Multiple copies of same printer confuses HP software

[spmaine]

My Officejet J4580 seems to install itself twice.  Yesterday I reinstalled the driver/software hoping to reduce the choice to one default printer, but it happened again -- within a day, I again have "HP Officejet Series J4500"  and "HP Officejet Series J4500 (Copy 1)", plus a fax version of each, making 4 printer choices.

If I'm lucky, HP Solutions will detect the correct version of the printer.   If I'm not lucky, it looks for the wrong one and claims it's not there.  To fix this is chancy -- sometimes unplugging, sometimes restarting the printer or the software, sometimes rebooting, and sometimes waiting a day is the only solution.

In addition, some software will default to the fax version so often I can't just print something to the default printer, I have to choose the printer every time.  (In the Control Panel, only the printers show as devices, not the fax version of them.)

Anybody have any suggestions?

[Dot4]

Have you tried to simply delete the copy?

[RVingman]

 am having a similar issue with my HP Officejet 4500 All-In-One (Wireless) Printer.  In each of my applications (Word, Excel, Email, etc.), when I choose the print button and open up the Print box, all of my print options are listed.  In the print options listed, there are two (sometimes more) copies of the same Printer (ex: HP Officejet 4500 All-In-One, HP Officejet 4500 All-In-One (Copy 1)...).  Most of the time it is just two of the same printer.  One is online and the other seems “not available”.

In all other locations where the printer is listed (i.e. network, printer device lists) only see one copy, but in each application, it is listed twice or more in the printing box.

I have uninstalled the Printer and reinstalled it several times, but that does not seem to clear the issue.  I only have this one printer installed, no others.  It is wireless and set up as a wireless printer on the home network (no hard wire set-up).  I have two laptops sharing this printer wirelessly (an HP and a Toshiba).  Multiple copies on both Laptops.  I am running Windows 7 (64bit) on the HP and Windows 7 (32bit) on the Toshiba.

If some else has this same issue and knows how to correct it, please help.

[JS2011]

I have a HP Officejet 7210 All-in-One Printer and it has done the same thing in Windows Vista and Windows 7 Home Premium.  In Windows 7 it now displays 31 fax choices for the HP All-In-One, besides the other HP and non-HP devices.  How would you remove the 30 extra Fax devices and how would you stop this from re-occuring?

[hortonupatree]

Seme problem here (HP4500 all-in-one wireless), except I'm now up to 4 copies of the printer.  Can't delete them in Control Panel since the copies don't show up there; only in applications (e.g. Word).  Need to select the latest copy of the printer to get anything to print.  Simple applications, which just print to default printer, will no longer print at all.

Looks like several people are experiencing this issue.  Any solutions?

[Feferl]

I am having the same problem with an HP6P.  Is this a problem with HP rather than Windows 7?  How do I solve it???

[CBGal76]

I know this is a couple years old, but I am having the same problem. Did anyone find a solution?

[CBGal76]

I hate to say it, but your reply didn't help at all. I have the same problem with my printer and scanner. Both are showing up multiple time on the HP Solution Center, but when I go to the settings on my computer for the scanner and printer (seperate machines), it only shows one. Its ok if I'm printing something from my computer where I can go into the setting when I choose print, and select the correct printer, but when I print from online (coupon sites) where you can't go into the printer settings, I can't choose what printer to use ("Printer", "Printer" copy 1) and I lose my chance at the coupons, because once its sent to the spool, the company doesn't let you print it again. I'm showing two copies for my printer, and 6 copies for my scanner. How the heck do I fix this?

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@Dot4 wrote:

Have you tried to simply delete the copy?

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[atomicdogs]

I have an Envy 4501 with the same issue, two or more of the same printer connected.  I went to my control panel and devices and removed the duplicate.  However, it comes back when I reboot.

[Jactic]

I'm having the same issue.  HP computer running Vista with HP F300 series printer.

Everytime I turn the comupter off and on I get another copy of the printer made.  It takes ages to delete old copies and find the correct one to use to print a document.  Sometimes you can find the correct one and it'll appear offline thus useless anyway.

I've tried, re-installing the drivers.  Deleting everything from registry and trying again.  Uninstalling all the HP software and starting again.  Nothing seems to work.

Some people suggest it's a USB fault when you unlug the printer.  This is a desktop and it stays in the same port always.  Some people just seem to accept it's a Microsoft Software function...

If anyone can help, i'd really appreciate it.

Cheers