Shared hp laserjet 1200 series has stopped printing over network

[inaheap]

I have been using a hp laserjet 1200 series shared on my network for years. It is currently attached to a windows 7 pc and shared over the network.  Last year 2020 I bought a new laptop using windows 10.  Until yesterday this pc has worked perfectly fine with this printer.  Then for some reason, I kept getting a message saying I needed to install the driver.  No matter what I clicked it would say it could not connect to the printer.  I removed the printer thinking that a reinstall would solve the problem.  Now when I try to search for the printer to reinstall it does not show up.  If I go in and manually locate the printer it gives the same error message.  Surely someone has knowledge as to why this has happened and how to make it stop.  PLEASE HELP!

[Repairatrooper]

This printer is supported by the HP Universal Print driver. Download the driver here: https://www.hp.com/us-en/solutions/business-solutions/printingsolutions/upd.html

Once you download the driver file, double click and allow it to unpack all the files and it will then ask if you want to install. Cancel at that point. Then on your PC go to control panel>devices and printers and manually add a printer using a standard TCP/IP port and when prompted for a driver, click have disk and browse to the root directory of your C drive where you will find a folder called HP Universal Print Driver (or similar wording). the driver is in that folder.