HP printer port not found

[hiker056]

I installed an HP printer (C6280) a few months ago, is working fine. Something must have happened to the install on this XP system.

Everytime i reboot the machine i get message that new hardware was detected, but repeated errors that the printer port cannot be found. I just click through those errors and the printer works fine.

The printer is connected to this machine wirelessly, not through USB. I've tried to reinstal the HP drivers repeatedly, still doesn't help. I've gone to the HP websites and googled in general and found nothing that helps.

Anyone seen this before?

 

[cdogg]

Go to your Printers and Faxes folder, right-click the printer, and select Properties. Click over to the "Ports" tab. In this list, one will be checked. Click the "Configure Port" button. Tell us what you see in the first two fields for Port Name and Printer Name or IP Address.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Einstein
[tab][navy]For posting policies, click [/navy]here.

 

[linney]

Anything showing in Device Manager, you may have to show hidden devices via the View menu?

Is this an all in one printer type? If so, Look for Printers, Multifunction Adapters, and Image Devices, in the Device Manager and see if you see any problems there.

Check out the Event Viewer for any clues, and the in Services look for anything related to HP services and the Windows Image Acquisition service to see if they are starting and running.

Can you Ping the Printer Port?

System Restore might be an option to consider?

 

[hiker056]

The port name is hpc6280b IP address is 192.168.2.5.

I'd prefer to use the printer's hostname and have with the privious all in one printer. I've tried changing the address to the printer's hostname also for this problem which did not help.

 

[cdogg]

OK, follow these steps:

1) Go back to the Ports tab under the printer's properties and change the port to LPT1 (this is temporary of course)

2) Click Apply. You'll see the printer column update showing you the C6280 next to LPT1.

3) Now select the HP port (hpc6280b), but without clicking apply this time, just click "Delete port".

4) After it's gone, go back and select LPT1 and close the window (you can't close it otherwise).

5) Now back in your Printers and Faxes window, delete the HP C6280 printer.

6) Add a new printer by selecting "Local Printer attached..." in the wizard and unchecking the automatically detect option (I realize this is a network printer so bare with me). Click Next.

7) Select "Create a new port" and from the dropdown choose "Standard TCP/IP". Click Next twice.

8) Next to Printer Name or IP address box, type the IP address of the printer (192.168.2.5). You may have to click Next and then Finish which takes you to the driver selection window.

9) Under HP or Hewlett-Packard, you should see the C6280 driver listed already because you've installed it before. Select that and proceed through the rest of the wizard.


When you are finished, hopefully you won't see the port installation errors anymore. If you do, record the error message details and post back.
Good luck!


~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Einstein
[tab][navy]For posting policies, click [/navy]here.

 

[hiker056]

Thanks. For the most part that last post worked.

I don't get the port error, but i still get a window saying new hardware detected (HP Printer) when i reboot. Not nearly as annoying as before, but still think something is not quite complete.

I followed the last set of instructions pretty much to the letter.

 

[linney]

Have you tried connecting it via USB, just while it is being discovered by the New Hardware Wizard, then removing the USB and using it via wireless?

Have you got this option available "Never Install This Hardware"?

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=...l+this+hardware%22%2Bwindows%2Bxp&sa=N&tab=wg

The New Hardware Wizard May Detect the Printer Device After Every Restart of the Computer (Q298370)

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q298370

Found new hardware message will not go away after install
thread779-740484

Disable new hardware wizard auto detect
thread779-797567

Try running the System File Checker program from the Run Box by typing.....Sfc /Scannow in it and have your XP CD handy.

 

[cdogg]

Yes, as Linney pointed out, it seems that perhaps at one time the printer was attached via USB. If that's the case, then check the startup folder to see if there is an HP Setup utility listed. If so, delete it.

If you can't find a way to disable it, then I would recommend uninstalling all the HP utilities, rebooting, then reinstalling the software. You can leave the printer installed while you do that, since it is manually configured and should have nothing to do with the installer running after every reboot.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Einstein
[tab][navy]For posting policies, click [/navy]here.

 

[linney]

I don't have much experience with Wireless printers, but what I was thinking of is that some I have come across require the set up of wireless to use a USB connection just while the wireless printer is being set up and discovered. After that the USB is no longer required and is disconnected. I was wondering if the same type of action would placate the New Hardware Wizard?

 

[cdogg]

linney,
Usually you would just connect the printer directly to the network (or router). Out of the box, the printer is configured to obtain an IP automatically through DHCP. So once it is on the network, the HP installation on the PC can locate it giving you the option to set a manual IP instead.

I don't believe you need to connect it via USB at all during this process. However, it does seem like it was anyway at one point.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Einstein
[tab][navy]For posting policies, click [/navy]here.

 

[hiker056]

Connecting this printer by USB in order to get the wireless part set up was NOT in the instructions for the install. I've also not connected this printer to any of my computers (i have 3) via USB. It's always been via wireless or through the router.

I'm still getting the port error by the way. The detailed instructions from cdogg earlier in the post did not work.

I think i said this earlier. i did uninstall all of the HP software at one point and reinstalled it. still getting this error.

I also did not find a way to say 'don't autodetect hardware'. is that something that's worked before for others?

 

[linney]

What about dumping all the HP extras and trying it with just the basic drivers? You would have to uninstall it and then download the basic drivers from HP.


Select software and drivers

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareList?os=228&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=uk&product=3194498&lang=en

You could also try HP (live) Support.

 

[cdogg]

hiker056,
No, you did not say specifically that you uninstalled the software - just that you had "reinstalled" it. Thanks for clearing that up now.

Also as I have asked, please get us the exact error message and any additional details if the error window has a "details" button.

Generally when a printer is added by IP address only, autodetection is not a problem. However, I have seen some newer HP models (like the All-in-One HP Color LJ 2840) as an exception to that rule. For example, when I add the 2840 to Windows by manually assigning the IP, the computer still detects the fax and scan capabilities of this printer and prompts me to install them.

As Linney is focusing on, perhaps the issue here is the HP software app detecting features which it doesn't believe are installed. You may want to call HP on this one...

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Einstein
[tab][navy]For posting policies, click [/navy]here.

 

[hiker056]

Thanks for all the suggestions.
Before I entered this problem/question here i did one last 'uninstall everything from HP and start over'. That time instead of reinstalling from the CD that came with the box, i just went to the HP website and found their latest basic driver which was put out sometime in 1Q 2008. So i shouldn't have any 'extras' installed at this point.

I think i did go to HP on this one before, their response i think was to reinstall their software.... Can't remember for sure though, it's probably worth another call.

 

[cdogg]

Just to be clear...I didn't have any extras installed either on the 2840 that I setup recently. I just pointed the Add Printer Wizard to the driver and finished adding the printer manually. I DID NOT USE THE HP SETUP CD, but for some reason, the driver was still able to detect the fax and scanner on the printer and prompt for additional installs after I rebooted.

From that, I would believe it's possible that some of these newer network printers have some embedded features that are being detected in Windows, even when you avoid installing the extras from CD.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Einstein
[tab][navy]For posting policies, click [/navy]here.

 

[linney]

Running out of ideas myself, but have a look at Bcastner's comments in this post and see if it offers you any ideas.

Stopping of the Print Spooler
thread779-686557