Printer is in use error message

[PJM3]

Hi 

I have two MacBook Pros operating wirelessly with my HP Officejet 6600 printer. The printer has been fine for two years, but now the MacBooks cannot print. I have done all I can think of including:

1.) Turning printer on and off at mains

2.) Connecting the MacBook Pro via a USB cable directly to the printer

3.) Uninstalling and re-installing the printer drivers and software direct from the HP web site

But still no printing is possible.

I repeatedly get the message The Printer is in use.

I have an iMAC also operating of Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite that is directly connected to the printer via USB and this prints ok.

Any advice to get me printing from the Mac Book Pros would be much appreciated.

Thank you

PJM

[Jeet_singh]

Hi @PJM3,

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As I understand you are having issues with your HP OfficeJet printer on your Mac OS. Don't worry as I have a few steps to help you get through this concern,

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

Do you get any error message on the printer screen or on the computer screen?

Have you made any changes on the printer before the issue started?

In the meantime, let's try these steps here:

Please make sure that the printer is connected directly to the wall outlet and not to the surge protector.

Remove all the ink cartridges and then try to perform a hard reset on the printer.

With the printer turned on, disconnect the power cord from the rear of the printer and also unplug the power cord from the wall outlet.

Remove USB cable, if present.

Wait for 2-3 minutes, press and hold the power button on your printer for about 30 seconds to remove any additional charge.

Now plug back the power cable straight to a wall outlet without any surge protector or an extension cord and then plug back the power cord to the printer.

Turn on the printer and wait till warm-up period finishes and the printer is idle.

Now insert the ink cartridges and then try to print a test page and check if it works.

Let’s try to reset the printing system, which will fix these types of issues almost always. Follow the step below and check:
 

• Click the Apple menu icon, and then click “System Preferences”.
• Click “Printers and Scanner” / “Print and Scan” or “Print and Fax”.
• Right-click the blank space in the Printers list, and then click “Reset printing system”.
• Click “Reset” in the confirmation window.
• Enter an administrator username and password, and then click “OK”.
• Wait until the printing system is reset and no devices show in the Printers list

• Restart your computer and then go back to System preferences – Printers and scanners.
• Click the “Add button” (+).
• Find, and then select the name of your printer from the printer list, and then click “Add” to add your printer.
• Click “Print Using...”, and then select the name of your printer (By default “Airprint” would be selected)

If the issue, persists, I would suggest next step would be to uninstall and reinstall the printer drivers

HP Printers - Uninstalling HP Printer Software (Mac) - Click here

1. Disconnect the printer USB cable from the Mac.
2. On the desktop, double-click Macintosh HD, click Applications, then click the Hewlett-Packard or HP folder.
3. Double-click HP Uninstaller, then follow the on-screen instructions to remove the HP software from the computer.

After completing the uninstall, click the Trash icon on the Dock, then click the Empty button.

If HP Uninstaller is not in the applications list, continue to the next step.

1. In Macintosh HD, double-click the Library folder, then double-click the Printers folder.
2. Right-click (or Ctrl + click) the HP folder, and then select Move to Trash.
3. Double-click the PPDs folder, double-click the Contents folder, then double-click the Resources folder.
4. Right-click (or Ctrl + click) your printer in the list, then select Move to Trash.
5. Click the Trash icon on the Dock, then click the Empty button.
6. Click the Apple menu, then click System Preferences.
7. Depending on your version of OS X, click Print & Fax, Print & Scan, or Printers & Scanners.
8. In the Printers list, click your printer, then click the Minus button  (-) to delete the printer. Once done Restart the PC.

Once the PC is loaded reinstall the printer driver and software, using this link: http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib/software12/COL52006/mp-125741-3/HP-Inkjet-SW-OSX-Mavericks_v12.34.51.d...

I hope this helps. Let me know how it goes for further assistance.

Keep me posted,

If the information I've provided was helpful,

give us some reinforcement by clicking the solution and kudos buttons,

that'll help us and others see that we've got the answers!

Good Luck.