8720 AIO Printer cannot connect to Windows 10 laptop anymore

[LondonLoves]

I have just spent 3 hours trying to reconnect my 8720 AIO printer to a Windows 10 laptop after changing my wifi provider with zero progress. Some info:

- HP Smart says: printer is detected, but not installed properly on your system. 

- But cannot add printer in Windows Printers & Scanners - it just stops around 10% of the progress bar (I can see a note under the printer name stating "driver is unavailable")

- HP Smart diagnosis: "Driver Check issue not fixed" - offers no information on how to fix this

- Downloaded and tried to install drivers from HP website (launches HP Printer Update exe) - one item is detected (unsure if it is the printer though), but cannot select it to proceed anyway.

- No option to update drivers via Windows control panel (despite it saying last update was 2006 and it is up to date)

- Windows Troubleshooter finds no issues

Have also tried several times to uninstall HP Smart; remove the device from the system; restore factory settings on the printer, but nothing works. However the printer does print wirelessly from my iPad with no problems - infuriating! Can someone please help?!

[KrazyToad]

@LondonLoves

Welcome to HP Support Community

I would like to help

1.) In Windows, search for and open Programs and features

2.) Select your HP Printer

3.) Select Uninstall

4.) In Windows, search for and open Devices and printers

5.) In the Devices and Printers windows look for your HP printer. If you see it listed right-click on it and choose ‘Delete’ or ‘Remove Device’

6.) Open up the run command with the “Windows key + R” key combo.

7.) Type printui.exe /s and click Ok. (Note: there is a space in between “printui.exe” and “/s”)

8.) Click on the “Drivers” tab

9.) Look for HP Printer driver. If you see it Click on it and click Remove at the bottom

10.) Select Ok

11.) Select Apply and Ok on the Print Server Properties windows

12.) Close Devices and Printers

13.) Restart the computer and download the full feature software Link: https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib/software13/printers/OJ8720/OJ8720_Full_WebPack_40.12.1161_1.exe and follow the onscreen instructions

Thank you

If the information I've provided was helpful, give us some reinforcement by clicking the "Solution Accepted" on this Post and it will also help other community members with similar issue.

[LondonLoves]

Thank you for your advice. I followed all the steps, but the printer is still not functioning. Here is a summary of what I did following your steps: 

- In the downloaded program, followed the steps which took a while, then received the message: 'Unable to Connect - connection to the internet was not found or has been lost..' despite both the PC and printer being connected to the same wifi

- Retries didn't work so took the option to 'Copy link to clipboard' and clicked 'Continue Later'. The link downloaded HP Easy Start

- Went through all the stages of HP Easy Start

- In 'HP OfficeJet Pro 9720 PCL-3 (Network) Toolbox': Printed 'Print Quality Diagnostic Page' - set to printer and printed successfully

- Tried to print a personal document (status = 'ready') and was alerted: Error printing on HP Officejet 8720 PCL-3 (Network)

- Printed 'Printer Status Report' - sent to printer and printed successfully

- From HP Printer Assistant - Tools: downloaded HP Print & Scan Doctor

- Ran Print & Scan Doctor to find/fix printing problems & tried printing test page: Error printing on HP Officejet 8720 PCL-3 (Network)

- Clicked 'No Print': Print & Scan Doctor tried printing internal test page - unsuccessful

- Recommended to unplug printer, plug back in again, tried printing Test Page again: received notification - 'Printer in Error State'

- In Devices & Printers: 'Error' status under printer name & also unable to print a test page from Manage your Device 

- In Hardware Properties: This device is working properly

- Ran Windows Printer Troubleshooter: only suggestion was to delete print jobs (from unsuccessful test pages). Unsuccessfully tried printing a personal document again

- Launched HP Smart. Status: ready, wireless status: connected

- Successfully printed Self Test Page from the Tools section of the embedded web server in HP Smart

- Tried printing a personal pdf from 'Print Documents' in HP Smart: Error printing

- Ran Diagnose and Fix in HP Smart: Printer Queue issue not fixed

- Option to test print -> error

- Other options: Virtual Agent & Support Forum - so I am back where I started 90mins later.

Can you advise what to do? I am confused why test pages print (from some places) and why the printer is in an error state. Extremely frustrated and have now spent quite a few hours trying to rectify this. Has changing my wifi provider to 5G broken this printer? Any help very much appreciated!

[KrazyToad]

 If you have a Dual-band router and both 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks share the same name/SSID, then the printer will not be able to connect to the network. In this case, contact your Internet service provider to assign different names to both the networks.

First uninstall the printer software from root level once again and then install the Windows Native Driver

1.) In Windows, search for and open Programs and features 
2.) Select your HP Printer 
3.) Select Uninstall 
4.) In Windows, search for and open Devices and printers 
5.) In the Devices and Printers windows look for your HP printer. If you see it listed right-click on it and choose ‘Delete’ or ‘Remove Device’ 
6.) Open up the run command with the “Windows key + R” key combo.
7.) Type printui.exe /s and click Ok. (Note: there is a space in between “printui.exe” and “/s”) 
8.) Click on the “Drivers” tab 
9.) Look for HP Printer driver. If you see it Click on it and click Remove at the bottom 
10.) Select Ok 
11.) Select Apply and Ok on the Print Server Properties windows 
12.) Close Devices and Printers
13.) Restart the computer and reinstall the printer driver using the Windows Built In driver and follow the onscreen Instructions

Link: https://support.hp.com/in-en/document/c01796879