Windows 10 blocks installation of NT 4.0 driver for Officejet 4630 printer.

[Rman71]

After a Windows 10 system reset I am unable to install Officejet 4630 wireless or USB.  Windows 10 is blocking the installation of NT 4.0 drivers.  Does HP have an updated driver that works?

[ShlomiL · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Teh driver works, the problem relies with your operating system itself...

Please follow the steps below to resolve such an error:

**Be aware that if you have other printers installed on your PC, those will need to be reinstalled too once completing these steps.

1. Uninstall the HP Software from your PC.
2. Backup your registry prior making any registry changes:
     https://support.hp.com/in-en/document/c03485724
3. Update your registry using the Reg file below (that will change some printer related policies for your PC):
     https://www.dropbox.com/s/avbv56zdgwv7600/kernel.reg?dl=1
4. Right click the Start menu and select Run.
     Type Services.msc and press OK.
     Locate and stop the Print Spooler service
5. Browse to c:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers.
     Rename W32X86 to W32x86.old
     Rename x64 to x64.old
     Note: if any of these folders fail to delete reboot your PC and then Continue following the steps starting from Step 4...
6. Restart your computer.
7. Reinstall the HP Software and check for any difference

Please let me know the results,
Shlomi

[Rman71]

Thank you so much.  After a week of pain my printer finally works!  

[momhux]

I understand this is an o/s problem not HP but for those not comfortable updating our registry, what is HP recommendation going forward? I am having this problem with my HP 4650 after my computer guys had to reload Win 10 this week. I bought this printer in Aug 2016. If I go buy a new one, am I guaranteed it does not have NT4.0  kernel mode drivers?

[Rman71]

I was a little nervous about registry changes too.  Using the link provided the process is pretty much automatic.  It grants permissions needed for the install.  Not to worry,  you have a backup of the registry if it affects something else.  You can always go back if you need to.  So far I have had no negative impacts from this process.   Newest Windows bug is you can't print from the Edge browser due to a queue problem.  Not related to the printer drivers talked about here.

[momhux1]

Thanks Rman71. I have used Regedit before but will let my computer guys who reloaded win 10 after an o/s crash do it. It irks me that HP blames Microsoft. Having been a software engineer for a major s/w company for 30 yrs, I know HP was told for years to stop running their drivers in kernel mode under threat of this new group policy setting. HP chose to continue to reuse old code instead of rewritIng, now it’s my problem on a 1 yr old printer and I need to edit my darn registry file. Because I have Win 10 Home edition I don’t have a group policy editor with that product. Come on, HP! I have been buying HP printers since IBM PC AT days and have always had good luck with them. This is unacceptable.

[meg-riley]

Hello momhux1 ,

Can you check if you have Windows 10 Update KB 4016251 installed in your PC? If don't have, please install the stand-alone package for this update . You can find it here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4016251/windows-10-update-kb4016251

Then, try to re-install the driver.

Please let me know if this helps.

Regards,

meg-riley

[Yorkie11]

Been at this all afternoon - thanks a lot for the solution!!

[realdealru2]

It sure didnt work with my computer. Starting to hate HP & I have used HP since I started using a pc & that said it has been for many years now.

[Angie823]

After many, many hours with HP and Microsoft techs, my issue of installing my HP wireless Envy 4520 series printer was not resolved.   All solutions messaged in this forum and elsewhere were either tried by me or done remotely by techs.  Here is the solution:

Install printer.  It will show on your printers with "driver unavailable."  Then download Jet Advantage EPrint software from HP.  When you go to print, choose "Jet Advantage."  To scan from your printer to your computer, use HP Smart.  If it is not already on your HP computer, install it via HP website.  Now you can print and also scan to your computer without trying to solve the problem of the NT 4.0 driver not being able to be installed in Windows 10.