Issue with old printer asking for setup ink cartridges

[Rich1994]

• I have an issue with a HP officejet pro 9015E. It is an older printer that we have not used in quite a while. Started a new office up and wanted to use this printer. Was going to just plug in through the printer cable for print jobs from multiple people on laptop. When starting the printer up we get an error stating that we are to use setup cartridges that came with the printer. As stated earlier, this printer has been previously set up. Whatever the setup cartridges were no longer exist. However, this is the only screen that comes up each time we power to printer up. I seen no options to access settings for anything else. We purchase brand new cartridges and installed, and this is nothing to improve our situation. I am stuck on what to do next. I'm at a loss to even try to get it on to a Wi-Fi signal. I have no idea how to update the firmware if that is needed. Any help that can be provided is appreciated.

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @Rich1994,

Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for reaching out!

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.

I understand your HP OfficeJet Pro 9015e is stuck asking for setup ink cartridges and does not allow access to any menus, even though the printer was previously set up and now has new cartridges installed. Let’s go through a few steps to check what could be causing this.

Understand why the setup cartridge message appears
On HP+ / “e” series printers, this message appears when the printer firmware believes it is in first-time initialization mode.
If setup was interrupted, reset, or firmware state was lost while unused, the printer can lock itself into setup mode.

Confirm this is not a cartridge detection issue
Ensure all cartridges are installed correctly and fully clicked into place.
The printer will not move past this screen if it detects any cartridge as missing or incompatible.

Perform a full power reset
Turn the printer on and wait until the setup cartridge message appears.
Unplug the power cord from the rear of the printer while it is still on, wait 60 seconds, then reconnect and power it back on.

Check for partial initialization recovery
After power-up, wait at least 2–3 minutes without touching the screen.
On some units, the printer may complete internal checks and allow limited access if initialization resumes.

Attempt USB-only initialization (important for older units)
Connect the printer directly to a computer using a USB cable.
Install HP Smart on the computer and allow it to detect the printer; this may force the printer out of setup mode and complete initialization using the installed cartridges.

Allow firmware sync through HP Smart
Once detected, keep the printer powered on and connected for at least 10 minutes.
If firmware recovery is possible, HP Smart may silently update or reinitialize the printer.

Understand the setup cartridge limitation
For the OfficeJet Pro 9015e, setup cartridges are required only during the very first initialization.
If the printer is stuck permanently asking for setup cartridges, this indicates the internal firmware state believes the initial setup was never completed.

Identify firmware lock condition
If the setup cartridge screen appears immediately on every startup and no menus are accessible, the printer firmware is locked in factory setup mode.
In this condition, regular cartridges, USB-only printing, Wi-Fi setup, and firmware updates cannot proceed.

I hope this helps.

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Best regards,