HP 1120C problem on Windows 10

[AncientPrinter]

I have an old HP Officejet Pro 1150C that has served perfectly for years . Quite a while ago my computer expert helped me to install it using HP 1120C drivers (as the HP 1150C drivers were no longer available) . That was on Windows 8. A few months ago I updated to Windows 10 and all was well. My PC has a parallel port essential for the HP 1150C.  Unfortunately my expert is no longer available so I desparately need help! Last night the PC did an automated Win 10 update and in the morning I found that the printer gives an error on all print jobs. It seems the printer driver that worked yesterday has been altered in some manner. I am not an expert at all so hope you can give some easy to follow checks to restore it.

Please HELP!

[Gemini02]

Hi @AncientPrinter,

Welcome back to the HP Support Forums! I see that you are experiencing issues printing after a Windows Update went through. I would like to help you out today. If this helps you to reach a solution, please click the "Accept as Solution" button down below in this message. If you wish to say thanks for my effort to help, click the " Thumbs Up " to give me a Kudos.

Most likely the Windows Update is trying to update the printer's driver with a pre-installed Windows driver.

I would suggest to do a System Restore back to when everything was working properly, Recovery options in Windows 10.

I have provided a document for how to Turn off Windows Updates in Windows 10. Then you can manually choose the updates.

Please let me know the results and if there is anything else I can help you with. Thank you.

[AncientPrinter]

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@Gemini02 wrote:

Hi @AncientPrinter,

Welcome back to the HP Support Forums! I see that you are experiencing issues printing after a Windows Update went through. I would like to help you out today. If this helps you to reach a solution, please click the "Accept as Solution" button down below in this message. If you wish to say thanks for my effort to help, click the " Thumbs Up " to give me a Kudos.

Most likely the Windows Update is trying to update the printer's driver with a pre-installed Windows driver.

I would suggest to do a System Restore back to when everything was working properly, Recovery options in Windows 10.

I have provided a document for how to Turn off Windows Updates in Windows 10. Then you can manually choose the updates.

Please let me know the results and if there is anything else I can help you with. Thank you.

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Many thanks for this. I did do a restore but it did not take me back to before the damaging update and there appear to be no more restore points. Is there any way to get back without doing s Reset (if I opt to "keep my files" the any damaged driver would remain(?) Any commnet on that - should I risk a Reset?

I have just read the link on Turning Off updates and "Disabled" as suggested. Perhaps in future I should set a restore point BEFORE allowing any update(?).

Which way do you think I should go now?

[Gemini02]

Hi @AncientPrinter,

To bad the System Restore didn't go back far enough. I would just uninstall and reinstall the printer software again.

Let me know how you make out. Thank you.

[AncientPrinter]

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@Gemini02 wrote:

Hi @AncientPrinter,

To bad the System Restore didn't go back far enough. I would just uninstall and reinstall the printer software again.

Let me know how you make out. Thank you.

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Many thanks for your help. I have spent many further hours battling with the problem. I have at last managed to get the old printer to print. The problem does indeed lie in the drivers on LPT1 but the behaviour is very strange. I downloaded this: http://www.driverscape.com/download/hp-deskjet-1120c and in Device Manager uninstalled and then installed the download. The printer worked! Then I did a restart and it failed once more. By the way, I created a restore point and will be doing so frequently. I also disabled updates. I have found that after each restart I (i) open Device Manager (ii) uninstall the LPT1 driver (LPT disappears) (iii) without re-installing I do a scan for new hardware by right click on the top of the list. LPT reappears. Printer then does its stuff. How can it work without the reinstall?? I assume because on scanning for new hardware, Windows uses its own generic driver. Any ideas how this sequence can disable the driver on each restart?

[Gemini02]

Hi @AncientPrinter,

That is great news.

In the previous post I provided the option for turning off the Windows Updates and manually installing them,  Turn off Windows Updates in Windows 10. They you can skip the HP Update for the printer software.

Have a wonderful day!

[AncientPrinter]

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@Gemini02 wrote:

Hi @AncientPrinter,

That is great news.

In the previous post I provided the option for turning off the Windows Updates and manually installing them,  Turn off Windows Updates in Windows 10. They you can skip the HP Update for the printer software.

Have a wonderful day!

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Many thanks. Yes, as I said earlier, I have disabled updates. I have and will regularly insert Restore poinst now that I know how to.  I am mystified as to how the error returns after each restart or boot up! How can the restart alter a set up on LPT1 that works?? Could it be that Win 10 doesn't like LPT and removes it from the list of devices after each Restart so I have to reactivate it manually afterwards? Many thanks for all you commnets and help. I've learned a lot!

[Gemini02]

Hi @AncientPrinter,

I read the post again and I misread the issue. When rebooting the computer the printer connection is lost. You mentioned you are using a parallel port essential. If this is a adapter, then most likely that is part of the issue and I have been reading other articles on this matter and most of the posts, show it is a issue with Windows 10. The parallel/legacy support. When going back to Windows 8, there wasn't any issues. One poster used a USB to parallel adapter and was able to resolve the issue. I can't guarantee that the will also help though in this situation.

Have a great day!

[AncientPrinter]

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@Gemini02 wrote:

Hi @AncientPrinter,

I read the post again and I misread the issue. When rebooting the computer the printer connection is lost. You mentioned you are using a parallel port essential. If this is a adapter, then most likely that is part of the issue and I have been reading other articles on this matter and most of the posts, show it is a issue with Windows 10. The parallel/legacy support. When going back to Windows 8, there wasn't any issues. One poster used a USB to parallel adapter and was able to resolve the issue. I can't guarantee that the will also help though in this situation.

Have a great day!

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Thanks - yes it looks as if you are homing in on the problem. On my PC however the parallel port is built into the tower. If, as you say, the connection is lost on rebooting, that seems to fit the facts well. However, I cannot see why this problem has just arisen after using my configuration trouble free for several months since updating to Win 10. Could the update have changed how Win 10 handles the LPT?

Yes I have a USB to parallel cable but I would need a driver that would feed data to the USB in a form that the old printer would recognise after conversion by the cable - ambitious??

Many thanks for your continued interest.  

[Gemini02]

Hi @AncientPrinter,

Yes, the Windows 10 operating system, I believe has changed the parallel support available, from what I have been reading online. You could contact Microsoft, to see if they have any input on this issue, Microsoft.

You could try the Parallel to USB cable and plug and play the printer, to see if Windows installs a generic driver. Such as the Deskjet PCL3 Class Driver.

Thank you.