[Kayne Bishop]

Its not the first problem I had with the thing. In fact, as long as My desktop was windows XP and the Laptop Rand Windows 7 home, It was fine. the problems were minor. But it seems as if the minute that I Changed computers and upgraded OS's the Photosmart went insane. I frequently have to uninstall, install, and reinstall The Printer software to my computers and network. The drivers seem to disappear at will from bot my desktop and laptop. I don't know how many time I have had a "troubleshooting" bubble tell me that the printer has no drivers- and yet if selected it sometimes will print and sometimes wont. These have been problems from day 1 of my Windows 7 upgrade that HP never addressed because i was -out of warranty. Now that I seem to have that problem under control a new, potentially worse problem as reared its ugly little head.

Since the Printer stopped printing colour ink - even with there being a genuine HP colour cartridge in it that still had more than one 1/3 of the ink left in it. So I just changed the cartridge. Now, the Dern thing won't print the God forsaken alignment page. and that is ALL IT WANTS TO DO! I really want to take the thing out back and hit it with a Sledgehammer, or shoot it - I don't care which. I can't stand it anymore. i have considered buying a new one, but I can't afford it. Worst yet, i can't find a trade in value for it. My only option is to keep it, but I have no idea how to fix it and since it is out of warranty now i can't get any real help from HP - since the HP Troubleshooting database is as ineffective as always and does not even address my particular model or issue.

Is there anyone out there with a similar product and issue? any advice would be helpful.

Edited by Kayne Bishop, 22 February 2012 - 07:28 AM.

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Sorry you have waited longer than we would wish, this occasionally happens due to the vast numbers of posts on the site
This is your first line of approach


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and your second if this fails just has to be that you try the printer on another computer

[Macboatmaster]

Sorry you have waited longer than we would wish, this occasionally happens due to the vast numbers of posts on the site
This is your first line of approach


http://h10025.www1.h...product=3940574

http://h10025.www1.h...uct=3940574#N95

and your second if this fails just has to be that you try the printer on another computer

[Kayne Bishop]

Macboatmaster,

First I would like to thank you for your time in answering my thread.

Second I would like to state that I have had the Printer since I bought it in 2009. Up until recently, this problem with printing and alignment has never been an issue. It is now. I have changed print cartridges 4 times in the 28 months in which I have had the printer. These physical problems have never manifested until now. As for the software problems, I have always downloaded the latest drivers from HP's website. They have not changed all that much. I have run the latest version of this model printer's software more than half a dozen times. It is always the same problem. The printer Disappears from the network at will. The printer -although installed, disappears from the computers at will and invariably has to be re-installed over and over again. Also no matter how many times the drivers are installed, Windows troubleshooting will tell me that the Printer has no drivers installed on the machine I am currently looking at. If it were simply a matter of installing it on a different computer, I would not be having this issue on both my desktop AND laptop. I would not be having this issue on my network. This Does not happen with my Epson Printer, a printer, which I have only had for one year. Even when I had to replace the Epson printer after it malfunctioned - with a new epson printer of the same model- I have not had these software or network issues. They are constant with the HP Printer.

I though I had made that clear. Is there a solution to this ?

Again, Thank you.

[Macboatmaster]

You made it clear

I though I had made that clear

and my answer is still the same.
If it cannot be resolved by the complete uninstall and reinstall and the cartridge is showing empty when it is not, then either the read head on the cartridge sensor has been damaged OR simply gone faulty
OR the printer has come to the end of its life.

Is there any fault code display on that printer for instance waste ink reservoir full etc.


The answer is simple - if it works on ANOTHER computer perferably with XP as you say it worked faultlessly on that, then it is something on the present Windows 7

If it does NOT work on another computer then it is either the printer itself or the connecting cable.

This MUST be your first test - as until you establish that you will waste hours attempting to correct a driver error etc on Windows7 when it transpires that the printer
is itself defective.

[Kayne Bishop]

And My answer is the same. It is two different Windows 7 Computers that are having this problem in the same household. The Printer never had this problem on the the oldest computer where XP is installed. There are no error codes there is no wasted ink. If I were to tell either computer to tell this printer to print- It would print (although it may take a while and I may have power cycle the printer) However it would want to align again and it refuses to print the alignment page - beyond the red arrow portion. I never said that the cartridge shows as empty. The colour cartridge is brand new. In fact i took out a half empty colour cartridge and replaced it with a brand new on straight from the package. The physical problems do not call into account the software issues with windows 7 - how no matter how many times the drivers are installed , uninstalled or re installed, Windows 7 claims there are no drivers. It also does not change that the printer disappears off the network, from the Devices an Printers or as a disk drive (for the memory cards)at will. The printer has never been damaged or mishandled and the idea that 28 months with low usage is the end of its life astounds me. I only bought it two Octobers ago. and for something that basically cost me 400 bucks, I would expect more.

(I say $400 because I bought my Laptop and Printer bundled together and the total cost was $800 I know the t the printer itself is around $200. but that is not the issue)

[Macboatmaster]

I apologise my error, I read incorrectly about you replacing the colour cartridge.

Go start, programs accessories system tools system information, expand components - click printing
Is the printer listed and what else is listed please.

Back on the left hand pane click Problem devices what is shown please.
Does the printer incorporate a scanner, if so in device manager imagaing devices is the printer listed please and is there any warning on that device.


Stay in device manager find the usb root hub to which the printer is connected and on power management ensure that Allow windows to turn off power is not checked.
Whilst in device manager does any device have a warning on the left hand side yellow or red.

Go control panel - devices and printers is the printer listed there and is it check ticked. If not right click and click set as default printer, then on that same right click click properties, click the hardware tab, then check what is shown - slect each with one click to highlight and click the properties button, check that all are reported as working properly

On the original right click of the printer this time click printer properties, click the security tab and ensure YOU have rights.
Click the advanced tab and ensure device is shown always available and therefore check box is ticked.
On that window click the print processor tab, ensure process is winprint and data is RAW

TEST - unless of course you already know that warnings were show on the various tests.

If no success return to that window last used and on that advanced tab, if spool print is checked, which it no doubt will be
click to check print directly to printer and click apply and OK to exit.

test again please.


Please make a note of any changes you make so that you may return to original settings if no success.
If there is not success return to devices and printers which will now be on the start menu and right click the printer and run the troubleshooter.


Sorry once again about the misunderstanding, some printers are very susceptible to the ink being allowed to dry, with infrequent use on the print heads and each time a print command is sent, the printer takes time to commence the cmd, as it can be heard to be running the cleaning cycle.
Even on a printer ONLY two years old, such occurence regularly incurred uses both a tremendous amount of ink and MAY so easily cause problems.

If you could test on another computer NOT running 7, then we would most definitely have a positive indication.

HP - since the HP Troubleshooting database is as ineffective as always and does not even address my particular model or issue.

Am I not correct in thinking that those links I sent were for your printer. As I have just been looking and there are solutions offered on both pages and to the right is particular mention of Windows7 and indeed covering some aspects of what I have just typed out for you on this post.

MAY I ask if you explored the links and carried out the tests suggested - on the links which ARE most certainly for your printer.

[Macboatmaster]

I have posted separately so that you CANNOT miss the post, in case you have already read my last.

On a previous thread when my colleague Troy was helping you - also on the printing issue
He remarked that he had not heard of these problems with SP1 On Windows 7. posting this

I have many clients with Windows 7 and none of them have had any issues since SP1 was released. This is very interesting.

YOU replied

See, This is exactly what I am talking about, people claiming SP! has no problems.

I have uninstalled, and reinstalled the software over 10 times. and when i say uninstalled, i mean a COMPLETE uninstall, Taking ti so far as to delete all traces of the software from the registry manually, and deleting all folders so that it will be as if the program never existed on the computer. Each new re-install produces the EXACT SAME RESULT. Epson insists it's drivers (Which were relased in December, before SP1's Release) are up to date. However, I am experiencing the same problem with my HP Print/scan/copier with HP's Updated software. A problem Exists with Windows 7 Service pack one, denying it will not help fixing it will.

Troy asked for further details concerning the drivers listed. However you never replied.

It is too late now to rectify that of course, but maybe if you had of continued, a solution or at least a cause may have been found.

I recommend NOW that you try all I have said and ALL that is included on those links. IF your windows is 64 bit there appears to be a very relevant download from HP

[Kayne Bishop]

First, In regards to what I said about the Links to the HP Site...

The links detailed the proper installation of the printer- which was accomplished. I followed the instructions to the letter with no change in results. I said they were ineffective because they did not address my problem I.E. The alignment page not printing. As for the software portion of the problem. The HP Printer has not been nor has it ever been connected via USB to anything. This is a Wireless connection, It always has been and for both computers.

When I checked the system information, My Epson printer is listed four times, for its four components and its presence on the laptop as part of the network. The HP printer is listed only once.

In the Device manager, under other devices the photosmart printer is listed8 times all with caution triangles, all with the same error,

"The drivers for this device are not installed. (Code 28)

There is no driver selected for the device information set or element.


To find a driver for this device, click Update Driver."

This is happening on both The Windows 7 desktop and the windows 7 laptop. I borrowed a laptop running XP This problem does not happen on that laptop - though it cannot be added to my network. (besides its not my computer so I don't want to)

As for what i said about Windows SP1. I was having major HP conflicts when i First upgraded. - Software wise The same problem with the HP printer disappearing from the Network and randomly from various areas on the PC. The person I was dealing with at the time was so busy defending windows that I felt my issue was being ignored so I went investigating the problem on my own and found out that I WAS right and there WAS a compatibility with the HP Photosmart software and Windows 7, not to mention scores of other people had similar problems with Win 7 SP1 I decided to drop the whole thing and not upgrade the laptop to SP1 and left the desktop upgraded. A Recently It became necessary to update the laptop to Win 7 SP1 and the problems I was having with the photosmart drivers on the Desktop started happening on the laptop. It is why I bought the epson printer in the first place . I also turned out to be right on that one because eventually HP released firmware update which was supposed to stop the Photosmart printer from disappearing from people's wifi network, but it has never worked for me.

If I manually select The HP printer to print, it will, but I still cannot resolve the conflicts between the printer and the windows 7 computers conflicts that i do not see on an xp computer.

To be clear... I followed everything you typed. I followed the instruction on HP's site and i an still having the same problem. the only place an error coed exists is in the Device manager and it says that there IS not driver for a printer which has its drivers installed -

[Macboatmaster]

Well I wish you the best of luck.

I feel sure you will manage to sort it out

If you do could you kindly post the solution, as that will be of great assistance to others with the same problem.


I would recommend your continued persistance with the HP links and the use of the various suggestions I have sent you and clearly you can see from the brief investigation following my last post that EVERYTHING regarding this printer needs to be uinstalled and the whole process started again.

The driver needs to be downloaded on another computer and then run on this one, in case it is somehow being corrupted in the download.

In the Device manager, under other devices the photosmart printer is listed8 times all with caution triangles, all with the same error,

Do try and resist the temptation to

I really want to take the thing out back and hit it with a Sledgehammer, or shoot it -

I NOTICE there is a special section for WIRELESS connection on that HP link including full instructions for setting the printer with a stattic IP for the printer. etc.
I PRESUME you have explored all of this as well.

[Kayne Bishop]

I would submit that no matter how many times I unindtall and then reinstall the printer software, that this problem will continue to persist. as it has been uninstalled and reinstalled more than 100 times with the same result each and every time. The conflict must be found and circumvented before the software issue can be resolved.

That still does not address the hard ware issue and why after multiple attempts to print the alignment page, the printer refuses to do so

I could spend the rest of my lifetime on HP's website, but the website DOES NOT address my specific problems
Your solutions did not fix the problems I thank you for your time.