HP laserjet 6P and windows 10 v. 1511

[DuaneTN]

dchst16,

I will try to make this simple.  When you go to "Device Manager" on your computer, it will list "only" those components that are present in your computer.  If your computer does not have any Ports (Com or LPT), then it will not list a  Printer Port (LPT) in Device Manager.

If your printer is an HP Laserjet 6 type model, then I am guessing you are trying to hook up you printer to your computer using a printer cable that has an IEEE ECP 1284B connector on one end (this end would hook to your printer), and the other end of the printer cable would be a USB connector end (this hooks into your computer).  It may look like this:

FYI - My HP LaserJet 6P has 2 different types of connectors on the printer...an IEEE ECP 1284B and an IEEE ECP 1284C connector.  I am using the 1284B connector, which is shown above.  (The 1284C connector is just smaller in size).

If this is the type of cable you are using, then it WILL NOT show up in your "Device Manager", even though it is connected to your computer via a USB port.

To add your printer to your computer, you will have to go to Control Panel/Devices and Printers...then Add a printer.  Since the HP LaserJet is an old printer, it probably won't be listed, so choose "The printer that I want isn't listed" option at the bottom.  It should list a window saying "Find a printer by other options".  Choose the option "Add a local printer or network printer with manual settings", and click Next.  This should list a window saying "Choose a printer port".  With the option "Use an existing port:" highlighted, change the default LPT1 : (Printer Port) setting to USB001 (Virtual printer port for USB)...via the pull down arrow, and click Next.  This should list a window saying "Install the printer drivers, from which you will choose your printer Manufacturer (HP), then choose the type of Printer you have (for me it is a HP LaserJet 6P), and click Next.  Follow the recommended directions of that window and any subsequent windows,as they may vary from what is stated on my computer.  The end window should state "You've successfully added ***your printer***, and you will be given the option to Print a test page.

Please note, the above instructions/display windows are what showed up on my computer.  I am running Windows 10, so may be different if you are using another version of Windows.

Hope this helps, and good Luck.

DuaneTN

P.S. - Just so you know, if you do get your printer successfully added to your computer, it will STILL NOT show up under Device Manager...since the printer is only hooked to your computer via a USB port.  Like I said at the top, the only things listed in Device Manager are components that are IN your computer...not attached to it.

[jljauch]

My HPLJ 6P has the parallel cable hardwired into the printer with the other end of the cable male pinned to fit a parallel port. I have an PCI Express ECP Parallel Port added to my desktop. In checking my device manager the parallel port was not recognized because I did not have the right driver. A search on the internet found driverscape.com which gave me a working driver for my 64 bit Windows 10 PC. Once the parallel port was found in device manager then the process described above by DuaneTN "To add your printer to your computer, you will have to go to Control Panel/Devices and Printers..." worked for me. The HPLJ 6P was listed in the Windows 10 driver list apparently since the parallel port sensed the printer. Windows Printer Test Page worked as well as Microsoft Office printing.

[MACRICHIE]

My recent windows update does not allow me to reconize my hp laserjet 6p ....please HELP!!!

[Dusxpress]

I bumped onto this thread as I recently acquired LaserJet6p which I still did not connect anywhere, and was curious about the experiences of others and whether this printer will work with Windows 10.

I do have a lot of experience with LaserJet 2100  / Windows 10, and what I read here has some similarities with the behaviour of Laserjet 2100.

In short: My LaserJet 2100 will ALWAYS work fine if it is switched on before the PC is switched on. If it is switched on AFTER the computer, it MAY not always work well.

The printer is connected to the USB port with the Vivanco parallel to USB cable (the first one found in the shop when I was buying the cable many years ago, so I guess any such cable will do the work).

So, any changes done in the Printer/Devices menu has to be followed up by switching both the PC and printer off, and powering printer before the PC.

Sometimes the 2100 will  stop responding, or enter into a loop of printing nothing, but throwing paper out (usually when printing something directly from web, although everything looks fine, print jobs (if repeated also) will be visible in the Printers menu etc, but printer will not start printing.

Beware, if everything is just switched off and on, the LaserJet will immediately print all print jobs that existed before switching off the computer (and which were not printed due to malfunction): so it is WISE to CANCEL all print jobs before switching off the PC. If the printer stops responding in a situation that would look "normal", unfortunately, everything needs to be restarted.  This, fortunately, happens very seldom, and Laserjet works excellent outside of such situations.

I may come back after I test my LaserJet 6p.

And I have a question: my 6p is made in 1998, and has a count of 16.000 pages. How many copies they can make and still work reliably?  It seems to be working fine, when tested with no PC connection. It probably was never serviced - what can I expect in terms of reliability / paper jams / rollers condition (still looks not hardened and soft on touch, but can they work after almost 20 years? Is there any maintenance tip for these old printers?