Scanning troubleshooting HP OfficeJet Pro 6978

[RJF816]

Hello, my printer has stopped communicating with my computers for scanning only. I am still able to print as normal from all devices. I can open up the HP Smart app on my computer and manually select scan. However, when I press the "Scan" button on the printer and then select "computer" I get an error that says "No computer found". My printer and one of my computers are hardwired into the same router. I also use laptops on my network. Again, I have no problem printing from any of the devices, which indicates to me that it is not a network issue. Since I can manually click the scan from the HP Smart App on my Mac, I don't believe this to be a computer issue.

I've removed/re-installed both the printer and the app without success. From the HP webpage for my device, there is a box that reads "Software & Drivers, Check for new Drivers". After clicking on it, it states "A critical firmware update is available for your HP printer." However, when I click "Download and Install Now" I get taken to an Error 404 page that says "We're Sorry, We can't seem to find the page you are looking for."

To my limited knowledge, it appears that there needs to be an update with the printer that I don't have. Please help. Is there any more information I could gather to assist in troubleshooting? I don't know how to check the revision of the software on the printer.

Thanks again,

-Ryan

[Raj_05]

Hi @RJF816,

Welcome to HP Support Community.  

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

It seems like you've already taken some troubleshooting steps, but there are a few more things you can try to resolve the scanning issue with your HP OfficeJet Pro 6978. Here are some suggestions.

Check Network Connection:

• Ensure that your printer and the computer you are trying to scan to are on the same network.
• Verify that the network connection is stable and there are no issues.

Update Printer Firmware:

• Although you encountered an issue when trying to download the firmware from the HP website, you can try updating the firmware directly from the printer's control panel.
  • On the printer's control panel, go to "Setup" > "Printer Maintenance" > "Update the Printer" or a similar option.
  • Follow the on-screen instructions to check for and install any available firmware updates.

Reinstall HP Smart App:

• Uninstall the HP Smart app from your computer.
• Download the latest version of the HP Smart app from the official HP website and install it.

Restart Devices:

• Power off your printer, computer, and router.
• Wait for a few minutes, then power them back on.
• Check if the scanning issue persists.

Firewall/Antivirus Software:

• Check your computer's firewall or antivirus settings to ensure that they are not blocking the communication between the printer and the computer.
• Temporarily disable the firewall/antivirus and test scanning.

HP Print and Scan Doctor:

• Download and run the HP Print and Scan Doctor utility from the official HP website. This tool can automatically diagnose and resolve printing and scanning problems.

Check HP Smart App Permissions:

• Ensure that the HP Smart app has the necessary permissions to access the scanner on your computer.

USB Connection (if applicable):

• If your printer supports USB connection, try connecting the printer to your computer using a USB cable and check if scanning works.

Check for Mac Software Updates:

• On your Mac, go to "Apple Menu" > "System Preferences" > "Software Update" and check for any available updates.

By following these steps, you should be able to narrow down the cause of the scanning issue and hopefully resolve it.

I hope this helps. 
 

Take care and have a good day.

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Alden4
HP Support