-
×InformationNeed Windows 11 help?Check documents on compatibility, FAQs, upgrade information and available fixes.
Windows 11 Support Center. -
-
×InformationNeed Windows 11 help?Check documents on compatibility, FAQs, upgrade information and available fixes.
Windows 11 Support Center. -
- HP Community
- Printers
- Printer Setup, Software & Drivers
- Re: cannot load software

Create an account on the HP Community to personalize your profile and ask a question
12-25-2020 07:53 AM
I have had no issues with this printer for 5 yrs until last week when it went "offline". I am not a techie so it was a while before I saw that and tried to correct it. No luck when following, as best I could, instructions from wherever I saw them. So I decided to remove all the software to start from scratch. The software "loads" after asking for the printer to be connected via a USB cable. It goes to a 99% transfer and then gets stuck and after a few minutes at 99% it shows an error message in the process and to start again. This was done at least 6 times by me . I searched for as much HP software to remove as I could find. Then I bought both the printer and my tower to STAPLES to pay them to load the software & drivers. They did not have the magic wand and also could not load the software. Somewhere I saw that a WIN 10 update could be the root problem messing up a driver.
ANY SUGGESTIONS ?
01-06-2021 06:45 AM
@wallyaussi, Welcome to HP Support Community!
When you are prompted to connect the USB cable during software installation, use the Device Manager to manually select the printer driver. Follow these steps to open the Device Manager and select the printer driver to complete the software installation.
-
On the Windows taskbar, click the Windows icon (
), and then click Control Panel. The Windows Control Panel opens.
-
Click System and Maintenance, and then click Device Manager. The Device Manager window opens.
-
Click View, and then select Show hidden devices on the drop-down menu. A list displays in the Device Manager window.
-
Click the plus sign (
) next to Printers to expand the listing. From the listing, right-click HP Universal printing PCL_5 (or PCL_6 depending on the version), and then click Update Driver Software. The Update Driver Software screen displays.
-
From the Update Driver Software screen, click Browse my computer for driver software, and then click Let me pick from a list of drivers on my computer. The Add Printer Wizard screen displays.
-
From the Add Printer Wizard screen, select your printer driver from the list, and then click Next. The driver installation process begins.
NOTE:
Do not select the Universal Printer driver on the Add Printer Wizard screen. Make sure to select the printer that you are trying to install.
-
When the driver software installation is complete, click Close to close the Update Driver Software window. The original software installer window displays, and the software installation continues automatically.
-
When your software installation is complete, click Finish.
Hope this helps! Keep me posted.
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!
TEJ1602
I am an HP Employee