Unable to install printer drivers

[gb70700]

I have an HP Photosmart C4680 printer.  I still have the original CD to install my printer drivers, and the Solution Center.

As everyone here knows, Adobe killed flash, as has windows 10.  Because of this I cannot even install printer drivers from the CD.  I do have an HP folder from a previous installation, but none of the files run when I double click them, I just get error messages about why they can't run.

I read about being able to download a version of flash player something something winax.exe, before the kill switch.  I did that, control panel has an icon now for Flash Player, but the HP Photosmart CD installation still only gives me the Quit option.  I tried changing the date back to 2020, that didn't do anything.

Is there a way I can somehow install my HP printer drivers, or am I going to be looking into having to get a new printer?  Thanks for anyone who can help me out with this, I appreciate all the help given 🙂

[Mans · Accepted solution]

@gb70700 

Hello,

HP retires drivers and support for products that are 10 years old or more since they were released.
Unfortunately, HP no longer provides drivers and support for this printer.

Please use the HP Photosmart C4600 All-In-On series Printer Full Software and Drivers to install your printer.
Right-click on PS_AIO_05_C4600_NonNet_Full_Win_WW_140_404-4.exe, then on Run as administrator, and then click Yes. Follow the instructions to install your printer.

Concerning HP Solution Center, go to HP Solution Center doesn't open.
For the maintenance of your printer, please use HP Print and Scan Doctor.

1. Open the HPPSdr.exe.
2. In the HP Print and Scan Doctor app, click on Start.
3. Select your printer, then click on Next.
4. Wait for HP Print and Scan Doctor to load the information from your printer.
5. Click on the Printer menu, then on Printer Services....

You want to make a shortcut on the Windows desktop of the HP Scan application, do the following:

1. Please go to the following path:
   
   • C:\Program Files (x86)\HP\HP Photosmart C4600 series\bin
2. Right click on HPScan.exe, then click on Show more options, and then on Create shortcut.

You may be able to scan using HP Scan Extended!

It will be installed under Start > All Programs > HP:

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/scanners/HPScanExt/HPScanExt.msi

HP Scan and Capture: You can download and Install HP Scan and Capture app from Microsoft store. Here is the link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/hp-scan-and-capture/9wzdncrfhwl0?rtc=1&activetab=pivot:overviewtab
For more information on how to use this app, refer: https://support.hp.com/in-en/document/c04675206

Don't hesitate to contact us in case of need.

Best regards,

[gb70700]

Well I followed your instructions with downloading and installing the download link you provided.

I don't know if it's because I installed the Flash file from the internet archive, but Solution Center came up.  It showed me ink levels, however, I only had options to scan, no options to print.

I have opened multiple files across different programs.  Apparently no printer is installed.  My printer is listed in Control Panel, but for some reason I can't print anything.  I can now scan however so that's a start.

Why can't I print anything?  Even in Notepad it shows my printer in the list, with the green checkmark, but the word print is greyed out, and when I double click my printer, it says a printer needs installed.

[gb70700]

I ran the HP Print and Scan doctor.  When I went to print a test page, I followed the prompts.  Nothing printed, so I clicked on no print, and it finally printed an internal test print.

I followed the next prompt and it's telling me this:  There is a problem with your software that cannot be fixed by this tool.  Remove the software by clicking "Uninstall".  Reinstall the software with the product CD or by downloading the most current Full Feature sofware from HP Customer Care.

So what do I do now?  The next two options in the HP Print and Scan Doctor are Uninstall and Skip.

[Mans]

@gb70700 

Thanks for your return,

In order to resolve this incident, please follow the following procedure:

1. Press the Windows flag and the R key simultaneously. The Run window opens.
2. Type %temp%, then press the Enter key. The temp folder opens.
3. Locate then double click on the 7zS... folder (if there are several, choose the most recent one).
4. Double click on the util folder, then ccc and run Uninstall_L1.bat. The computer will restart after the uninstallation.
5. Re-access the same location to launch Uninstall_L2.bat, Uninstall_L3.bat and Uninstall_L4.bat.
6. After the last restart of the PC, launch the registry editor:
   
   1. Press the Windows flag and the R key simultaneously. The Run window opens.
   2. Type regedit, then press the Enter key. The registry editor opens.
   3. Expand HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, then SOFTWARE, right-click on Hewlett-Packard and Delete. (If the PC is HP brand, develop Hewlett-Packard and delete Digital Imaging)
7. Delete the HP Photosmart C4600 series folder in the path:
• C:\Program files (x86)\HP
  
• C:\Program files\HP
• %PROGRAMDATA%\HP
• %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\HP
8. Reinstall the printer with the full software and drivers previously downloaded by running it as an administrator.
9. Try to print and scan.

Don't hesitate to contact us in case of need.

Best regards,

[gb70700]

When I did the initial install of the printer, I didn't have it turned on.  I went into the HP folder in the start menu and ran Add a Device.  The screen came up to connect the USB cable.  I turned on my printer and the NEXT button allowed me to click it, but it's been at least 7 minutes now, and it says Installing Device, but now it says, Fatal Error during installation.

Should I still go ahead and uninstall everything and start over?

[gb70700]

I now have everything working with my printer.  I followed your steps to uninstalling everything.  The Uninstall_L2.bat wouldn't run, so I then ran L3 and L4.  After the final reboot I deleted the Hewlett-Packard registry, and everything from step 7.

I then turned my printer on, and ran the installer as administrator.  The screen came up and after I made my selections for what to install, a message popped up saying files needed removed, but I made sure I removed everything.  When the computer rebooted, it automatically ran the installer, I had to re-choose what I wanted to install.

After the installation, I am still able to run the Solution Center, but again it's only showing me options for scanning, nothing for printing.  However, when I go into my paint program, or into notepad, I am now being able to print from my HP Photosmart C4680 printer, the option box came up in my paint program I use, and in notepad the Print button is not greyed out.  So looks like everything is working as normal again.

Thank you kindly for giving me that file to download, that is what I've been missing, and I cannot run it from my CD anymore.