LaserJet 6L Driver missing from Wiondows 7

[Super--Dave]

Greetings,

I need to install my LaserJet 6L on my daughters Windows 7 64 bit system. We do not have it in our budget to get a new printer for her. I have read many posts where others have been able to add this printer to a Windows 7 box. The printer is connected using a Belkin parallel to USB cable but cannot be connected to the Internet. The Add New Printer does not display the 6L as an available option.

I was directed to the following location to download the cab file for the LaserJet 6L for Windows 7.

Microsoft driver update for HP LaserJet 6L - Windows 7,Windows 8,Windows Drivers

I downloaded the CAB Files but they do not have any self extracting feature and I cannot find any information on the Internet telling me just where in Windows 7 (System32 folder somewhere, I assume...) to manually extract these files so I can get the printer up and running.

I would appreciate any/all help in solving this issue.

Best regards,

Dave

[8lives]

Hi Dave, in the Add a printer set-up when you get to the "Install  the printer driver" screen click on the

"Windows Update" option and wait untill it is finished. The 6L should now be listed under "HP". 

[Super--Dave]

8Lives,

I have done the following through both Add a Printer and Device Manager:

1. Executed Add a printer and Check for New Hardware.
2. Both found the HP Laser Jet 6L but didn't add the ICON to the Printer/Device page, just the  IEEE-1284 Controller with the Yellow Triangle.
3. Under Properties : HP Laserjet 6L- It says device is working properly on USB Printing Support. (Port: 0001 - Hub: 0002.
4. Under Properties: USB Controller - it says device working properly.
5. Executed Windows Update: It says "Windows detected that a driver is already installed for this printer. Which version of the driver do you want to use?"
6. "Use current driver" returned a driver result of: HP Laser Jet 2200 Series PCL 5 Driver.
7. "Replace current driver" returned a driver result of: HP Laser Jet 2200 Series PCL 5 Driver.
8. The Icon under Add a Printer shows IEEE-1284 Controller with the Yellow Triangle showing a problem, but both devices show working properly.
9. The HP Laserjet 6L never shows up on the Drop Down Menu, nor as an ICON on the printer Printer/Device page.

So,

1. is that file I downloaded from the previously attached link, which definitely has the Laser Jet 6L in the CAB file, of any use?
2. And why does everything show that "it's working properly" and shows the Laserjet 6L as "Other" in Device Manager bot nowhere in the Printer/Device page?
3. What is the IEEE-1284 Controller ICON, which shows an All-In-One Printer ICON with the yellow trouble triangle?

I appreciate your help!

Dave

[8lives]

Let's try to solve the  IEEE-1284 Controller with the yellow triangle. (this is the adapter controller)

Power down the 6L & remove the adapter from it and the computer.

Next plug the adapter into the computer only, do you get the msg "Installing device driver software" icon?

[Super--Dave]

Okay, I did as instructed and no joy.

So I moved the adapter from the rear of the case to a USB port on the front of the case and I got the message you described. It also said that no printer was connected so I reconnected the parallel end to the printer and am running the add printer routine.

It is in the Windows Update routine as I type this. Will advise as to what happens.

Thanks!

Dave

[Super--Dave]

Okay... I powered up the 6L and went through the Add Printer routine. I started the Windows Update to add printer drivers and it just hangs there (30 minutes). The IEEE-1284 adapter issues appears to be resolved by swapping the cable to the front USB port.

However, unlike earlier, it doesn't even recognize the HP 6L  printer at this point. Even in Device Manager, it doesn't detect any new hardware, where before it detected the 6L.

I am rebooting the system to see if it helps.

Dave

[Super--Dave]

Okay... I rebooted and the IEEE-1284 issue resurfaced. I have gone through numerous iterations of the previous procedure. When the IEEE-1284 issue goes away, so does recognition for the Laserjet 6L. If the Laserjet 6L is recognized, then the IEEE-1284 issue resurfaces. Apparently, they don't seem to coexist well together.

During the iterations, sometimes I would get the "Installing device driver software" and other times I didn't. I would hot swap ports and sometimes it resolved the IEEE-1284 issue and sometimes it wouldn't.

When adding a printer, and selecting the USB Port, I used the port assigned to the IEEE_1284 adapter. I started with (4) USB Ports available and now I am down to one... not sure where the other three went.

When the IEEE-1284 issue is present, both the IEEE-1284 Adapter and the Laserjet 6L show as present and working properly. When using the current driver or replacing the driver, the end result is always the same: HP Laser Jet 2200 Series PCL 5 Driver... which is the first one in the drop down list. Windows Update does nothing.

When the IEEE-1284 issue is gone, so is the Laserjet 6L. Nothing shows up in Device Manager or when detecting new hardware changes. When using Add a Printer, it just hangs there forever.

It is strange that Windows 7 recognizes the HP Laserjet 6L, and the IEEE-1284 Adapter but won't actually install or update the driver. The only driver it installs, is the IEEE-1284 adapter and that is only 50% of the time and only when the HP Laserjet 6L is not recognized at the same time.

I am really confused and don't know what else to try. I don't know if it is a 64 bit issue (shouldn't be, as others on the Internet have made it work...). I have left a message on the Microsoft Forum outlining the issue and pointing to the file in their Microsoft Update Catalog specifically showing the HP Laserjet 6L Drivers for Windows 7 and 8... haven't heard anything.

Dave

[8lives]

It is possible that the Belkin adapter is not compatiable with your 64-bit system.

What is the model # of the Belkin?

[Super--Dave]

The adapter says F5U002...

[8lives]

Dave you will need to get a Startech ICUSB1284 USB to Parallel printer adapter.