Printer/Driver Issues When Using Refilled Cartridges (HP ENVY 5540)

[Renny9]

I'm going to start this off by pasting a question from another member, followed by the sole reply to that question. After that I will add some comments of my own.

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Envy 5540 Cartridge and Driver Problem

‎01-20-2021 04:09 PM

Product: ENVY 5540

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit)

I’m using [or trying to use] an HP Envy 5540 Printer. It’s about 2 years old. I like the look of it and, when it’s working, I like the print it gives me. I should like to make it work again, rather than replace it, especially as I am heavily invested in 62XL ink. Most times, my printing is minimal. Occasionally, as this week, I have deadlines and am printing more, but not an excessive amount.  I use either Tescos or Cartridge People refills. Lately, whenever I need to replace a cartridge, I am on tenterhooks – expecting the worst – and 1 in 2 times the worst happens!

In the middle of a print job, after printing 20 pages successfully, it came up with: “Remove and reinstall the indicated ink cartridge, making sure it is correctly installed, and then touch OK”.

I cleaned the nodules on the cartridge and the printer. I re-booted. I did everything advised on the Web. Over and over and over again. Alas! To no avail. Even though the cartridge was hardly used, I replaced the black one with a new one.

It now said: “Protected Cartridge. The indicated cartridge can only be used in the printer that initially used it and must be replaced”.  To say I felt sick is an understatement. I turned off the HP Cartridge Protection Setting, but the original user obviously had not. I took the black cartridge back to Tescos [another half day wasted] and they kindly replaced it.

The printer then said: “Driver is unavailable”. After many attempts – removing, adding, trying to find a driver, running Scan Doctor – it suddenly started to print. The next day, however, I was back to square one with the message: “Remove and reinstall the indicated ink cartridge, making sure it is correctly installed, and then touch OK”. It is also saying again: “Driver is unavailable”.  Scan Doctor now says: “Cartridge Problem” with the coloured cartridge outlined with broken red lines.  

I am at my wit’s end. I can’t keep buying new cartridges – on the off chance that they may work. I have wasted so much time and money – and nothing to show for it.  I need to get to the bottom of this. I am afraid if I buy a new printer the same thing might happen. I have a feeling that it is not the cartridge at fault. I know about the drive by HP to make 3rd party ink unusable. I am wireless, although I have tried a cable. Has anyone any suggestions. 

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Begin Paste of Reply

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01-24-2021 07:30 AM - edited ‎01-24-2021 07:30 AM

@LadyFuchsia, Welcome to the HP Support Community!

HP recommends using HP ink cartridges. HP cannot guarantee the functionality of non-HP ink cartridges. It may or may not work. Perform the steps mentioned in this document to resolve ink cartridge issues - HP Printer Does not Print and Error Indicates Faulty Ink Cartridge

The ink cartridge that you replaced it with was protected by the previous owner before it was refilled and hence will not work on your printer.

Use the HP Smart app to print and scan from your Win 10 PC(this will work only if the ink cartridges are working)

Click here to download and know more about the app.

Hope this helps! Keep me posted. 

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!

Have a great day! 

KUMAR0307
I am an HP Employee

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My Comments:

First of all, the reply doesn't address the issue of incompatible drivers suddenly being installed because someone is using a third-party or refilled cartridge. The cartridge should not be affecting the system configuration whatsoever, but it started happening to me as well when I started refilling my own. How does HP know that you're using them? Because every piece of software, from the installers to the "Print and Scan Doctor" report that information directly back to them. If you block it via your firewall, they won't work at all, but it doesn't matter because they're only going to misconfigure your drivers if the printer reports back to them that you've used the same cartridge for longer than it possibly could have lasted. Either your printer or your scanner (Imaging Device) is going to load a Microsoft "Generic Software Device" driver (from 2006) and will cease to function. You'll only see these if you go into "Device Manager", select "Show Hidden Devices" from the "View" menu, and expand both "Imaging Devices" and "Printers". Right click on them to view "Properties", select "Update Driver", and from there you will go around in circles because you will not be given the option to select the correct driver, only the option to reinstall one that doesn't work.

I'm not going to go through all of the details to correct the issue, but here are a few tips for the tech savvy.

1. Scrub your PC of everything related to the particular printer. Uninstall all HP software.

2. Download the "Basic Driver Software" from HP, but don't install it. Use "7-zip" to open the .exe file as if it were a "zip" file, and extract all of the files contained to a folder in a convenient location. The only thing you're going to need are the ".inf" (driver files) that are located inside it. If your printer is relatively close to your PC, I recommend using a USB connection to prevent any communication from the printer to the Internet. If you're going to connect wirelessly, then you need to block the printer from communicating outside of your LAN.

3. You have all the drivers you need in the folder where you extracted the "Basic Driver" package. Whether or not you're able to remove the incorrect ones will depend upon your skill level. The "Microsoft Device Association Root Enumerator" is NOT your friend on this issue. Consider disabling it in the "Device Manager" it is under "Software Devices", but again you must select "Show Hidden Devices" under the "View" menu to see it.

If you know your way around a PC, you can make it work, but you can't have anything communicating with HP. Unfortunately this is the route they've taken after having lost the lawsuit in regard to using refilled cartridges. I'll be surprised if this ever actually makes it onto the forum, but I'll post it with greater detail on other forums in time.

Sincerely,

A MSEE with years of experience in IT administration.