Bought second-hand printer. Unable to use because it's previous owner didn't sign out their account

[sksiiisn]

I just grab an HP printer from Goodwill. I cleaned it and tried to set up, and after downloading HP's app, I realized that this printer was already claimed by the previous owner, and they didn't sign out when giving it to Goodwill. The printer refuse to print anything but a few testing page due to its registration with the previous owner, but its hardware appeared fine. The WiFi worked, and I managed to hooked it up to my home network.

After some googling and browsing through HP's documentation on it, I found out that the previous owner used Instant Ink subscription, and they stopped enrolling in the program, thus the cartridges came with it are no longer functional (and they are out-of-ink anyway). Some forum posts and documentations suggest that I need a "printer claim code" to get it working, and to get the code, I need the printer to physically print out an "info page". 

So I purchased a cartridge (since the ones came with it ran out of ink), and tried to print it. All other diagnostic pages did successfully printed - the new cartridge worked and it proved the printer itself worked fine - but I cannot get the "web service info page" printed. I tried several different browsers, reboot the printer, remove and rejoin the "web service," but non of them worked. The printer doesn't even try, it just appears as it never received the task to print it. 

Another google took me to this page, which suggests that I can try by playing with the "ePrint icon", and more specific to my model, I can press the "Web Service" and "Information" buttons at the same time. Again, those never worked for me. In this case, pressing both buttons will make the light for power button blink a few times, but the printer still doesn't want to print anything.

Now I'm stuck here. I also found some posts suggesting that even if I got the claim code, I won't be able to reclaim this printer as myself. I have wasted enough time on this printer, and I'm wondering is there anything I could do next, or should I make another post saying "Never buy used HP printer from Goodwill or if you don't know the previous owner."

[Kumar0307]

@sksiiisn, Welcome to the HP Support Community!

If the previous owner had enrolled this printer in Instant Ink, it has to be deleted from his account. 

Printers can only be added to one HP account at a time. Work with the owner of the first account to use the features of the printer, or remove the printer from the first account before adding it to yours.

If you do not know the owner of the first account (you bought the printer secondhand or lost the account information), we will have to perform a factory reset on the printer. 

I have sent you a private message with a set of instructions to perform a reset. Kindly check the same, this might help you to resolve this issue. Check next to your profile name, you should see a little blue envelope, please click on it.  

Hope this helps! Keep me posted. 

Please click “Accept as 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!

Have a great day! 

[itsmyname]

>>> Work with the owner of the first account

That "Goodwill" store accepted the donation of the printer, but probably did not identify themselves when they made the donation. Maybe, they just dropped the printer into a "donation bin", and walked away.

So, finding the previous owner will be an extremely-difficult task. 

Sorry to say, but you should take the printer to an "end-of-life" recycling centre, rather than spending your money/time trying to make it work.

Even if that "factory-reset" works, you'll need the original "HP Setup" ink cartridges -- any other "genuine HP" or third-party ink-cartridges will not work, until the printer has recognized the original "HP Setup" ink-cartridges. Do you still have the "empty" HP Setup ink-cartridges? They may be OK to use, to complete the "setup".

Personally, I use BROTHER printers, because they are ultra-reliable, and accept the less-expensive third-party ink-cartridges.