HP 8740 Software won't run properly

[mechapm]

HP suggested I install the "HP Support Assistant" and that's where all the trouble began. I should have just left well enough alone, my printer was working fine. Silly me thinking upgraded software would be a plus.

I do now have the HP Support Assistant installed, but it told me to upgrade the software for my printer (HP 8740 OfficeJet). After struggling with that, having it not install because of not having Admin rights or something, then pulling a suggestion off another post in this forum which worked to get the software installed, I thought it was successfully installed but alas it is not.

When I click on "HP OfficeJet Pro 8740" in my Start menu, it takes me to a box which asks "Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?" and it lists "DeviceSetup.exe" as the app. First off, before all this upgrading fiasco, it never asked me that.

So I click on "Yes" and then I get this box.

In other words, I no longer get the main printer program I used to get. For kicks, I click on "Connect a new device" and it takes me through finding the printer on my network, then it says it's installed, then it asks me to register it.

But after doing all that, I still don't have the original printer program I used to get when I clicked on "HP OfficeJet Pro 8740" in my start menu. It keeps doing all of what I described above all over again.

By the way, I *can* print to the printer! But I have now lost the ability to scan photos, because I need to be able to get to that main printer program/menu which I had before I agreed to let HP mess up my computer.

I haven't learned my lesson. Every HP printer I've ever owned has put me through this fiasco of making a mess of my machine. I've always had trouble installing their software, I've always gotten stuck in infinite software installation loops like this one. I thought it was me, but this is a new computer.

[ShlomiL]

Hi,

Try following below version of the HP Print and Scan Doctor Utility by selecting your printer:

http://ftp.hp.com/pub/printers/hppsdr/patches/HPPSdr.exe

Be sure to restart your PC and allow the utility to complete the process, then check for any difference.

Please let me know the results,

Shlomi

[mechapm]

OK, I did that. The problem persists.

As I said in my original message, the printer DOES work, I CAN print to it. But I cannot run the desktop software (see below), titled "HP OfficeJet Pro 8740".

When I click on that, it does what I described in my original post.

.

[ShlomiL · Accepted solution]

Thanks,

Please try uninstalling the HP Officejet Pro 8740 Basic Device Software from Start > Settings (gear icon) > Apps.

From the Settings panel select Devices > Printers & Scanners and remove any instance of your printer from there too.

Under the side panel, within Related Settings, click Print Server Properties.

Within the Drivers, tab, be sure to remove any listed instance of an HP Printer, be sure to select the 2nd option to remove both the driver and its packages.

Also, if you see any Microsoft PCL driver, try removing it too.

Next, download and reinstall the latest software below and check if you may see any difference:

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib/software13/COL65822/bi-158437-1/OJ8740_Full_WebPack_38.8.1942.exe

Hope that may help,

Shlomi

[mechapm]

That worked, thanks. I guess what was needed was a more thorough uninstall/reinstall, and your steps got that done.

Thanks!

[ShlomiL]

You're much welcome @mechapm, great to see your scanner is now up and running again!

Cheers,

Shlomi