Firmware update program finishes ok, but nothing updated on printer

[VIPs_husband]

When updating my printer firmware, the update utility finishes with a happy smiley, but nothing was updated on the printer. Is the firmware updating utility broken, or should it be run in a special way ?

More details:

I am trying to update the firmware on my HP Color LaserJet M254dw. From the HP driver site I downloaded HP_Color_LaserJet_Pro_M254_dw_Printer_series_20201021.exe  (34092240 byte file). When running this program I get a simple window, where in a pull-down menu I can select among all the printers known by Windows 10. I select my M254dw printer, and press "Send Firmware" button. A progress bar then slowly starts to fill-up. After a couple of minutes it is finished with a big smiley. However, nothing has happened at the printer. I can even select nonsensical devices like "Fax" or "Microsoft print to PDF", and the utility will equally happily upgrade the firmware on these devices with a happy smiley.

[Valsimot]

If you have access to WIN7 computer run firmware from WIN7.

[VIPs_husband · Accepted solution]

I found out the reason for the problem, and it is unrelated to your Windows 7 suggestion. The firmware updater works by sending the firmware to the printer as a print job. However my printer was not in "ready" mode because the printer did not accept my 3rd party toner cartridges, and was refusing to print anything, including the firmware print job. I installed my old empty original HP toner in the printer, making it go into ready mode again. I could then upload the firmware.