Cannot print a document as printer not found

[Dumbelle]

I have a HP Officejet 6500A Plus printer (an old but loyal printer) and a newish HP 27" desktop  2021 model.   I have done some word processing (using LIBRA) and attempting to print a document but to no avail as HP Smart pops up and says no printer has been found.  Until recently I was able to print a document.  There is nothing wrong with the printer as can print the internal test page.  Latest is I receive the following message :   There is a problem with your software that cannot be fixed with this tool.  Remove the software by clicking uninstall.  Reinstall the software with the product CD or by downloading the latest full feature software from HP customer care.com.  So frustrating as the latter link gives the reply that the page is not found.  I would expect better from HP sending users to pages that do not exist and also the help page was for people based in the Netherlands whereas I am in the UK.  I could not change the location but could change the language to English.  Is HP wanting to make the model of printer I have obsolete that it cannot be used at all ?  

[Raj_05]

Hi @Dumbelle,

Welcome to HP Support Community.  

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

Troubleshooting printer connectivity issues can sometimes be a bit tricky, but there are several steps you can follow to try and resolve the problem. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you troubleshoot the "printer not found" issue with your HP Officejet 6500A Plus printer.

Check Hardware Connections:

• Make sure the printer is turned on and properly connected to your computer and the power source.
• Verify that the USB cable or network connection (Ethernet/Wi-Fi) is securely connected.

Restart Devices:

• Power off both the printer and your computer.
• Wait for a few minutes and then power them back on.

Printer Status:

• Check if there are any error lights or messages on the printer's control panel. This could provide insights into the issue.

Network Connection:

• If you're using a network connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet), ensure that the printer is connected to the same network as your computer.
• Print a network configuration page from the printer's control panel to confirm its network settings.

Driver and Software:

• Make sure you have the latest printer driver installed on your computer. You can download the driver from the official HP website.
• Uninstall any previously installed printer drivers and software before installing the new one.

Printer Queue:

• Sometimes print jobs get stuck in the print queue and can cause connectivity issues. Clear the print queue:
  • On Windows: Go to "Control Panel" > "Devices and Printers," right-click on your printer, and select "See what's printing." Then click on "Printer" and choose "Cancel All Documents."
  • On macOS: Go to "System Preferences" > "Printers & Scanners," select your printer, and click on the "Open Print Queue" button. Then click on "Printer" and choose "Cancel All Documents."

Firewall and Antivirus:

• Your firewall or antivirus software might be blocking communication between your computer and the printer. Temporarily disable these programs and see if the printer can be detected.

Printer IP Address:

• If you're using a network connection, ensure that the printer has a static IP address. This will prevent IP address conflicts that could lead to connectivity problems.

Reinstall Printer:

• Remove the printer from your computer's list of devices and then reinstall it.
  • On Windows: Go to "Control Panel" > "Devices and Printers," right-click on your printer, and select "Remove device." Then follow the steps to reinstall it.
  • On macOS: Go to "System Preferences" > "Printers & Scanners," select your printer, and click the "-" button to remove it. Then click the "+" button to add it back.

HP Print and Scan Doctor:

• HP provides a tool called "HP Print and Scan Doctor" that can help diagnose and resolve printer connectivity issues. You can download it from the official HP website.

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!

Alden4
HP Support 

[Raj_05]

Hi @Dumbelle,

Welcome to HP Support Community.  

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

Troubleshooting printer connectivity issues can sometimes be a bit tricky, but there are several steps you can follow to try and resolve the problem. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you troubleshoot the "printer not found" issue with your HP Officejet 6500A Plus printer.

Check Hardware Connections:

• Make sure the printer is turned on and properly connected to your computer and the power source.
• Verify that the USB cable or network connection (Ethernet/Wi-Fi) is securely connected.

Restart Devices:

• Power off both the printer and your computer.
• Wait for a few minutes and then power them back on.

Printer Status:

• Check if there are any error lights or messages on the printer's control panel. This could provide insights into the issue.

Network Connection:

• If you're using a network connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet), ensure that the printer is connected to the same network as your computer.
• Print a network configuration page from the printer's control panel to confirm its network settings.

Driver and Software:

• Make sure you have the latest printer driver installed on your computer. You can download the driver from the official HP website.
• Uninstall any previously installed printer drivers and software before installing the new one.

Printer Queue:

• Sometimes print jobs get stuck in the print queue and can cause connectivity issues. Clear the print queue:
  • On Windows: Go to "Control Panel" > "Devices and Printers," right-click on your printer, and select "See what's printing." Then click on "Printer" and choose "Cancel All Documents."
  • On macOS: Go to "System Preferences" > "Printers & Scanners," select your printer, and click on the "Open Print Queue" button. Then click on "Printer" and choose "Cancel All Documents."

Firewall and Antivirus:

• Your firewall or antivirus software might be blocking communication between your computer and the printer. Temporarily disable these programs and see if the printer can be detected.

Printer IP Address:

• If you're using a network connection, ensure that the printer has a static IP address. This will prevent IP address conflicts that could lead to connectivity problems.

Reinstall Printer:

• Remove the printer from your computer's list of devices and then reinstall it.
  • On Windows: Go to "Control Panel" > "Devices and Printers," right-click on your printer, and select "Remove device." Then follow the steps to reinstall it.
  • On macOS: Go to "System Preferences" > "Printers & Scanners," select your printer, and click the "-" button to remove it. Then click the "+" button to add it back.

HP Print and Scan Doctor:

• HP provides a tool called "HP Print and Scan Doctor" that can help diagnose and resolve printer connectivity issues. You can download it from the official HP website.

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!

Alden4
HP Support 

[Dumbelle]

Thanks very much for taking the trouble to post a detailed reply. All working OK now as I "added' a "new"  printer which was recognised and deleted the existing saved printers.