hp printer installation problem

[tismehi]

on my toshiba vista 32 laptop, i have installed an hp d5160 photosmart printer, which was working pretty fine recently until i tried to install an hp wireless kit to enable wireless printing.

 

this worked most of the time having to shut down and restart occasionally in order to get it working. not great but i frustratingly accepted this.

 

then the laptop gave me a message one day that it could not find the driver for the printer.

 

i reinstalled the hp driver software - obtained from hp site - and it would not completly install.

 

i then uninstalled all hp devices from the laptop and restarted.

 

downloaded the different choices of drivers, ie, drivers only or with complete software pack, each and every time restarting.

 

still the installation would not complete.

 

i contacted hp email support and after 1 month of almost daily exchanges all they can suggest is for me to phone them on a 09 number, something i do not want to do.

 

i have installed the printer on an xp machine and it prints perfectly.

 

tonight my daughter downloaded the same software and installed the printer on her vista laptop, and it prints just fine.

 

to me it now seems obvious that the problem is on my laptop and have no more clue how to get printing again.

 

for now i'd be happy to get usb printing again and a little later try the wireless set up a little differently

 

i have also on several occasions tried to do a system restore but it never seems to work.

 

i'd be greatful for any suggestions.

[Jelly Bean]

Hello,sorry on my own tonight so slow in giving answers.

 

Could you right click on command prompt and choose run as admin then in command window type sfc /scannow and hit enter on your jeyboard,tell me final results please.

 

In Vista have you enabled wireless printer sharing?

[snow]

Hi tismehi,

 

Firstly try uninstalling all of the HP printer software and drivers from your laptop, including the every mention of it inside the windows device manager.

 

After you've done that and re-started, try running the windows installer cleanup utility to completely remove all of the old installation information.

 

Download it from Microsoft here:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/e/9/d/e9d80355-7ab4-45b8-80e8-983a48d5e1bd/msicuu2.exe

 

Run it, then look for any mention of your printer's drivers or software, and remove them.

 

Then go here:

Select software and drivers*

 

And download these two from the items selected:

 

» HP Deskjet and Photosmart Basic Print Driver

01-2007 61.063.247.20 - 34.93M

 

» Critical Update to Enhance Reliability of Network and USB Connectivity and Improve System Responsiveness While Printing

04-2009 2.0 - 25.29M

 

Install the driver first, then the update, without connecting the printer. If it asks you to connect the printer during the install then do so, but otherwise wait until it's finished before you plug back in.

[tismehi]

hi jelly bean,

thanks for your reply.

 

i'm afraid to say but i do not how to find the command prompt etc and the same for wireless printer sharing.

[Jelly Bean]

Command prompt:

 

Click start/all programs/accessories/right click on command prompt and choose run as admin.

 

Printer:

 

Click start then click on network/click on tab that says network sharing.Then set to share.

 

Click start then click on network/click on tab that says add a printer.

 

Try that for me as Vista is unlike XP things take a little longer and a few more steps to setup.

[tismehi]

hi snow,

 

thank you for your reply.

 

i downloaded from microsoft and it did not locate any hp entries at all. i suppose this was because i removed them earlier.

 

i have tried before both types of driver listed, and with both updates, seperatly of course.

i mean i have tried the different combinations and still no success.

 

despite this previous failing, i followed your advice to the letter.

 

after i dowloaded and installed the print driver i downloaded the update but it would not install the update stating i did not need it.

 

so i then connected the printer and switched on. then got a message saying found new hardware and windows needs to install driver software for your photosmart printer.

 

i also get a window asking me to choose between, locate and install, ask me again later or don't show this message again.

 

seems like i'm back to square 1.

 

i'm pretty sure from the efforts i have made over this past month or so that it is not the download or software from hp as i have used it before and this week installed it easily on two other machines.

[tismehi]

jellybean,

 

thanks for guiding me by the hand.

 

results of the sfc/scannow windows resource protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.

details are included it the cds log windir\logs\cbs.log

eg c.\windows\logs\cbs\cbs.log

 

whatever all that means.

 

maybe missing or corrupt windows files?

 

also i checked the sharing and the network discovery, media sharing and file sharing are all on.

 

printer sharing is off and it will not allow me to change that as there are no printers installed.

[Jelly Bean]

Hello again.

 

I thought there maybe corrupt files thats why I asked you to run SFC /SCANNOW.

 

Do you have a vista install disk?

[tismehi]

i think i may have but where oh where.

 

it will take me some time to trawl cd cases/folders. boxes in the attic, etc.

 

would i be right to assume that when i find my disc, i insert it and select repair?

 

or is that me in xp mode, maybe vista does not do this.

 

anyway, off to search.

[tismehi]

just as i thought, i can't find the disc, manual and other documentation that came with the laptop just over 1 year ago.

i'm quite well organized with these things. i can put my hands on boot discs and manuals for every other pc in the house, including some more than six years old, manuals for camcorders, tvs, irons, etc, etc, etc, but the only one playing hide and seek is the toshiba one. typical.

 

i will try and borrow a vista disc from a friend. failing that, is there another way to sort this, eg remotely or download, etc?

[Jelly Bean]

Ok do you have the hidden recovery console installed?

 

Borrowing a disk off a friend may not match your COA key and you could run into problems.

 

Without a disk we are a little stuck.

 

You could possibly backup any data and do a system restore.

 

I personaly would backup all my data and run the hidden recovery console so you are back to factory reset,nice fresh Vista.

 

Some computer manufacturers give you the option to burn the hidden recovery console to disk which is a better option.

 

Visat commands as in command prompt etc are pritty much the same as XP.

 

What make and model is this laptop and lets see if we can sort you out.

[tismehi]

hi,

 

i have a toshiba satellitte pro a210. 120gb hdd, 2gb ram, amd 64 athlon running vista 32.

 

i am sure i do have the disc somewhere with the manuals.

 

as i mentioned in my opening post, my system restore does not work so i can't see me going down that route.

 

i do not think that there is a hidden part of the hdd on this as i can remember having a disc with the manual.

 

i guess i will have to find this.

[Jelly Bean]

How to check if you have a hidden partition:

 

Click Sart/Control Panel/Classic View/Admin tools/Computer management/Disk managemnt under Storage.

 

Is listed there EISA partition?If yes that is your hidden recovery partition.

[Jelly Bean]

What are the end letters of the make and model as Toshiba saying this model is discontinued.

[Jelly Bean]

Just to add again,your machine should have Toshibas toshiba recovery disk creator which is used to create recovery disks or you can restart the machine and boot into recovery console,did you check in disk management for me?

[tismehi]

under model number it reads:

 

sat pro a210 then psafhe-01m00pen

 

also under disk management under storage i do see listed eisa partition.

 

does that mean i'm in luck and can reinstall windows files from here without loosing all my data etc?

[Jelly Bean]

does that mean i'm in luck and can reinstall windows files from here without loosing all my data etc?

 

Yes and no.

 

You will have to backup all your data first before running recovery console.Or all data will be lost.

 

Unless the following is true:

 

Now some manufacturers split there hard drives into two one C contains your Vista OS the other is a slave for storage.

 

In disk mang is there the ESIA,C drive and another?

 

If there is another partition listed then you can move all your important data to the second partition.

 

If no then you will have to backup all your data to another computer,disks,external hard drive.

 

Can you check if you have recovery disk creator installed?If you do you can use that to burn the recovery console to DVD.

[tismehi]

yes my hdd is partitioned into c and d. recently i was warned c was 75% filled and i started storing things on d.

 

i don't have recovery disc creator as a seperate named programme and have looked under accessories and under system tools - can't see it there either.

 

i have nero 9 and also toshiba disc creator. would either of these do?

[Jelly Bean]

Get some DVDs and use Toshiba disk creator to burn the recovery console to disk.

 

I am not sure how many disks you need but if more than one please number them as you insert them.

 

If you burn recovery to disk you will always have the recovery console at hand to use.

 

If boot into recovery console it can be used once only once and its gone.At least with disks you can re-use them.

 

You still need to backup your data to D drive first.

[Jelly Bean]

Here is a link I found earlier on how to use the Toshiba Disk recovery.

 

http://uk.computers.toshiba-europe.com/innovation/faq.jsp?service=UK&from=faq_selection&CFID=Windows+Vista&FID=TIU0000003b52

 

 

Do not boot into recovery console via the F8 button we will use the disks.

[tismehi]

i have again searched for the manual and discs that came with the laptop and once again i have not been able to find them.

 

also i have opened up the toshiba disc creator programme and there is no obvious sign of the recovery disc creator section.

 

there is a strong possibility that i have already done this and from memory of doing it on my childrens' computers i can only do this once.

[snow]

OK, there is a way to try to run the system file checker without your recovery CD.

 

Go to each of your hard drive's partitions, and look for a folder called 'I386'

 

It might be directly on the root of the drive, like C:\I386 or D:\I386, or it might be inside the windows directory like C:\Windows\I386

 

If you have this folder, then we may be able to run sfc.exe without the need for your CD.

[tismehi]

in searching for I386, i found 8 results all in c:\toshiba\drivers and some ot these 8 have the extension cir.

[snow]

Ok, if you don't have an I386 folder then we can try something else.

 

Download the hp driver and save it to your desktop. You will need either Winrar or 7zip for the next step, if you have neither then I would recommend 7zip as it is free:

Download 7-Zip from SourceForge.net

 

Make an empty folder on your desktop called 'driver'. Open either winrar or 7zip, then drag the hp .exe file on your desktop into the window. Select extract, and choose the driver folder you made.

 

You should end up with lots of files inside there. Now, plug in your printer and when it gives you the option, select "install from a list or specific location" this time and click next. Uncheck "search removable media" and check "include this location in search". Click the browse button and go to the 'driver' directory on your desktop.

 

Click next and it will attempt to find the driver itself. I've seen this work where packaged installs failed, so hopefully it installs your printer correctly again.

[tismehi]

hi snow,

thanks for you time and efforts.

 

i have tried the above and still it will not work.

 

i'm ready to pull my hair out.

 

i had to leave this for a few days as it seemed like my laptop and software were conspiring to drive me around the bend.

 

as i see it i have three options.

 

either leave the machine in to a local and dependable repair shop for a remaster, (with disc).

 

order the disc from toshiba at £30

 

buy windows 7 and do away with vista on the machine.

 

 

my problem now seems insignificant as i hear that mike has decided to abruptly close the site

 

anyway, as there are a few other niggly problems building up with the laptop over a lengthy period of time, (bluetooth stopped working, 1 usb socket refuses to work, mouse has a mind of its own, sound card will not work for a time after each and every windows update, etc, etc, etc.), maybe it is time to reformat in some way.

 

thanks again.