HP PageWide Pro 477dn Printer Assistant not launching

[Bob771]

I am hoping someone can help get the HP Printer Assistant working again for my Pagewide Pro 477 printer.   Basically, uninstalling and re-installing the full solution software seems to have disabled the Printer Assistant. 

A tech recently swapped out the mother board in my Pagewide Pro 477dn.  The MAC address changed, and the tech helped to get the printer working again, but the scanning did not work, so I unstalled the full solution software and re-installed it.  However, after re-installation, the HP Printer Assistant no longer functions.  Instead of getting a screen with buttons to print, scan and fax along with many other tools and functions, I get a window that asks to connect a new device or add more software.  Since the printer is already installed and the program knows this, this menu is no help.  All other aspects of the installation appear to have worked.  The printer shows up in the Windows 10 devices list exactly as it should and other applications can find the printer and scanner functions.   

A remote tech took control of my PC yesterday to try to fix the problem, but nothing worked.  Deleting and re-installing the software does not fix it, and since Windows sees the printer just fine, it is likely a software issue – perhaps caused by something that got corrupted in the uninstall that is not getting deleted with a second uninstall, or something in the registry that is set wrong.

The program  that initiates the HP Printer Assistant is “HP PageWide Pro 477dn MFP.exe” and the option is “-Start UDCDevicePage”.  The program runs as though it ignores the option.   

I am hoping that someone very knowledgeable about the software can help. 

[DSwanRChives · Accepted solution]

Your hunch that not all traces of the software are being removed seems like a good one.

Here's my suggestion.

Download and install the free version of Revo Uninstaller, from here:  https://www.revouninstaller.com/revo_uninstaller_free_download.html

If you have the full solution of the HP software installed, great; if not, install it.

Then, use Revo Uninstaller to uninstall it.

You can do this by starting up Revo Uninstaller, then finding your HP full solution on the list of installed software, right clicking, and selecting uninstall.   Revo will invoke the standard uninstaller program, and then, when that's done, will offer to delete any remaining leftover files and registry entries.   You'd probably want to try the most aggressive form of uninstalling it offers.  Then, reboot, and reinstall the full solution.

Revo will wipe out any and all settings associated with the prior install of the full solution, so you'll want to make a note of anything that you think you might not remember, or be easily able to re-create, before running Revo.

[Bob771]

Thanks much for your solution.  It worked.  Revouninstaller found an  "Product Improvement Study" program that did not appear in the Windows apps, and uninstalling that seems to have fixed the problem.  Really appreciate your help.

Best Regards

[DSwanRChives]

Great!  Glad you're up and running!