HP Laserjet 4 plus stopped working on Windows 10

Hi,

Trying to help a friend who says his HP Laserjet 4 plus has stopped running on Windows 10 since a recent update. It is connected to his desktop using a USB to parallel converter cable, so my first move was to try a new StarTech cable which is Win 10 compatible.

Whilst waiting for that to arrive, I have been searching the net on the subject and it seems to me a can of worms

When searching using my Win 10 desktop on the HP site for a suitable driver, I found hp LaserJet 4 pcl 5e driver dated 2002. What spooks me is is says my OS is Windows NT. It downloads as lj194en.exe. Is this the driver I need, and how do I install it?

Has anyone here recently set this printer up successfully, I certainly need some help.

The Driver is in Windows 10, or rather it comes from Windows updates.

Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners > Add a printer or scanner > The printer that I want isn't listed > Add a local printer with manual settings > Use an existing port > Next > HP* > scroll down list to the model > Next etc.

* If HP is not listed then use the Windows Update button, that may take some time but you should get a much larger list of manufacturers & printers.

Attachment 381481

Try3 said:

Keith,

Please post a link to the software+drivers page for that printer to save everybody else having to search for it.
e.g.

• HP LaserJet 4 Plus/m Plus Printer series
• HP LaserJet 4L/mL Printer series
• HP LaserJet 4/4m Printer series

I agree with trying a replacement cable first.
If it was my printer then I would next try uninstalling the whole software package for this printer [including its driver] and then reinstalling the whole lot [including its driver].

Do you know which update messed things up?
Are any errors shown in Device manager, 'Control panel, Devices & printers'?


Best of luck,
Denis

Hi Dennis,

This is the link I used:

https://support.hp.com/gb-en/drivers...r-series/25487

And sorry no, I dont know which update caused the problem.

When I get to look at it, will check for errors as you suggest.

Thanks
Keith

- - - Updated - - -

Paul Black said:

Hello @keithjr,

You could run the following to extract some hopefully useful information. Copy & Paste the following command [ ALL at once ] into a CMD Prompt and press Enter.

Code:

@echo off & echo. & PowerShell ^
     $Tot=((Get-Printer) ^| Measure-Object).Count; ^
     $List=(Get-Printer  ^| Sort-Object -Property Name ^| Format-Table -AutoSize ^
     @{L='Name'           ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.Name))           {'-'} else {$_.Name}}}, ^
     @{L='Location'       ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.Location))       {'-'} else {$_.Location}}}, ^
     @{L='Status'         ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.PrinterStatus))  {'-'} else {$_.PrinterStatus}};A='Left'}, ^
     @{L='Type'           ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.Type))           {'-'} else {$_.Type}};A='Left'}, ^
     @{L='Port Name'      ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.PortName))       {'-'} else {$_.PortName}}}, ^
     @{L='Shared'         ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.Shared))         {'-'} else {$_.Shared}}}, ^
     @{L='Published'      ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.Published))      {'-'} else {$_.Published}}}, ^
     @{L='Device Type'    ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.DeviceType))     {'-'} else {$_.DeviceType}}}, ^
     @{L='Data Type'      ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.Datatype))       {'-'} else {$_.Datatype}};A='Right'}, ^
     @{L='Priority'       ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.Priority))       {'-'} else {$_.Priority}}}, ^
     @{L='Job Count'      ;E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.JobCount))       {'-'} else {$_.JobCount}};A='Right'}, ^
     @{L='Print Processor';E={;if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($_.PrintProcessor)) {'-'} else {$_.PrintProcessor}};A='Right'} ^| ^
Out-String -Width 1000).Trim("""`r`n"""); ^
     if ($List.Length) {Write-Host """`n--- Printer(s) [$Tot] - Sorted by [Name] ---`n`n `n`n$List"""} else {Write-Host """`n--- NO Printer(s) Available ---"""; exit 1; goto :Printer_Print_Queue} >> %Temp%\A.txt
     for /f "delims=" %i in (%Temp%\A.txt) do echo. %i
     del %Temp%\A.txt

I hope this helps.

Thanks Paul

Will give it a go if I cant find something obvious.
Does it generate a text file somewhere with results. Where would I find it?

Keith

Helmut said:

The Driver is in Windows 10, or rather it comes from Windows updates.

Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners > Add a printer or scanner > The printer that I want isn't listed > Add a local printer with manual settings > Use an existing port > Next > HP* > scroll down list to the model > Next etc.

* If HP is not listed then use the Windows Update button, that may take some time but you should get a much larger list of manufacturers & printers.

Attachment 381481

Sorry for such a slow response to this - been busy with other things, so this has been a bit of a background task

Thanks Helmut, I managed to get the printer to work using your method. The only difference was that when it came to selecting the user port, I selected virtual USB as I am using a Startech USB to Centronics adaptor cable.

I think doing windows updates messes it up though, as after yet another update, (sorry didnt take much notice of what it was), the printer failed to work again. So, printer install process repeated and sprang back to life once more.

So not a long term fix, but at least I know whats needed to restore it.