Deskjet 2800e driver unavailable Windows 11

[pstretch]

I am able unable to get a Deskjet 2800e working on Windows  11.

HP Smart app installation completes okay but when adding the printer in Windows 11 settings it fails with driver unavailable. Looking in Devices I can see that the driver is not installed properly. 

The printer was working yesterday on Windows 10.

I've tried removing and reinstalling multiple times. Also tried the non-Smart setup options but all fail in the same way. 

It looks like this might be caused by Windows 11 rejecting the driver as not being correctly signed.  

Any suggestions please?

[Garp_senchau]

@pstretch, Welcome to HP Support Community,

Thank you for posting your query; I’m here to help by guiding you through steps to resolve this issue

It sounds like you've already gone through some troubleshooting steps, but the issue with the printer being flagged as "driver unavailable" might be related to Windows 11’s stricter driver signing requirements or compatibility issues. Here's a few steps you could try to resolve this:

Check for Windows Updates

Windows 11 may have a new update or patch that could fix the driver compatibility issue. Sometimes these issues can be resolved with an OS update.

Go to Settings > Windows Update and check for updates.

Install the Latest Printer Driver Manually

Go to HP DeskJet 2800e All-in-One Printer series Software and Driver Downloads | HP® Support and download the latest drivers specifically for the Deskjet 2800e model for Windows 11.

Make sure to download both the driver and the software package rather than just relying on the Smart app.

Install the driver manually:

Open Device Manager (right-click Start > Device Manager).

Find the printer under "Printers" or "Other Devices".

Right-click on it and select Update Driver.

Choose "Browse my computer for drivers" and navigate to where you've downloaded the driver.

Reinstall HP Smart

Since the issue might be related to the HP Smart app:

Uninstall HP Smart from Settings > Apps > Apps & Features.

Restart your computer.

Reinstall the latest version of HP Smart from the Microsoft Store.

I hope this helps.

Please feel free to reply here if you have any questions or if you need further clarification on any of the steps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!

Regards,

[pstretch]

Thank you for your suggestions.

re downloading and installing the drivers, can you be specific as to which file I should download please? There are multiple options on this page HP DeskJet 2800e All-in-One Printer series Software and Driver Downloads | HP® Support

Also, how do I point the device driver at the downloaded driver file? All the options seem to run an installation application rather than simply download the driver file.

Thank you

[pstretch]

I have found 3 versions of HP EasyStart to download:

• HPEasyStart-15.8.1-DJ2800_57_2_1683_3_Webpack.exe
• HPEasyStart_16_5_6.exe
• HPEasyStart_17_1_16.exe

Can you advise which of these is valid for 2800e on Windows 11 latest build, please?

[Garp_senchau]

Hey @pstretch,

Thank you for your response

Here is the file you would need to download: HPEasyStart_17_1_16.exe

I hope this helps.

Please feel free to reply here if you have any questions or if you need further clarification on any of the steps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!

Regards,

[pstretch]

I've spent another 3 hours today on this and still can't make the DeskJet 2801e work on the OptiPlex 3090 Micro. I've removed and re-installed multiple times.

The printer always ends up as 'driver unavailable'. The Devices app indicates that the driver is not signed or not signed correctly.

However, using the HPEasyStart_17_1_16.exe, I have been able to get the printer installed and working okay on a Dell Latitude 7320. Both PCs are running Windows 11 Pro, with every available update installed as of today.

The working printer shows on the Lattitude 7320 as HP DeskJet 2800 series PCL-3 (V4).

I've used the Printer Migration Wizard to export this driver and import in onto the OptiPlex 3090, but that still doesn't work. The error is 'The driver cannot be installed because it is either not digitally signed or not signed in the appropriate manner. Contact you hardware vendor.'

I have considered trying to install unsigned drivers using Windows 11 Test Mode or disabling Driver Signing Requirement, but that would open up a world of pain due to Secure Boot mode and Bitlocker.

What does HP suggest that I try next, please?

[Garp_senchau]

Hey @pstretch, 

Thanks for reaching out! Since the issue remains unresolved, I suggest contacting our phone/chat support team for personalized assistance. They can provide one-on-one help and may even be able to work their remote assistance magic to fix the problem.

Note: There might be a nominal charge for the service they provide.

Regards,