HP Envy 5540 - Colour printing not available in driver after installing full software on new PC

[thoatswold]

My HP Envy 5540 printer is working fine on other Windows 10 PCs on my local network, so there is no problem with the printer itself. It is running the latest version of the firmware.

I have just set up a new PC and used the latest version of the Easy Start software (HPEasyStart_11_5_4644_17.exe) to install the printer. It found the printer on the network, connected to it, and installed the full version of the printer driver software (without the two optional programs, which I deselected). Everything proceeded fine, apparently, without any errors.

But … all is not fine! When I try to print, the colour options are missing from the printer driver options. A test page prints, but in black-and-white. The software also has not recognized that the automatic duplex is installed (it is).

I had the same problem a year or two ago, with another computer. I solved it in the end, but it was complicated and I don't now remember what did the trick. Any help and advice would be gratefully received – thank you.

[ShlomiL · Accepted solution]

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.

Try printing and check for any change, if the same remains try printing using the newly added print queue copy and check.

Shlomi

[thoatswold]

Thank you so much! The new HPPSDr has done the trick – the ability to print in colour has come back. Problem solved!

There are a few minor problems, perhaps bugs:

[1] HPPSDr throws a 'Device Status' error – it thinks the printer is out of paper. It isn't, and it prints successfully.

[2] In HPPSDr, the printer has now been divided into two devices (see screenshot). One is labelled 'Scan only – do not delete; it has the correct image for the Envy 5540. The other is just labelled with the model name and code number, and has a generic printer image; this seems to be the printer device. This seems disconcerting and unexpected, especially as it happens without warning.

[3] On another of my PCs, having gone through the same process, HPPSDr (on checking the 'Scan only' device) throws a 'Driver check' error and says it can't communicate with the scanner (see screenshot). Restarting the computer as recommended doesn't solve this problem.

[ShlomiL]

Hi,

This is expected, as the specific version creates and additional print queue for printing to resolve the problem, and this one should be the default while scanning should work and not be affected.

Can you print and scan successfully?

As long as all functionality works, please ignore the added queue and do not delete it as it will cause scanning to break.

Shlomi

[Kathy1971]

Finally I can print in color again, thanks so so much for the solution!

[ShlomiL]

You're much welcome @Kathy1971, great to see that you can now print in color again!

Cheers,

Shlomi