Officejet 4500 won't scan

[Mrs_Danvers]

My officejet 4500 won't scan. It can print and copy. Printer is connected by ethernet cable to router. Printer screen says "no scan option".  Have installed HP  Smart and it won't scan from there either. It says "couldn't connect to scanner, either no scanner detected or HP Smart is not compatible with the scanner in this printer."  The links in previous posts on this subject no longer work.  Have downloaded and run HPPSdr.exe which takes me in circles.  I reach a point where it says that I need to download full software, but then it takes me back to where I can download HPPSdr.exe and no other downloads are available.  Please advise. Thanks.

[Dragon-Fur]

@Mrs_Danvers 

Welcome to the HP Community.

I cannot find any printer software for this printer.

Looks like the product might have been introduced in 2010 or "in that time frame"? 

I found one reference to 2003 but I cannot verify that source.

The Doctor cannot help - Doctor doesn't understand why the software is missing - the code that runs the Doctor program lacks a clean "exit" method when the printer software is not found.

HP Smart is not compatible with every older printer.

And

2010 is the extreme limit of possible compatibility with the application.

Windows does include its own print drivers - as long as the Windows drivers can find any way to communicate with the printer, the drivers provide basic print function (but no scan).

The biggest problem, then, is the lack of HP printer software, that in turn, includes the HP Scan software.

You might be able to use the Windows Scan application (from the Microsoft Store) - that said, even Windows Scan has limitations.

What else?

If you are interested, you could try a third party software.

Vuescan is apparently compatible with many older printers - that is, in fact, their "Claim-to-Fame" statement at their website.

VueScan – Third party software

===============================================================================

What next?

Unless you saved a copy of the download for the software, you will have to look for it elsewhere.

For example, someone might have a private archive of the software installation package they will share.

You might find it on the 'net in one of the websites that specialize in archiving software for old printers.

What happened?

HP recently removed the printer old printer software for this and other similarly aged printers.

Why?

No idea - HP does not tell us about internal affairs.

Speculation

I suspect the removal of the software was due to the software no longer working reliably in the latest Windows 10 / Windows 11 environments.

and / or

Old software might have been for security reasons, too - old printer software, especially that software no longer supported or kept updated, is vulnerable to various problems. 

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[Mrs_Danvers]

That's unfortunate.  Thank you for your help.

[Dragon-Fur]

@Mrs_Danvers 

You are welcome.

Sometimes the answers are not the ones we want to give.

Thank you for participating in the HP Community.

The Community is a separate wing of the HP website - We are not an HP business group.

Our Community is comprised of volunteers - people who own and use HP devices.

Click Helpful = Yes to say Thank You.

Question / Concern Answered, Click "Accept as Solution"

[nickalex1983]

I have the same problem as @Mrs_Danvers ... 

This is ridiculus, just because we bought a new pc or upgraded to Windows 10, we can't use anymore our officejet 4500 scanner??? 

So, when I connect the printer / scanner via router HP Smart lists the product as "HP Officejet 4500 G510g" and of course can't scan! 

But when i connect the printer / scanner via USB HP Smart lists the product as "HP Photosmart All-in-one printer / scanner" and the scanner WORKS just fine!!! 

Of course when I remove the usb cable and connect again via router, scanner no longer works... HP Smart my a@@... 

Additionally HP Scan & Capture and Microsoft Scan don't detect the device when connected via router!

So any thoughts? How can we use scanner via router connection? Thanks anyway