Error message: this feature has been locked by administrator.

[Jeet_singh]

Hi @neumannta,

Welcome to the HP Forums 🙂 I would like to take a moment and thank you for using this forum, it is a great place to find answers. For you to have the best experience on the HP forum, you could also visit our HP Forums Guide for the First Time Here? Learn How to Post and More.

I understand your printer is asking for an administrator password.

To provide you with an accurate solution, I'll need a few more details:

Could you provide me with the Printer product number? (Ensure you do not share any of your personal information such as serial, phone number, email ID, etc...) http://hp.care/2bygf7l

What is the Operating system installed on the PC? Windows or Mac

Let’s try to fix the issue by following the steps mentioned below:
 

• Obtain the IP address of the printer – You can touch the “wireless” icon on the printer control panel to get the IP address.
• Type the IP address on your web browser to obtain the printer EWS page on your computer.
• Now go to the Security Tab - Administrative Settings.
• Uncheck the "Control Panel Lock". 

Next thing, I would suggest here is to perform restore network defaults and then run the Wireless setup wizard.

To restore the printer to the original network settings

1. From the printer control panel, touch or swipe down the tab at the top of the screen to open the Dashboard, and then touch ( Setup ).

2. Touch Network Setup.

3. Touch Restore Network Settings.

    A message appears stating that the network defaults will be restored.

4. Touch Yes

5. Print the network configuration page and verify that the network settings have been reset.

   Then run the Wireless setup wizard, for more details, click here

If nothing works, next thing would be to perform a Semi-full reset on the printer. Please respond to this post with the details for further assistance.

Let me know if that helps. Thank you!

Cheers

[KasbeeMedia]

Having this problem myself, I found (from an earlier post) that "pressing the back-button (small arrow) on your printers screen, FIVE times does actually work.  However - note the following:

Just press anything on your printer screen until you see the back button illuminated.  Once you see this (regardless of what menu you are in), press the illuminated arrow SLOWLY, five times - it worked for me by pressing once per second - any faster, it didn't work.

THE BACK ARROW WILL GO BLANK after may be 1, 2 or 3 presses - that is ok.  Just keep pressing the same spot until you have done so 5 times.

Now, you will see the SUPPORT menu.  Should be easy now to follow onscreen menu in order to reset your printer.

I'm no techie and I am shocked HP have not given these very simple instructions on how to fix this irritating problem.

[Mac891]

Finally someone who knows what he's talking about solved this problem!

The so called 'HP Experts' on this forum seem to me to be reading off a tick sheet to try solve problems and have no hands on experience, I mean come on "turn off and unplug the machine" !!

[RMNDC]

WHY would you send a private message about how to fix a freaking error that locks people out of your junk printers???????????????????? You should post whatever "fix" to the forum. 

[RMNDC]

Slowly! It worked! 🙂

[themanislksdf]

i said the samething, it aggiated me beyond belief. it took me forever to get a return, however i got another one shipped to me and have not had a problem since.  there was nothing the told me to do that was proprietary in anyway i could see. i was told it could have been the the powerlines in my office, the fax line all kinds of stuff. I work on electronics and have copiers and plotters in the same area so i knew better. i believe my issue was due to memory curruption, i am 95 percent sure. anyways im just happy to have mine working..