Why will printing be blocked by HPInstant ink? Message keeps coming up.

[Bananahead]

I keep getting this message on my Mac since I upgraded to Catalina.  Why does this happen? I have checked my ink account it seems fine. I get charged so I don't have payment issues. I deleted the old drivers and reinstalled them. I shut machine off for a few minutes and restarted it. It shows on Network. It is ethernet connected. I have the HPSMart app installed on my Mac. It recognizes the message to print. I have to select OK and before I can get a print job completed. It does this on devices too.

[Bananahead · Accepted solution]

Ha! I am writing to myself and anyone else who has been "blocked" by HPInstant Ink. After upgrading to Big Sur on my Apple IOS, all kinds of craziness started with rogue HP files, Legacy software bombs, printer incapabilities and blocked access to Instant Ink. I have an HP ENVY 7640 all-in-one printer that was purchased in 2016. I get that software goes to the dumpster and our electronics can become bricks. Refusing to surrender, these are my steps that eventually ended in a solution.

Step 1: I did uninstall the printer drivers and HP files, etc. using this link:

HP Printers - A [software component] will damage your computer message displays when printing or whi...

Step 2: I installed HP Smart .   I already had an account so when I logged in, my computer Serial number was there. COPIED IT! You need it for InstantINK if your printer is still supported. Check that list at the bottom of the FAQ's here.

Step 3: I  installed a driver using HP Easy Start

Step 4: I let the software do all the work and then my printer  showed up.

Step 5: ON MY COMPUTER had to be delete and then re-add the printer  System Preferences/Printers.

Step 5: I then went to HPInstant INK. My old printer did not show up but my account still existed.  I stopped the Instant INK in that account.  I like Instant INK so I created a new account. I added the serial number to the new account.

BAM! I was good. I aged a year and pulled out much of my hair during this process. Support is a rabbit hole to nowhere. Virtual Agents are continual redirects to less useful places than the place you started from. It was like landing on square 87 in Chutes and Ladders.

If this insanity happens again, I will consider buying a different brand.