Intermittent printing problems with HP 8600 on a network

Hello - REALLY hoping for some help here.

I have an HP 8600 deskjet printer that won't maintain the connection to a Windows 10 desktop computer. It will randomly disconnect from the computer - as if it is offline and can't be seen by the computer. This has happened both with it connected via USB and now as a network printer. This printer is set up as a network printer between two Windows 10 computers (the other is a laptop). It continues to print fine with the laptop - it won't with the desktop machine. For instance, yesterday print jobs were sent to the printer. The printer would not print. The computer was shut off last night. The print jobs were left sitting in the queue. This morning the computer was turned back on. The print jobs started to spool and print!

I am at a loss. I have made certain the computer has all of its updates. Tried both usb and network. made a small batch file to continue to ping the printer (i read somewhere else the wireless card will go to sleep and won't want to wake up). I have uninstalled and reinstalled the drivers multiple times, which will fix it temporarily. I have run the HP print/scan doctor - the problem continues to crop up.

Please send any information any of you have this - I'm already bald - I don't have any more hair to pull out and this is KILLING ME!!! I've been fighting this for MONTHS NOW!!!

Thank you!

This computer is a:
HP Compaq dc7900

Win 10 Pro
mini tower
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 processor 3.0 GHz, 6 MB L2 cache, 1333 MHz FSB Featuring Core 2 Processor with vPro Technology
Intel PRO/1000 CT Network Connection*
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500 (integrated on chipset)

Thank you for the reply -

The post I had read referenced that the wireless card inside the printer went to sleep. I can't be certain this is the problem though. Two computer are using that printer over a network. A Win 10 laptop, connected through wireless, has no problem printing. The desktop computer, Win 10, is connected to the router through a wired connection. It has the intermittent problem.

I'll look for the power management setting for the onboard ethernet. I've never thought that an onboard NIC would go to sleep. It can't be and AV software - only Windows defender is installed. The computers are only used to receive and send email, no web browsing at all. I've thought about putting in a different NIC card and different cat5 cable. It would seem that those things wouldn't present intermittent problems which seem to be solved by uninstalling and reinstalling printer drivers though.

If you have any additional thoughts I would love to hear them. He lives about 15 miles away, so will probably be going out there later this week to try new solutions. I've been struggling to understand what this problem would be for quite a while now - been out there multiple times for it.

Is there any part of Windows that could possible be stopping the print jobs? When it won't print, it looks in Windows as if the printer is turned off - unavailable. Maybe it's that power management on the NIC, or something else that makes Windows think the printer isn't there when it really is?

Thank you again.

I'll try that.