navigate to “Reset Menu” → “OOB Reset” (Out-of-Box Reset).
3. Let the printer restart and set it up as a new device.
4. Skip Wi-Fi setup if possible to prevent firmware updates from applying.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

Max3Aj

HP Support 

[MikeM-nothappy]

nothing works.

I do not have an OOB Resent, i only have an TRADE AT OOBE in the hident menu but it isnt in the "reset menu", ive disabled and enabled, still doesnt work. I only have partial reset and semi-partial reset. which BOTH i have tried.

 I have also tried installing via USB, but it still requires internet. What a mess, what printer REQUIRES internet?

I can not downgrade beacuse the printer keeps going into validating, and the firmare says "busy"

also hit the hardware fail status to clear.

NOTHING GETS ME PASSED "VALIDATING".

I HOPE SOMOENE WHO BUYING AN HP READS THIS AND DECIDES TO GO WITH ANOTHER BRAND.

[zoey7886]

@MikeM-nothappy, Thank you for reaching out to the HP Support Community. I understand how incredibly frustrating this must be, especially when you need to print something important. I appreciate you sharing the details so thoroughly — it really helps us get a clear picture of what's happening. Let’s try to tackle this step-by-step and see if we can get your OfficeJet 8015e back up and running.

1. Deep Reset with Full Power Drain
   It sounds like you’ve tried similar resets, but let’s try a full power drain one more time with a small tweak:

• Turn off the printer.
• Unplug the power cable from both the wall outlet and the printer.
• Hold down the Power button for 60 seconds (instead of 30).
• Leave the printer unplugged for at least 15 minutes before turning it back on.

1. Bypass HP+ Requirement (if possible)
   If the printer is locked into HP+ mode, it may be rejecting non-HP ink as part of its configuration. Let's see if we can work around this:

• Disconnect the printer from Wi-Fi.
• Try setting it up using a USB connection without enabling Wi-Fi.
• If the setup asks for Wi-Fi, see if there’s an option to skip it (sometimes this only appears after the first attempt).

1. Clearing the "Busy" Status
   If the firmware is stuck on "busy," try the following:

• Unplug the printer and let it sit for 30 minutes.
• While it's unplugged, press and hold the Cancel and Power buttons for 15–20 seconds.
• Reconnect and try booting it up again.

1. Hidden Reset Option
   Since you mentioned that "OOB Reset" is not available, try checking for another reset option:

• Open the hidden service menu (press Back four times).
• If "TRADE AT OOBE" is available, select it and restart the printer.

Please give these steps a try and let me know how it goes. I'm here to support you until we figure this out!

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

Regards,

[MikeM-nothappy]

Thank you for replying, but the reply is litterally the SAME things i have been trying.

No matter what I do, it DOES not bypass validating and I HAVE GENUINE HP INK I BOUGHT TO TRY TO FIX THIS.

I Just once again, Did a Depp Reset with Full Power Drain.

When the printer-reinstalls, it REQUIRES INTERNET, EVEN WHEN INSTALLING USB!  NOTHING WORKS.

UPDATE: 

I WAS ABLE TO GET PASSED VALIDATION BY INSTALLING VIA THE HPSMART APP ON MY PHONE, NOT THE PC.

BUYER BEWARE:

YOU MUST HAVE AN INTERNET CONNECTION TO PRINT WITH HP OFFICE JET 8015E (Or atleast have an active internet during startup - there is absolutely no way to over ride this.

After finally getting the printer online, i found a "downgrade" tool for my printer SO IN THE FUTURE I WOULD NOT BE REQUIRED AND FORCED TO BY HP INK.

I found the file at: https://infotone.co.uk/hp-912-firmware-downgrade-instructions/ 

Don't let HP LIE and say u cant downgrade.

For me, i needed the 8015e version and when i opened the firmware app, it said my printer was not applicable (because it already had a newer firmware.)...

EASY FIX, open the EnterpriseDU.ini file in notepade. Scroll down an edit like photo