Windows 10 Does Not Recognize LaserJet 3015 as a Printer Solved

[Peapod22]

The "official" position:

"Windows 7, 8, 8.1, Server 2008, 2008R2 printer drivers. End of Support.

HP no longer supports these printer drivers as of Nov 1, 2022. HP recommends upgrading your operating system to a supported version."

In fact, you can get the printer to work, but it will take many hours to do so.  The available documentation was never very good, and it is getting harder to find.  If you still want to get the HP3015 printer to work, read on.  There was a change in the way printer drivers were written for printers around Win 8 - they captured graphics for printers the same way that Windows captured graphics, and sent the graphics information directly out to the printer in binary format (PCL 6), instead of ASCII format (PCL5e).  This accounts for why older printers that were restricted to ASCII format streams don't work with Win 8+ systems.  The reason:  the ASCII format was much slower in a business network environment, so moving to strictly binary sped printer jobs up significantly.  However the HP3015 supports both ASCII streams (PCL5e), and binary (PCL6) formats: for this reason you can get a HP3015 to work with a Win 8+ system to work, if you configure it properly.  

1. First, you should know that hardware DOT4 PRINTERS are not natively supported in Win 8+; you must install a special DOT4 driver.  Support for USB DOT4 Direct Connect is NOT included in Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 by default.  DOT4 support is already available by default on Windows operating systems prior to Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012, such as Windows 7.
2. Then you must install a UPD driver revision specific to the operating system and point it to the DOT4 port.  
3. Note there is a distinction between a 'local' USB printer and a networked printer.  (Networking HP3015 is significantly more effort to install, but possible).  We will restrict discussion to local USB printers.

First stage:  to resolve this issue, HP has developed the “HP LaserJet USB (DOT4) communications driver for Windows 8/Server 2012” which includes a Dot4x32.msi for 32 bit and Dot4x64.msi for 64 bit installations, found here:
https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/swdetails/hp-laserjet-3015-all-in-one-printer/37804...

Windows 8 or higher only:  INSTALL DOT4X64 DRIVER

After the DOT4x64.msi file has been downloaded, open a Command prompt as Administrator, navigate to wherever the DOT4x64.msi folder is located, and run this command:

"Msiexec /i DOT4x64.msi /log “C:\Users\Admin\Documents\Computers\Hardware\HP Laserjet 3015 All in One printer\dot4inst.log”

This will install the Dot4 driver for Windows 8+ quickly, and create a log file, but the port will NOT be visible in Print Manager.  RESTART at this time.

Second Stage:  Load driver and internal printer settings via USB.

Unplug the USB printer (per the installation instructions that came with the printer).  The software driver version pcl6-x32-6.0.0.18849 (32 bit) and driver version pcl6-x64-6.0.0.18849 (64 bit) supports all operating systems between XP to Windows 8 in both 32 bit and 64 bit, if you want identical printer drivers on varying OS versions.  To obtain this older revision, you will have to go to FileZilla and go to: ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib/UPD/hp-upd-6.0.0.18849/, you will be signed in as anonymous, accept prompts regarding port 21, and download the UPD files.  This is for PCL 6 protocol drivers - it works - but I would recommend using only PCL 5e drivers.  HP 3015 only supports PCL 6 C/R 2.0, not any version higher, which can occasionally cause graphics errors.  Stick with PCL 5e; it prints slightly slower but works reliably.

If you have only Windows 10 computers and only one USB printer, you can pick any higher revision driver (e.g., v7) that works, but PCL5e drivers will avoid occasional PCLXL graphics errors.

Install the UPD software driver installer with the USB cable disconnected.  Make sure printer is UNPLUGGED!
SELECT ONLY the USB mode – Plug and Play option (the Traditional or Dynamic options will not resolve the problem)

The extraction and “staging” of drivers (new in Win 7 and above) into the second stage will begin. 
Be patient, IT REALLY WILL TAKE SOME TIME.  DO NOT CLICK THE FINISH BUTTON WHEN DONE.

A message will eventually appear indicating to CONNECT THE USB PRINTER’S CABLE to the workstation’s system, which will upload the printer’s unique drivers and PCL6 settings via USB up to the printer driver to complete the printer configuration.  Simply plug in the USB cable to a USB  port  and be patient (it will take a minute) while the printer’s drivers upload. 

After plugging in the USB cable, pnputil.exe may display a temporarily message in the lower right corner of the Screen “Found new Hardware” on the first install, and in Devices and Printers screen an “Unspecified (2)” device will appear temporarily, to be replaced with a HP LaserJet 3015 scanner icon.  You can confirm in Print Management (for Win 7 and above) that the Port, the Driver, and the Printer now populate the system.  The second stage of printer staging is done.  You can now click the Finish button.   The scanner driver on the workstation has installed but the printer  HAS NOT been formally installed, just the drivers.  It is time to RESTART.

Third Stage:  Add a Printer device

1. From Devices and Printers, Click Add a Printer
2. The Add Printer will complete the printer file installation in the third stage by copying driver files to C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\x64\3 folder, and putting configuration .inf files in the format oemXXX.inf (e.g., printer .inf file is named oem118.inf) “C:\Windows\inf” folder.
3. Select The printer that I want isn’t listed.  Select a local printer option, you will be prompted to select an existing port, but here you have to use the pulldown menu and be careful to select ONLY the new HP Local USB port “DOT4_001”, not any other USB001 or DOT4 port.  Now that the port  has been selected, the Printer Driver can be installed. 
   Select “HP” printers on the left column, scroll all the way down to UPD HP printers (they are NOT in alphabetical order), select the HP Universal Printing PCL 6 (v6.0.0) and click Next.
4. The next screen describes the name of the local USB printer as it will appear in the local Devices and Printers screen.  Accept the default.  The HP Universal Printer Driver will sense the printer and port configuration, and install.  Printer Sharing:  Select Do not share this printer.  Click Next:  Set as default printer,  then Print a test page.  In Devices and Printers you will find a new, renamed printer icon.