Impossible to completely deinstall HP Printer

[crimle]

I deinstalled «Fax - HP Officejet Pro 8600» from my computer.

It is no longer visible in my Windows control panel > «Printers & Scanners».

But when I use the «Print» dialogue of any software the printer «Fax - HP Officejet Pro 8600» ist still there.

Searching the registry, there are dozens of search results «Fax - HP Officejet Pro 8600».

Some of them can be deleted, some of them can not.

Deletion has no effect at all, the «Print» dialogue sill is displaying «Fax - HP Officejet Pro 8600».

What a nuisance.

I am very grateful for tips

Kind regards
Chris

[Jay_G24 · Accepted solution]

Hi @crimle,

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 

Reinstall the drivers from software and drivers page

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

[crimle]

Thank you for your enormous list of actions to take.

I did exactly what you advised me to do.
This worked finde without any errors.

After the whole procedure I installed the printer «HP Officejet Pro 8600» using the software package previously downloaded from HP website.

The printer «Fax - HP Officejet Pro 8600» was installed without the possibility to exclude this printer from the installation.

Please note: I do really DO NOT use Fax! Who on earth does, anyway?

But this was my initial question: how can I get rid of this useless printer «Fax - HP Officejet Pro 8600»?

There does NOT seem to be a way

- neither to prevent the installation of the fax driver
- nor to deinstall it

By the way:

- Installing the device using USB was successful

- Installing the device using WiFi repeatedly causes an error message «Network Installation not successful - Retry | Abort» although the printer is connected to my WLAN and in the first step of the installation program the printer is displayed as being correctly connected. There is an IP address and a MAC address.

Kind regards
Chris

[Jay_G24]

The Fax drivers are part of the print drivers, you can right-click and delete the printer but to completely remove it you will have to uninstall the printer.

Hope this helps!

[crimle]

I am still using the printer and I am certainlay not going to uninstall it.
So in other words: it is NOT possible to get rid of the Fax Printer. 

Not a desaster, but a pity.

Thank you and kind regards
Chris

[Jay_G24]

You're welcome 🙂

 If you need further assistance feel free to reach out to us.

Have a great day ahead!

Please click “Accepted Solution” on my public post 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!