Printer Drivers won't install on wireless

[alemmon]

Others have had this problem and I have followed all the suggestions I could find, but have not been able to resolve it.  I have an envy 7640 that is connected wirelessly.  It has worked for a couple of years with no problems.  We switched to FIOS on Saturday, and I can't get the printer to install its drivers.  The IP addresses for the printer match on both the router and the printer, the printer is connected to our wireless network and prints its reports, etc.  I just cannot add it as a printer on Windows -- I have uninstalled and reinstalled the software many times, have reset both the router and printer, changed to a static ip on the printer, it's not in conflict with any other device on the network. wi-fi direct is turned off, etc, etc.  I am always stopped at that point in the HP Smart installation program at "installing network device." I get an error window that says "the device was unable to be installed over the network."

Interestingly, I have tried, without success, to install the drivers over usb connection.  I can't have it connected that way permanently, but thought i could at least download the drivers and switch to wireless connection later.  I can't get off square one.  Any and all suggestions would be appreciated!

[Dvortex]

Hello, @alemmon – Hope you are well 🙂
 

Welcome to the HP Support Forums!  It is a great place to find the help you need, from other users, HP experts, and other support personnel!

I understand that you are having issues while installing the printer over the network. Let’s try the steps below to try and fix the issue:
 

• First, unplug the USB cable from the printer if present.
• Go to Control Panel – Programs and feature – Select all the HP Envy printer entries and uninstall them.
• Now go to Control Panel – Devices and Printer – Select all the printer entries and remove the device.
• Press the "windows key" + "r" to get the "Run" window open - Type "printui.exe /s" (There is a space between .exe & /) and press enter.
• Under print server properties, go to drivers - remove any entry there as well.
• Again, go to the Run window, type – “c:/programdata” – Go to Hewlett Packard folder, remove any printer related folders & files.
• Restart your computer.
• 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.
• Now, click http://hp.care/2omOX5O to download and install the software.
• Connect the USB cable if prompted and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the installation.

If the issue persists, go to http://hp.care/2tjDSov and follow the steps under “Step 6, 7 & 10”.

Let me know if that helps!

Good luck 🙂
 

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[alemmon]

Thank you so much for this -- there are several suggestions here that I haven't tried before.  It's going to take me a few hours, it looks like, to work through them so I may not get to do that before the weekend.  I just wanted to drop you a line to let you know I saw your response, and I appreciate it.  I'll let you know how it goes.  Looks like my windows is the culprit, because another computer in the house started recognizing the printer.  It won't AirPrint though, so I may still have an issue even after I get the laptop and the printer working together.

Thanks again.

[Dvortex]

Hello, @alemmon

Thanks for the update!

Please try the steps listed in my post to try and fix the issue. Let me know if the issue is resolved by marking my post as a Solution!

Cheers 🙂

Please click "Accepted as Solution" on the post that solves your issue to help others find the solution. To show appreciation for my help, please click the "Thumbs Up Icon" below!

[alemmon]

Hi.  I've been working on it for a while this morning.  I am now at step 7, Install a patch from HP.  The link to hpprinterinstallassistant.exe doesn't work.  I have run the print and scan doctor, and that doesn't get me to the patch.  Is there another link I can use to follow the instructions in step 7?

I'll keep working on it, and thanks again for your help.

[alemmon]

Since writing to you a little earlier today, I tried to install the printer by specifying its IP address.  My laptop recognized it alright, but the driver installation hung up again with this message: "windows can't install the HP Envy 7640 series kernel-mode print driver.  To obtain a version of the driver compatible with the version of windows you are running, please contact the printer manufacturer."  So, it appears the problem is the laptop and what I need is a patch.  When the link to the windows 10 solution in step 7 didn't work, I tried to find it by searcing the hp website.  No luck so far.  If you can point me in the right direction, that may fix this whole problem.

Thanks for your help!

[Dvortex]

Hello, @alemmon

Try the steps listed below:

First off, uninstall the previous printer drivers from the PC:

• First, unplug the USB cable from the printer if present.
• Go to Control Panel – Programs and feature – Select all the HP Envy printer entries and uninstall them.
• Now go to Control Panel – Devices and Printer – Select all the printer entries and remove the device.
• Press the "windows key" + "r" to get the "Run" window open - Type "printui.exe /s" (There is a space between .exe & /) and press enter.
• Under print server properties, go to drivers - remove any entry there as well.
• Again, go to the Run window, type – “c:/programdata” – Go to Hewlett Packard folder, remove any printer related folders & files.
• Restart your computer.

Now, try the steps below:

• Open the Run Window again by pressing Windows key + R and type gpedit.msc and press Enter.
• Local computer Policy -> Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Printers -> “Disallow installation of printers using kernel-mode drivers” set it to disable
• Local computer Policy -> Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Printers -> Point and printer Restrictions set it to enable and set the other marked settings.
• Restart the PC.
• Now, go to http://hp.care/2omOX5O to install the printer drivers.
   

Let me know how that goes!

Thank you!

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[alemmon]

Thanks.  I have followed all those steps -- many times -- with no success.  I was referred to the article "Unsuccessful network installation," and told to follow steps 6,7, and 10.  I followed all the steps I could, but could not follow step 7 in that article because this link ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/printers/win10gpdfixutility/hpprinterinstallassistant.exe does not work.  There is a patch there that might solve this problem, but I can't get to it through the link and I can't find it doing a search of the hp site.  I would like to be able to follow step 7 in thatsupport article (found at  http://hpcare/2omOX5O).

I have tried to steps you laid out with the printer connected wirelessly, through USB, and through ethernet.  So far, nothing works.  I am sure it is a problem with the windows on my laptop.  It may be that the only thing that will work is the thing I can't reach at ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/printers/win10gpdfixutility/hpprinterinstallassistant.exe.

[alemmon]

Me again.  I'm sorry, I didn't read all the way down in your message before.  I have tried what I could, and it didn't work.  

I had to go get gpedit (got it from here; https://www.itechtics.com/enable-gpedit-windows-10-home/) because it wasn't on my windows.  I installed it and configured it for my 64-bit version.  Here are the instructions I followed.

• Local computer Policy -> Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Printers -> “Disallow installation of printers using kernel-mode drivers” set it to disable
• Local computer Policy -> Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Printers -> Point and printer Restrictions set it to enable and set the other marked settings.

I found and followed the first instruction -- to disable "disallow installation of printers ..."

I could not find "point and printer restrctions" in order to change the settings.  So I restarted and tried to install the printer software having followed only your first instruction.  Same old error message -- "network device failed to install"

I had a feeling I was messing with the registry, so I didn't try to go anywhere else or do anything else with gpedit.  Any chance I should be looking somewhere else in gpedit to follow the second step?  

I appreciate your help and sorry I replied too soon before.

[Dvortex]

Hello, @ alemmon

Check the image below:

You need to go to Local Computer Policy -> Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Printers -> Point and printer Restrictions. Now, select Policy setting and then select Enable. 

Let me know how that goes!

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