hp officejet 4500 & macOS Cataliina 10.15.4

[Eskay1]

Apparently, the Catalina upgrade is a 64bit programme, whereas the printer is runs off a 32 bit programme. So the officejet cannot scan. Has anybody come across a fix for this problem?

[ShlomiL]

Download and install below drivers which are compatible with Catalina:

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib/software12/HP_Quick_Start/osx/Applications/ASU/HPPrinterDrivers5.1.dm...

Once completing the installation make sure the printer is powered on and connected to the Mac or to the same network, open System Preferences > Printers & scanners and click the plus sign.

Select your printer and make sure the printer model is selected within the Use drop-down menu.

To allow full scan capabilities too, I also suggest installing the HP Easy Scan app from the store:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hp-easy-scan/id967004861?mt=12

Shlomi

[Eskay1]

Shlomil kindly suggested a fix, but alas I am still unable to scan from the Officejet 4500. I downloaded the software as proposed, and installed it. When I spoke with Apple, their point was that the Catalina 10.15.4 upgrade is a 64 bit programme, whereas the Officejet software runs of a 32 bit programme, and therein lies the problem. I also installed the HP Easy Scan app from the store, but still no luck. I don't know if HP have a fix to bridge the 32 bit/64 bit divide, or if this is an oxymoron and impossible to bridge/fix. I would be grateful for any suggestions.

Kind regards, Eskay1

[ShlomiL]

Are you able to scan from the HP Easy Scan application itself?

Scanning from the printer front panel is not supported and not expected to work for such an older model, such capability is only available when there is an HP Full Feature Software available.

Shlomi

[Eskay1]

No, I am unable to do any scanning, either from the mac or from the front panel. It is an older model, about 10 years old, but worked perfectly fine until the Catalina upgrade. As far as you are aware, is there going to be  HP Full Feature Software available at some point to address this issue, or is this printer destined for tomorrow's junk heap?

Many thanks and kind regards,

Eskay1

[ShlomiL]

A Full Feature Software will not be available as it was not available for much older Mac OS X versions too.

However, scanning should be work, so let's focus on how to resolve the problem, and the drivers posted above do support 64-bit and compatible with your printer and with Catalina.

Is the printer connected via USB or through the network?

What exact error message or behavior occurs when you try scanning from HP Easy Scan?

Have you tried clicking on Browse Scanners from HP Easy Start to make sure your scanner is selected?

Can you see the printer listed as a scanner too under Printers & Scanners or not? any specific behavior when trying to scan from there?

Can you successfully make a color copy from the printer? just to make sure this is not due to any other cause.

[Eskay1]

The printer is connected via the network

When I try scanning, I get the message on my Mac "an error occurred while communicating with the scanner." The printer reports "scan cancelled", or "scan error", or "unable to scan, copy, or send a fax". Same message if I ustilse HP Easy Scan.

I have clicked on Browse Scanners. HP Easy Scan has selected the correct printer (as there is only one printer anyway)

I am unable to make a copy (colour or black & white) from the printer. That said, I am able to print (via the network) without any problem.

So the scanning and copying capabilities are not working.

[ShlomiL]

Ok.

That's a completely different story, what you describe is a Scanner Failure, a mechanical failure of the scanning hardware, therefore you cannot scan from your computer too, and it has nothing much to do with Catalina update.

With the printer powered on, unplug the power cable from the back printer, as well from the wall socket and unplug any other cable such as USB or phone cables if connected, keep the printer unplugged for a full minute.

Plug the power cable back to the printer, then connect the other end directly to another wall socket, without any power hubs or splitters, that's to deny any possible power cause.

Try performing a color copy from the printer and check.

If the copy process returns a Scanner Failure error, I afraid you will need to service or replace the printer, the issue relies on the printer hardware itself and not with any other cause.

Shlomi