For Deskjet 4128e, HP Smart & Easy Setup cannot download the printer driver

[MikeL53]

I have an HP Desktop Pavilion computer, and I have the HP Deskjet 4158e multi function printer/scanner.  When I first installed the printer, everything worked fine with the HP Smart app.  Then after a few months, the printer function stopped working, and no printer driver can be found.  I tried re-installing HP Smart and the Deskjet 4158e, but each time I do, I get a message that the print driver is unavailable.  I still can scan, and I can still print from my Pixel 7 Pro phone and my Windows 10 laptop.  This suggests to me that there is something not working right with Windows 11 and the HP Smart app.

I had contacted HP Customer Service, and went through 3 different people in one day, each removing the printer, and then adding it back.  They used both HP Smart and Easy Start to no avail.  There is an error code that sometimes comes up: EBS00P0010.   I don't know what that is exactly, but I know that the print driver has not been loaded for my desktop, either with the app or manually.  I can see a driver available in Windows - HP DJ 4100 Series PCL-3, and I had even downloaded the HP Universal Print drivers, but they "can't be found", according to HP Smart.  HP Customer Service finally told me to check with Microsoft.   It seems be there are many HP printer users that are having similar problems with getting their printers to work under Windows 11.  This should be something HP and Microsoft to work out, not HPs' customers. 

Has anyone had any luck getting the print drivers to download?

[BeemerBiker]

I assume you have the printer connected to the router and it works fine since your smartphone and win10 system can print.  You listed 4125e in the subject line, but I think you meant 4158e.  Is that correct?

Please delete the printer driver using the windows command prompt

Run the following app from the command line

printui /s

Look for any and all HP printers and delete  them all.

Install the full feature driver --
Use this full feature driver for all 4100 devices March 2022

Now search for the printer and add it.

Reference:  4158e

Let me know if there is a problem.

[MikeL53]

First, yes, I meant the printer is HP Deskjet 4158e.

Most importantly, I did what BeemerBiker suggested, and removed all the HP printer drivers.  I then installed the driver 

• HP Easy Start Printer Setup Software – Offline Use Only

• 51.4.4868
• 195.3 MB
• Mar 24, 2022
• I then ran it, but it went so far and then it came up to a blank screen ->
• 

If I close that screen with the X,  a new screen comes up:

When I click "Continue Setup", it goes back the blank screen.   It will stay at the blank screen for a long time, without continuing. 

  I saw where this happened to another HP customer, and it was suggested at this point to use Easy Start software, but choose Full Software and Drivers.

I tried that, it seemed to work, but when I went to System/Printers and Scanner to add the printer, it still comes up with
"Driver is unavailable". 

Any other suggestions?

[BeemerBiker]

This should not be happening we're going to have to try a couple of things.  Let's check for possible system corruption using a Windows tool System file checker

SFC and DISM are both tools that scan and repair corrupted system files. However, SFC uses a cached version of the files, while DISM uses the internet to download and fix the files.

Try the SFC first and if that gives a message that it cannot fix the problem then try the DISM tool.

Click here for repair instructions.

Secondly, look in the event viewer for any errors relating the the printer.  You might see the initials HP

Look in applications and system.  Look for timeout errors.  Unfortunately there's a lot of junk in those events viewers so you may have trouble finding stuff that Corresponds to your problem

[MikeL53]

Hi BeemerBiker,

I did as you suggested, ran both SFC and DISM.  It found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.  I also looked at items in the event viewer.  There were items having to do with HP, but since this is on an HP Desktop computer, it is not always easy to see if the event is something to do with the PC or the Printer.  Anyhow, after running SFC and DISM, I tried to install the printer with HP Smart, but no luck.  I tried Easy Start, also, no luck.  I then uninstalled the HP Smart app, shut down and restarted my computer, and reinstalled HP Smart.  The result is that "driver is unavailable".  At command prompt, I entered printui /s, and checked the list of printer drivers.  It did not show any kind of HP Printer Drivers.  Is there a way to download the HP DJ 4100 Series PCL-3 driver without Print Smart or HP Easy Start?

Thank you for your head scratching efforts.

Mike

[BeemerBiker]

---

@MikeL53 wrote:

Hi BeemerBiker,

I  HP Smart app, shut down and restarted my computer, and reinstalled HP Smart.  The result is that "driver is unavailable".  At command prompt, I entered printui /s, and checked the list of printer drivers.  It did not show any kind of HP Printer Drivers. 

---

Yea, no driver is on your system !!  It would have shown up

This is the only download I know of

Use this full feature driver for all 4100 devices: March 2022

I found it here

https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/hp-deskjet-4100e-all-in-one-series/model/2100187859?sku=26Q93A

[MikeL53]

Unfortunately, that leads to the setup for the HP Easy Start Printer Setup Software, with the Mar 24, 2022 release date, which I have been going back to a number of times.  It still can't download the printer driver. It still works until all there is, is a blank screen (see my earlier comment)

I'll keep on trying whatever anyone or I can come up with.  I might even try calling HP Customter Service directly again.

[BeemerBiker]

---

@MikeL53 wrote:

Unfortunately, that leads to the setup for the HP Easy Start Printer Setup Software, with the Mar 24, 2022 release date, which I have been going back to a number of times.  It still can't download the printer driver. It still works until all there is, is a blank screen (see my earlier comment)

---

The blank screen shows an error of some type occured.

I looked at the drivers going back to windows 7 and they all used the same as the windows 11 which is suspicious.

Try the basic driver that is dated July 2024

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib/software13/printers/HPEasyStart/COL56399/HPEasyStart_16_7_5.exe

it is still easy start unfortunately

During the driver install were you asked for a PIN like was requested here?

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Printer-Setup-Software-Drivers/I-am-reinstalling-my-hp4158e-Smart-Ap-t...

was this an instant ink type printer?  If so, possibly it was trying to contact the instant ink account and needs to be online.  

[MikeL53]

Hi BeemerBiker,

My HP Deskjet 4158e is eligible for Insta Ink, but I did not sign up for it.  As for the PIN number, the software stopped accepting the actual pin while I was working with HP Support by phone and online, so He (named "Licio") said they can use a general pin, 12345678 to continue.  I have always been online while trying to set up the printer.

@MikeL53

[MikeL53]

After many and varied attempts do have the driver for the HP Deskjet 4158e printer download unsuccessfully,  I tried HP Customer service again, and he (Mihir) tried everything over again, and the HP Smart as well as the HP Easy Install still could not download the printer driver, only the scanner portion of the download, as it always had.  He also tried to download the driver directly.  The solution he said, as had the earlier customer service tech said, was that there is something in the Windows 11  OS that is preventing the driver to download, and I should contact Microsoft and request that they look into this (and do it in person, not over the internet).  Previous checking of the MS website showed that MS feels that the problem is with the HP App, not the OS.   The app does work with an old HP Windows 10 laptop, and an android phone.  However, I would do most of my printing off the HP Desktop, so, unless a future Windows 11 or HP App Update fixes this problem, there is nothing further that can be done - or so it seems.