Cannot add printer

[Texas_Dan]

We have several computers running Windows 10. All of them, except one, can access and use our OfficeJet PRO 8710 printer. One acer laptop cannot, although it used to be able to. For a long time, when you tried to print, it consistently had a message saying the printer was offline, and could not print or scan. Restarting the computer never helped- this was a persistent problem, over a long period of time.

So today, I uninstalled the printer on the computer. When I went to "add a device" to reinstall it, the computer could find the printer just fine, but I keep getting the error message "Try adding your DIRECT-4C-HP Officejet 8710 again, or check with the manufacturer for additional setup instructions. What can I do to get this computer to play nice with the printer?

[Jay_G24]

Hi @Texas_Dan,

I'd like to help!

Let's try and uninstall the printer software from the root level on your PC and install the full feature printer software.

First, unplug the USB cable from the printer if present.

• Go to Control panel – Programs and feature – Select all the HP printer entries and uninstall them.
  • Now go to Control panel – Devices and printer – Select all the printer entries and remove the device.
  • Restart your computer.
  • Click the bottom-left Start button on desktop, type device manager in the search box and tap Device Manager on the menu.
  • Once in device manager, click on the view tab in the top & choose “Show hidden devices”.
  • Then from the device manager list, check the entries under “Printer” – If there are any entries, please right click and choose “uninstall” – In the confirm device un-install pop-up, make sure you select the box which says “Delete the driver software for this device". 
  • Also, check the entries under "printer queue" and "imaging devices" and repeat the same exercise. Delete any printer entry or any entry which says “Unknown device”.
  • Once done, close device-manger. Then press the "windows key" + "r" to get the "Run" window open - Type "printui.exe /s" and press enter.
  • Under print server properties, go to drivers - remove any entry there as well.
  • Again, go running window, type – “c:/programdata” – Go to Hewlett Packard folder, remove any printer related folders & files.
  • Once done you can try cleaning out your temporary files and cached files. You can try using automated applications like some cleaner software's that you can download from the internet.
  • Now restart your computer again.
  • Open the Run window again, type “services.msc” and press ok to get services window.
  • Scroll down to “Remote Procedure Call (RPC)” – right-click and go to properties. Make sure the service is started and startup type is “Automatic”.
  • Now scroll up and go to “Function Discovery Provider Host” – right-click and select properties – Change the startup type to “manual” and start the service.
  • Repeat the same exercise on “Function Discovery Resource Publication” as well
  • Windows image acquisition stop and restart the service 

Reinstall the drivers from Software and drivers page

Hope this helps! Keep me posted. 

And, Welcome to the HP Support Community. 

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