Can't install full feature for Photosmart Plus B210e

[NatalieD22]

I am having the EXACT same problem, literally word for word.  This happened to me a few weeks ago and have not been able to fix it.  Very annoying!

I used to have the full software.  Now, no matter what I do I cannot install the full feature software - it automatically installs the basic software.  

It happened the same way that chaswmsday described above - and I've tried the same fixes with no solution.  Help!  I am really missing certain features - especially the ink levels!

This topic was last responded to 10 days ago.  Any update on this issue???  Thank you!

[sunstar1]

Hi,

Is there a solution for this? I have the exact same scenario as described above that it looks like something I would have written. I have it happening on 2 Windows 7 laptops and I don't even want to open the utility on the desktop as I am afraid it will try downloading the upgrade. The difference is my printer is the HP Photosmart Plus B210a, as opposed to the original writer having the e version.

My screen shots are the same as those posted and I only have the basic version running now.

[NatalieD22]

Interesting that this is happening to so many people. Forgot to add that mine is a B210c.

[chaswmsday]

For whatever reason, I now get full feature when I create a new user, and it seems to persist and doesn't show the Update pop-up any more.

I've been trying to compare Registry entries between myself and the new user, but so far, they've been the same.

I've also thought about deleting any extraneous folders & files remaining after Uninstalling the printer software, but the few that are left over have old dates from my last good install a year or so ago. (And the ones that remain are not under my User Name; therefore the new user would be successfully accessing them also.)

Is it somehow possible that the HP install process somehow thinks I'm trying to invalidly install on more than one PC?

[chaswmsday]

Per another thread in this forum on the same/similar topic, I checked Device Manager to look for extraneous drivers.  After clicking on View...Show hidden devices, I found that under Printer, "HP Photosmart Plus B210 series" appeared *twice*.  The underlying specs were slightly different, with one ending up under ...\Root\0000 and the other under ...\Root\0001.  Experimentation showed that this oddity occurred whenever I reinstalled from the installation CD, then applied the full-feature software downloaded from the HP website.  Uninstall/reinstall of only one removed the "duplication". In any event, the basic s/w still appears for my *real* users and full-feature for the fake test user.

It's as though the install process in some ways believes the printer s/w is already there, but in other ways, believes it's a clean slate.  If anyone at HP or in the forum knows the file, registry entry, .ini file, etc. that might be messing up either installation or where the PC looks for its executables, that would likely solve the problem...

[chaswmsday]

Tried uninstalling, then deleting Photosmart Program File folders and user folders still remaining.  Had no effect.  I've thought about uninstalling, then removing registry entries containing Photosmart settings, but I have an important time-sensitive print job I don't want to mess up before the holidays...

[__natalie__]

Has anyone found a fix for this?  I am still without the full software.  Very frustrating.

[Shane_R]

This problem should be fixed if you uninstall and reinstall using a fresh download from the HP support site. Version 28.8 of the software was released on 10-22-2012 and installing it should fix the problem. Make sure to uninstall all previous versions of the software first. Let me know what happens.

HP Photosmart Full Feature Software and Drivers

[__natalie__]

Thank you!  All fixed! 

[sunstar1]

Hooray, it worked. I have just uninstalled 2 laptops with windows 7 and reinstalled both and added a desktop with Windows 8. I now have the full utility working in all of them.  I do not like that the scanner icon is inside the printer utility as opposed to before being a standalone icon on my desktop but hey, I am happy everything is working. Thanks everyone for your help!