Driver is Not Available

[markmisky]

I got a new Lenovo Laptop and have been unable to get my HP Office Jet to get recognized by Windows. I have installed it and it shows on the HP app but windows shows "Driver not Available" on  the printer setup page. I have tried deleting it and reinstalling it numerous times same error. 

I found this tread which is about a year old. https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Printing-Errors-or-Lights-Stuck-Print-Jobs/Driver-is-unavailable/m-p/7... Problem is it says to download the Basic Driver (which I did) and to UNZIP it. I do not get a zip file but an EXE file. https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/closure/hp-officejet-pro-6970-all-in-one-printer-se...

The solved answer says to manually install the printer with have disk and use an INF fie you extracted. There is no zip file to get an INF. 

Any ideas on how to get this to work? The printer works fine on my Old Dell laptop and Asus laptop both with Windows 10. 

Thanks for any advice

[greenturtle]

Hi,

Thanks for using the HP Support Community.

Can you download and install the HP FULL Solution Software for your operating system:

HP OfficeJet Pro 6970 All-in-One Print and Scan Driver and Accessories

40.16.1234_1

116.6 MB

Sep 27, 2022

Download

Once you have downloaded and installed the FULL feature software, you will be able to print and scan.

Hope that helps.

[markmisky]

Thanks, I downloaded the software and after 2 tries it did install the printer. Unfortunately, Windows still shows "Driver not Available" when you go to your printers. Opened a few programs and went to print and the HP is not listed as an available printer. 

Any other ideas?

It's very strange that it works fine on my Dell Laptop and my Iphone but not this new Lenovo Laptop?

Thanks

[greenturtle]

Hi @markmisky 

Can you try HP Smart app ?

Download from 123.hp.com or Microsoft store.

https://123.hp.com/us/en/devices/ojpro6978

Hope that helps!

[markmisky]

Yes I have tried the Smart App but get a similar error from it too. The selected printer is detected but not installed completely on your Windows System

[greenturtle]

Hi @markmisky 

Did you click on "Install printer"?

What's the outcome?

Thanks.

[markmisky]

Yes I have done the install many times. After about 5 minutes it says "There was a problem with the Installation" It then send me to the Windows Printer setup. I then install the HP Printer and get Driver not Available. Its a viscous circle. I have removed and reinstalled this printer probably 100 times in the past month and same issue. 

Its like I need to manually eliminate every trace of this printer but HP is no help. 

[Jay_G24]

Hi @markmisky,

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 

Install all the available Windows updates

If it is been a while since you updated your Windows, that is the main reason why Windows says your HP printer driver is unavailable. Here are the steps how to do a Windows Update to install all accessible operating system update.

If you are accessing Windows 10, then these steps are for you.

1. Hit the Start menu and write an update. After that, click on the “Check for updates” option.
2. Tap on the “Check for updates” option.
3. After clicking on that option, Windows will install the updates automatically.
4. When Windows completes all its updates, start your computer again and attempt to print a file to check if your printer works.

Reinstall the drivers from the Software and drivers page

If the error persists, Try installing the printer with windows built-in driver

Hope this helps! Keep me posted. 

And, Welcome to the HP Support Community. 

Please click “Accept as 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

[markmisky]

Hi Jay,

   Thanks for the reply. It got the printer installed after doing all the steps listed and Windows and programs now show it as a valid printer. But now every time I try to print from different programs I get either Error Printing on HP6870... or Printer is in Error State. 

   So I tried printing using my older Dell Laptop using the same files and I had no issue at all printing. So this is specific to my new Lenovo Ideapad 5. (i am using Wifi to print and both are connected to the same home network. I even tried to see is switching from the 5G to 2G and still get errors

   Now when you said to remove print drivers I removed all of them but was Unable to remove one called Microsoft Enhanced Point and Print Comparability Driver. It is listed twice on the Print Driver Screen. It said the driver was in use. Not sure if that is the issue. 

   Would appreciate any further suggestions. 

Thanks

Mark

[Jay_G24]

Can you try and install HP Smart from the windows store and then try printing?

Let me know!