[Solved] HP Printer Woes

[joddle]

Having had virtually no issues at all in upgrading my 5 pcs to W10, I have today discovered a little issue which is really annoying. I have a LaserJet 1300 printer but now I can only print single sided. The duplex printing wont work at all no matter how I set up the finishing - all that happens is all the pages simply print out normal single sided. Any clues a to what is going on here? I tried reinstalling the printer using he W10 drivers on the HP website but it make no difference - the pages just spew out single sided.

[RandyL]

You did the right thing by getting the Windows 10 drivers direct from HP. Nice printer by the way.

 

This wouldn't be the first time that drivers for HP printers left out some functionally for older printers on newer Operating systems.

 

However I did find a support page that may offer some insight on changing settings manually that looks like it may address your problem. Pay close attention to steps 1-4 but steps 5 and 6 might resolve your issue. The support page is very detailed and includes pictures.

 

http://h20565.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?sp4ts.oid=238320&docId=emr_na-c02005997&docLocale=en_US

[joddle]

You did the right thing by getting the Windows 10 drivers direct from HP. Nice printer by the way.

 

This wouldn't be the first time that drivers for HP printers left out some functionally for older printers on newer Operating systems.

 

However I did find a support page that may offer some insight on changing settings manually that looks like it may address your problem. Pay close attention to steps 1-4 but steps 5 and 6 might resolve your issue. The support page is very detailed and includes pictures.

 

http://h20565.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?sp4ts.oid=238320&docId=emr_na-c02005997&docLocale=en_US

 

Thanks for that - however the link does not seem to go to a current page - I keep getting an error and page not found. Would love to follow this up if I can.

[RandyL]

That's strange the link works for me. Maybe it's because it's a US support page. I'll try the link again and a copy. If that does not work I'll try another method.

 

http://h20565.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?sp4ts.oid=238320&docId=emr_na-c02005997&docLocale=en_US

 

HP Color LaserJet Printers - Unable to Print in Color or Unable to Auto-Duplex (Two-Sided Printing Fails) after installing the UPD

 

Issue

 

After installing the Universal Print Driver (UPD) to use with an HP Color LaserJet Printer, pages do not print in color and/or you cannot automatically duplex or print 2-sided (supported models only).

NOTE: If you are unable to automatically duplex, make sure that you are using the latest HP UPD available (5.3 or later), that your printer is configured to Auto-duplex, and verify whether your printer model supports manual or automatic duplexing. For more information, check your user guide or go to support document Configuring Auto Duplex/Printing On Both Sides (c01906875) (in English).

 

 

Solution

 

 

• 1. Make sure that you are using the latest HP Universal Print Driver (UPD) available (version 5.3 or later).
  
• 
  
• 2. Open Printer Properties and verify that the print driver indicates color support in the driver on the General tab. If the Color: setting in the Features section on the General tab is set to No, the driver is not configured to print in color.
  http://h20565.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/imageServlet;jsessionid=EEA4007E084CE0682DB8E71D36BFBD7B.tomcat6-c2t00711?DOCID=emr_na-c02005997-10/c03085634.jpg
  
• 3. If the Color: setting in the Features section on the General tab is set to No, click the Device Settings tab, and under Installable Options, click Automatic Configuration: Off (the default) to display the drop-down list, and then select Update Now to perform an Automatic Configuration. The driver sends an SNMP command to the printer to retrieve the device information.
  http://h20565.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/imageServlet;jsessionid=EEA4007E084CE0682DB8E71D36BFBD7B.tomcat6-c2t00711?DOCID=emr_na-c02005997-10/c03085635.jpg
  
• 
  NOTE: If you have a product model such as the HP Color LaserJet CP2020dn / CP2025dn that supports automatic duplex printing (some models are manual-duplex only), the Duplex Unit (for 2-Sided Printing): option should read Installed. If it does not read Installed, the Automatic Configuration process that you perform to correct the color issue should resolve the issue when you click Update Now.
  
• 
  
• 4. If the Auto Configuration fails (UPD version 5.0 and later), the UPD will default to the Monochrome setting. To resolve this issue, manually change the printer type setting. On the Device Settings tab, click Device Type: Auto Detect to display the drop-down list and then select Color.
  http://h20565.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/imageServlet;jsessionid=EEA4007E084CE0682DB8E71D36BFBD7B.tomcat6-c2t00711?DOCID=emr_na-c02005997-10/c03085636.jpg
  
• 5. If after the Automatic Configuration the Duplex Unit (for 2-Sided Printing): option reads Not Installed, manually change it to Installed.
  http://h20565.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/imageServlet;jsessionid=EEA4007E084CE0682DB8E71D36BFBD7B.tomcat6-c2t00711?DOCID=emr_na-c02005997-10/c03085760.jpg
  
• 6. Click the General tab to verify that the Color: and/or Double-sided: settings under Features are Yes, click Print Test Page to confirm, and then click OK to save the settings.
  http://h20565.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/imageServlet;jsessionid=EEA4007E084CE0682DB8E71D36BFBD7B.tomcat6-c2t00711?DOCID=emr_na-c02005997-10/c03085637.jpg
  

[RandyL]

If the above does not display correctly try these:

 

http://h20565.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/template.PAGE/action.process/public/psi/troubleshootDisplay/?sp4ts.oid=238320&javax.portlet.action=true&spf_p.tpst=psiContentDisplay&javax.portlet.begCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&spf_p.prp_psiContentDisplay=wsrp-interactionState%3DdocId%253Demr_na-c02005997%257CdocLocale%253Den_US&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken

 

Click the link below link and select "view all documents."

http://h20565.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/public/psi/troubleshootResults?sp4ts.oid=238320&ac.admitted=1443080187404.1123376534.492883150

 

Then you should see the link below.

http://h20565.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/template.PAGE/public/psi/troubleshootResults/?sp4ts.oid=238320&spf_p.tpst=psiContentResults&spf_p.prp_psiContentResults=wsrp-navigationalState%3Daction%253Ddoclist%257Cviewall%253Dtrue&javax.portlet.begCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken

 

Either way click on "Unable to Print in Color or Unable to Auto-Duplex (Two-Sided Printing Fails) after installing the UPD"

[RandyL]

I can supply another method of navigating to the page or I can even modify the support page manually with pictures but it is cumbersome but I will do so if needed.

 

However now I too am having trouble with the links or getting all the pictures to load on the above post when accessing from this site. Refreshing the page or backing out and reloading the page does seem to help with getting the pictures or links to work.

 

This may be an issue with FPCH having trouble parsing the links which I hope is temporary.

 

I will do my best to get you the links one way or another. If need be I will email you the link but only with your permission. Do not post your email here. Spammers would like that.

[KenB]

http://h20565.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/p...ocLocale=en_US

 

I get "Page Cannot be Displayed" for this link Randy :(

 

I also get a constant "busy" symbol in the address tab for this thread ???

[joddle]

I have tried to do the above but the dialogue boxes for my printer don't seem to be anything like those shown on this thread. Moreover every time I connect the printer it installs as HP "LaserJet 1300 PCL5" and the results are always the same. The properties box shows that two sided printing is available and the settings have a checkbox which although seems to work - i.e. is active, then does nothing and the prints just spew through as normal one sided with no message to turn over the paper etc as normally happens. Its as though the double sided option has been by passed somehow. I tried downloading the latest universal print driver but the printer does not seem to connect to that - is there a way of forcing it to?

[KenB]

Link working today - very strange !

[joddle]

have now tired using the hp universal print driver for PCL5 (The PCL one wont work at all) and it still wont do both sides - now at a loss as to what to do - didn't want to scrap a perfectly good printer for this issue. Its daft that something cant be done.

[RandyL]

That appears to be the right driver.

HP Universal Print Driver for Windows PCL5 (64-bit) 5.9.0.18326 ---11 Dec 2014

 

I understand that you don't want to replace the printer. It was a decent printer but it dates to 2003. The problem is that there is not much incentive for a company to spend much time or money supporting hardware that old. XP was the OS at the time. The original drivers supported Windows 98 to XP.

 

As I said before this is probably a case where the Windows 10 drivers just don't support all functionality. If that is the case the only option I know is to use Manual Duplexing as described in the following article which is quite old.

 

http://h20564.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=emr_na-bpl12914

[joddle]

That appears to be the right driver.

HP Universal Print Driver for Windows PCL5 (64-bit) 5.9.0.18326 ---11 Dec 2014

 

I understand that you don't want to replace the printer. It was a decent printer but it dates to 2003. The problem is that there is not much incentive for a company to spend much time or money supporting hardware that old. XP was the OS at the time. The original drivers supported Windows 98 to XP.

 

As I said before this is probably a case where the Windows 10 drivers just don't support all functionality. If that is the case the only option I know is to use Manual Duplexing as described in the following article which is quite old.

 

http://h20564.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=emr_na-bpl12914

 

Many thanks for that link - however that exactly what I want to do i.e. set for two sided then print, print the first side then turn the paper over then print the other - but is simply does not do that - it prints everything in one go! Maybe a new printer is the only answer - or keep an XP machine as a printer server!

[RandyL]

The only other thing I can think of as a workaround is to selectively print.

 

When choosing to print a job most printer software gives you the option to select which pages to print. For instance if you want to print a 6 page job and fit it to 3 pages on both sides select to print only pages 1, 3, 5. Then choose the same print job and to print pages 2, 4, 6 after reinserting the stack into the printer with the stack inserted the right way and in the right order.

 

It can be a pain because I always forget which direction and order to reinsert the stack on my inkjet. That's why I made a file to instruct and remind me so when I use my outdated greeting card programs or text print jobs. I don't waste paper or card stock.

 

Like you I like to limp along my old hardware and software to save money. I think it was Benjamin Franklin who said "A penny saved is a penny earned." And if that penny is invested wisely it can turn into 2 pennies earned. No wonder people call me cheap. :)

[joddle]

Well after several months I seem to have found a near perfect solution - to my printer driver issue. On another forum someone was having a similar problem and advised manually installing the driver for an HP laserjet 3055 - and hey presto it works for the main part.. Even the duplex and multiple numbers.....

[KenB]

That's good to hear joddle - I will mark this one as "solved"