OfficeJet 3831 will not scan in PDF format

[Adobe37]

I have two HP laptops both connected wirelessly to this printer.  They both appear on the small printer screen but only one of them gives the option to scan to PDF format.  Unfortunately it is the other one which I wish to use for this purpose. How can this be achieved?

[Betty0610]

@Adobe37

Welcome to the HP Forums 🙂 I would like to take a moment and thank you for using this forum, it is a great place to find answers. 

Let's try to root uninstall and reinstall the Printer Software from the Laptop you're trying to achieve this:

1.) In Windows, search for and open Programs and features

2.) Select your HP Printer

3.) Select Uninstall

4.) In Windows, search for and open Devices and printers

5.) In the Devices and Printers windows look for your HP printer. If you see it listed right-click on it and choose 'Delete' or 'Remove Device'

6.) Open up the run command with the "Windows key + R" key combo.

7.) Type printui.exe /s and click Ok. (Note: there is a space in between “printui.exe” and “/s”)

8.) Click on the "Drivers" tab

9.) Look for HP Printer driver. If you see it Click on it and click Remove at the bottom

10.) Select Ok

11.) Select Apply and Ok on the Print Server Properties windows

12.) Close Devices and Printers

13.)  Open up the run command with the "Windows key + R" key combo.

14.) Type c:/programdata and click Ok. Go to Hewlett Packard folder, remove any printer related folders & files.

15.) Restart the computer.

Once done, please download and install the software from here: https://support.hp.com/gb-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-officejet-3830-all-in-one-printer-series/7172321...

Let me know if this helps.

If the information I've provided was helpful, give us some reinforcement by clicking the Accepted Solution and Kudos buttons, that'll help us and others see that we've got the answers!

Thanks!

Have a great day!

[Adobe37]

Thank you Betty0610.  I have followed your instructions (twice) but sadly I have not solved the problem. In fact, I am worse off than ever as Laptop no.1 will not connect wirelessly at all, let alone scan in PDF. 

The two HP laptops are of a similar vintage, both being bought eight years ago (I hear you laughing) but do not get much use.  No.1 is my laptop of choice, having a rather bigger hard drive and faster processor than No.2 but unfortunately it is No.1 that is being difficult.

Your instructions stopped short after completely removing all traces of the printer from No.1 so I inserted the CD and re-installed the printer. When presented with the choice between wireless and USB I chose wireless (both with and without the cable being inserted) and each time the the following wording came up, "Unsuccessful network installation.  The device was unable to install ove the network." Having now chosen the USB option the thing works fine in all respects, even doing PDF scans.  The whole point of a laptop however is mobility so I am still concerned to get it going wirelessly.  

I would just add that Laptop no.2, two iPads and two iPhones will all send print instructions wirelessly to the printer so the fault obviously lies with what I thought was the superior laptop.

Any further comment will be greatly appreciated.

Best  regards

Abacus37

[Adobe37]

Spent another 2 1/2 hours yesterday trying to get a wireless connection without success.  I removed very trace of the printer from the he laptop, carried out your instructions and used your link to reconnect . I tried the HP Print Doctor and one or two other tricks, e.g. with and without firewall being activated, but always it came back to the same message - unable to make a connection.  It can't be the printer which is at fault as it connects wirelessly to the second laptop, so is it feasible to examine and compare the relevant settings of the two laptops  side by side and, if so, where should I start?

[Betty0610]

@Adobe37

Thank you for trying all the steps 🙂 I request you to perform the steps which you haven't from the document below.

https://support.hp.com/in-en/document/c05032099

Let me know how it goes 🙂

If the information I've provided was helpful, give us some reinforcement by clicking the Accepted Solution and Kudos buttons, that'll help us and others see that we've got the answers!

Thanks!

[Adobe37]

Thank you for your continued efforts to get me up and running but I am now about to concede defeat.  I have carried out your latest suggestions to the point where the gremlins hidden within my laptop are muttering about a corrupt file and suggesting that it might be possible to purloin a replacement from another computer, such as, possibly, my other laptop if I just copy and paste about 9 yards of hieroglyphics from a black screen to somewhere which doesn't seem to exist in reality.  The alternative apparently is to re-install Windows 7 in its entirety!!  To an 81 year old duffer whose use of computers is confined to using Quicken, a few spreadsheets and the odd scan, this borders on venturing over to the dark side which frankly scares me rigid.  What continues to amaze me is that until I started trying to get it to scan in PDF format the thing was printing quite happily on the wireless connection, so if anything has become corrupted it has only happened since we started this correspondence.  

At all, events I have had enough and  have now thrown in the towel.  I shall continue to use the USB connection.  Many thanks indeed for your assistance which is truly appreciated.  I am only sorry that on this occasion I shall not be able to press the 'Success' button.

Best regards

Abacus37

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[sandytechy20]

@Adobe37

I see that you were interacting with @Betty0610. I'd like to help.

Thanks for the reply.

I appreciate your time and effort.

Yes, you can use it with the USB cable.

Feel free contact us in future if you need any assistance.

Cheers.

[Adobe37]

Thanks for your intervention, sandytechy20.  Today I had the big idea of fetching my old fall-back Canon printer out of mothballs to see if installing it wirelessly might free the blockage as it were.  Sadly that too will no longer work without the cable attached so at least I now know quite conclusively that the fault lies not with the printers but with the laptop software.  

I have to say that I stand in awe of Microsoft and their ability to diagnose remotely which bit of their product has become corrupt. However, if they were just that little bit smarter they would be able to send a repair patch straight to the user!

All the best

Abacus37

[Betty0610]

@Adobe37

I understand. You can definitely contact Microsoft regarding this, if you wish to 🙂

Thanks!