Cannot remove DIRECT 45 HP M203 from Printer list

[DocPaul1]

I cannot remove  a printer installed on my machine that says "Drives is unavailable" on list of printers

[Raj_05]

Hi @DocPaul1,

Welcome to HP Support Community.  

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

If you're having trouble removing a printer from your Windows system, especially if it's showing as "Driver is unavailable," you can try the following steps.

Open Devices and Printers:

• Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog.
• Type control printers and press Enter.

Remove the Printer:

• Right-click on the printer you want to remove.
• Select "Remove device" or "Delete."

Use Print Management:

• Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog.
• Type printmanagement.msc and press Enter.
• In the left pane, navigate to "All Printers."
• Right-click on the printer and choose "Delete."

Stop Print Spooler Service:

• Open the Run dialog (Windows key + R).
• Type services.msc and press Enter.
• Scroll down to find the "Print Spooler" service.
• Right-click on it and select "Stop."
• After stopping, try to remove the printer again.

Remove Drivers:

• In the "Print Management" window, go to "All Drivers."
• Right-click on the driver associated with the problematic printer and select "Remove driver package."

Restart Print Spooler:

• After removing the printer and driver, restart the "Print Spooler" service.

Reinstall the Printer:

• After performing the above steps, you may want to reinstall the printer if necessary. Ensure you have the correct drivers.

Update or Reinstall Drivers:

• If the issue persists, try updating or reinstalling the printer drivers. Visit the HP website to download the latest drivers.

Check for Windows Updates:

• Ensure that your operating system is up to date. Sometimes, Windows updates can resolve issues with printer connectivity.

Use Command Prompt (as Administrator):

• Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
• Type printui.exe /s and press Enter.
• In the Print Server Properties window, go to the "Drivers" tab and remove the printer driver.

Registry Edit (Advanced):

• Note: Be cautious when editing the registry.
• Open the Registry Editor by pressing Windows key + R, typing regedit, and pressing Enter.
• Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Print\Printers.
• Delete the registry key corresponding to the problematic printer.

After performing these steps, restart your computer and check if the printer is successfully removed from the list.

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