Printer only prints with HP Smart

[JNRBuddie]

Good morning, I have a problem with my HP 6400.

I bought an HP6400  from Amazon in July to replace my ageing HP5540. After a couple of false starts I managed to set it up and I was able to print documents and photos from HP Smart and also from other apps, eg Open Office.

It worked well for a couple of weeks with the occasional annoyance that it would go into sleep mode overnight and I found that the only way to wake it was to power it on again.

Then it decided it would only print PDFs from HP Smart, beaning that instead of printing directly from other apps I had to save the document as a PDF and then printing the PDF with HP Smart.

I have now discovered that if I try to print directly from an ap, HP Smart seems to lose the printer and puts yp a blue box saying "Finish Setup!. I can clear this by closing HP Smart and reloading it

.Your assistance would be appreciated.

[JNRBuddie]

Hello again. I have read through the recommendations and none of them seem to relate to the problem that I am experiencing. What should I do now?

[Bernard42]

Good evening,

It is necessary to uninstall the printer in programs and features, delete all files with the name

of your printer in Program and Program File, restart the computer.

Download the new full HP driver.

Delete your printer in the control panel, printer (if it is no longer there, continue).

Install the new full HP driver, downloaded. At the end of the installation, restart the computer.

At startup, your printer should work if you go to printer in the control panel,

right click on your printer, create a shortcut, say yes, on the desktop.

go back to the windows desktop and click on your new printer shortcut, you should

see a pop-up menu, click customize your printer, you can have a try.

Good evening,

Bernard42.

[Catalan1]

Bernard42:

My problem is the printer itself. When I turn on the printer, it starts the process to turn the printer on however, after the first dot and the progress line is at he end, the initiation process stops and I can't get to bring up the printer. Everything stops once the first dot is lit and the progress bar reaches the end.

I will try your suggestion but since the printer does not reach initiation, I can't get the computer to see the printer when loading the program.

Thank you for your help

Catalan1

[Raj_05 · Accepted solution]

Hi @JNRBuddie,

Welcome to HP Support Community.  

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

It seems like you're experiencing an issue with your HP ENVY 6420e All-In-One Printer where it only prints when using the HP Smart app. If the printer isn't working when you try to print from other applications or devices, there could be a few reasons for this. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue.

• Check Default Printer Settings: Ensure that your HP ENVY 6420e is set as the default printer on your computer or device. Sometimes, printing issues can occur if another printer is set as the default.
• Printer Drivers and Software: Make sure you have the latest printer drivers and software installed on your computer. You can download these from the official HP website. Outdated drivers can sometimes lead to compatibility issues.
• Print Queue: Check the print queue on your computer to ensure that there are no pending print jobs stuck in the queue. If there are, try clearing the queue and then attempting to print again.
• Network Connection: If your printer is connected to your network wirelessly, ensure that it's properly connected to the Wi-Fi network. Sometimes, connectivity issues can prevent printing from other devices.
• Restart Devices: Try restarting both your printer and the device you're trying to print from. This can help resolve temporary glitches in the communication between devices.
• Test Different Applications: Test printing from different applications on your computer. If the issue is limited to a specific application, there might be settings or compatibility issues within that app.
• Printer Settings: Check the printer settings within the applications you're trying to print from. Make sure the correct printer is selected and that the settings are appropriate for your print job.
• Firewall and Security Software: Sometimes, firewall or security software can block communication between devices. Temporarily disabling such software (if safe) and then attempting to print can help identify if this is causing the issue.
• Reset Printing System (Mac): On a Mac, you can reset the printing system to clear out any potential conflicts. To do this, go to "System Preferences" > "Printers & Scanners," right-click in the printers list, and select "Reset printing system." Keep in mind that this will remove all printers, so you'll need to add them back.

I hope this helps. 
 

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted 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!

Alden4
HP Support 

[JNRBuddie]

Rhank you for your help. I Your advice about default printer  got me going. I

[Raj_05]

Hi @JNRBuddie,

Thank you for your response, 

If you would like to thank us for our efforts to help you, please go to the public post and click on "Accepted Solution" and give us a virtual high-five by clicking on the "Thumbs Up" icon.

Take care and have a great day ahead!

Alden4
 

HP Support