Old printer installation gives Status:Error

dogfonos · 27 Mar 2020

Would appreciate help with getting an old HP Photosmart 8450 printer working in W10 - if that's possible. It is connected by USB cable to my Win10 Pro 32 bit (Build 18363) desktop PC.

Beware: I may be using some incorrect terminology - I'm new to this...

I've spent a day looking into this topic and attempted many 'fixes' but still haven't been successful and I can't understand what's going on. 'Device manager' lists the HP printer (alongside my newer Brother printer that works fine) and 'Device manager>Properties' tells me it's working properly yet when I attempt to print a test page from 'HP Photosmart 8400 series', I get an error message ("Error printing on Hp..." etc). I can see the test page has been sent because it appears in the queue of documents ready to be printed. I've now deleted all documents in the queue.

A couple of days ago, I uninstalled the HP printer drivers then re-installed and it made no difference. I think these were generic Windows drivers. I did system restore today to take the system back a week or so but to no effect (didn't expect it to - just getting desperate really). The HP printer is rarely used, for photos only, so I don't think I've printed from it since "upgrading" to W10 from W7 (where it worked just fine) in January. I've tried to install the printer drivers from the original HP drivers disc but understandably, the drivers were incompatible with W10.

I've also done other things as well, including some online tutiorials which suggested a possible spooler problem so I cleared the printer spooling folder as suggested but that didn't help either. I've unplugged the USB cable, turned the printer on and off more times than I care to recall. One tutorial suggested the problem may have something to do with the printer port (currently DOT4_001) which I don't understand?

Any guidance gratefully received but bear in mind I won't understand jargon, thanks.

Caledon Ken · 27 Mar 2020

Hi

Is this what you did to reset spooler?

Reset and Clear Print Spooler in Windows 10

Have to ask, I know HP has been getting aggressive... are the ink cartridges Original HP? Ones that have not been refilled.

Could you post full error message. Just do a screen grab and post image. Watch you don't post private information.

dogfonos · 27 Mar 2020

Thanks for offering assistance but I'm confused about two things:

Firstly, we seem to have moved threads?!? My original message/request for help wasn't on this thread. What's the etiquette here? Should I reply on this thread or the original? Thanks.

Secondly, I clearly don't understand what printer spooling is. Is clearing the print queue of documents the same thing as stopping > clearing the spooling folders > restarting printing spooling? If so, I've done it twice, once through the W10 operating system (via printer properties - which worked just fine) and once through another method I didn't understand and can't find again but it was similar (but, from memory, not identical) to Method 2 shown here:

3 Ways to Delete Print Queue in Windows 10

I have had no problems with documents staying in print queues so I've probably been wasting my time with this spooling lark anyway. It's easy for me to clear any document that stays in the print queue due to its refusal to print.

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Caledon Ken said:

Hi
Have to ask, I know HP has been getting aggressive... are the ink cartridges Original HP? Ones that have not been refilled.

Pretty sure that's not an issue with this very old (circa 2006) printer. I originally purchased this particular printer because, at that time, HP didn't indulge in those practices (as far as I could determine), unlike some of their competitors, and the print heads are built into the cartridges so blocked print heads mean a new cartridge rather than a new printer. The printer appears ready to go and it's display screen shows all three ink cartridges currently fitted as full or nearly full. I am able to print test pages using the printer's controls and they come out fine. I actually have two sets of print cartridges, some HP original, some re-manufactured. Ironically, only one of the HP originals gives problems (fails to be recognised - or similar wording), so I've discarded it.

EDIT: Ah, I get it. Anything posted on the original thread gets transferred to this one.

Caledon Ken · 27 Mar 2020

The mods or Admins will move threads to sections of the forum they think are best suited to answer question.

Brink's tutorial offers different commands than link you posted. Brink's stuff is excellent.

So then I take it you are using third party cartridges.

If you go into devices in settings is the printer showing ready to go or does it have an error status.

Start > Settings > Devices > Printers

Jacee · 28 Mar 2020

Have you looked here for your printer? https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers...9/model/402151

dogfonos · 28 Mar 2020

Caledon Ken said:

If you go into devices in settings is the printer showing ready to go or does it have an error status.

Start > Settings > Devices > Printers

The printer is showing: Error.

I'm using a mix of HP and third party ink cartridges. According to the printer's own display screen, all but one (an HP) are accepted. I've removed the HP cartridge that isn't accepted.

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Jacee said:

Have you looked here for your printer? https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers...9/model/402151

Yes I have but I don't see how it helps me. I've run 2 or 3 troubleshooting apps and they have not identified the problem.

Caledon Ken · 28 Mar 2020

Lets's see what HP has to say.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/topic/printscandoctor

dogfonos · 28 Mar 2020

I've tried dozens of things to get this printer working and I had forgotten some, possibly important, outcomes.

Running the HP support diagnostic test again (HP Print & Scan Doctor 5.3), I am reminded that all checks carried out were OK except for one: Port Configuration. The conclusion of the HP diagnostic test states: "Wrong printer port configured." Unfortunately, the tool can't fix the problem but I hope this info. helps with a solution to my print problem. Thanks.

Jacee · 28 Mar 2020

Make sure your antivirus and/or firewall isn't blocking the port. Also, if you can, try using another port.

Berton · 28 Mar 2020

A note: I've worked with clients having older printers that wouldn't work plugged into USB 3 ports but were fine with USB 2. Haven't seen the problem yet with computers having only USB2/USB3 combination ports but one thing I'd check in the BIOS is that Legacy USB is Enabled. The weirdest I had was a print job would fail after half a page with a "lost communication" message, changing the plug to a USB 2 port worked fine.