Can't install LaserJet 2500

[Birk Binnard]

My brand new Vista system refuses to install the software for my
LaserJet 2500 printer. I know it's supposed to use the generic PCL6
driver for this printer and that seems to get installed ok, but there is
no communication with the printer.

I can't even add it as a network printer when the printer is connected
to an XP system. HP and Vista say the corect software is supposed to be
installed by Vista when I plug the printer in to a USB port, but
whatever it is that gets installed does not work.

Any ideas of what I can try?

Birk Binnard
www.birkbinnard.com

 

[BigJim]

I am not familiar with the 2500 but if you are using a parallel port check
the bios to make sure it is still setup.
Vista changed my setup in the bios, I know it hard to believe but I didn't
do it. BTW I am the only one who
uses this home machine.

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

HP website says PCL5:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...iesId=81954&swLang=8&taskId=135&swEnvOID=2093

Don't know if that makes a difference.

 

[Birk Binnard]

I've got it connected to USB but nothing seems to make that work. Maybe
Vista needs parallel??

 

[Birk Binnard]

I must have missed the comment about PCL5. Tried that...no joy.

It seems odd that the printer recognition function that worked so well
in XP would get munged up in Vista. Looks like some hotfix will be needed.

 

[Birk Binnard]

I tried connecting the printer to my PC's parallel port. That got the
printer to print in B/W only (the 2500 is a color lLaserJet).

I also Googled "LaserJet 2500 Vista" and found there was m HPa file
named HP_Vista_SF_Ph1.exe but that was no improvement.

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

Put a quick post in microsoft.public.windows.vista.print_fax_scan and that
way we'll get more folks in the right area looking at this.

 

[Birk Binnard]

I called HP Support and they said there simply is no Vista driver
available yet for the Color Laserjet printers. They said it might be
ready by the end of the month. In the meantime, no way to get the
printer working under Vista.

 

[Hugh Wyn Griffith]

I have my LJ2200d installed with VISTA Business "out of the box".

I forgot to unplug, as you should with USB, and left it plugged in,
together with my PS8250, and both were detected by VISTA and run with
the built in drivers.

I'd be inclined to unplug the printer and it's USB cable from the PC,
uninstall anything to do with the printer that may show in Add/Remove
Programs and reboot.

Then plug in the printer and cable and if Found New Hardware comes up
let it proceed.

That worked for me. I did not install the PCL 5 or 6 drivers on the HP
website.

 

[Mike O]

I called HP Support and they said there simply is no Vista driver available
yet for the Color Laserjet printers. They said it might be ready by the
end of the month. In the meantime, no way to get the printer working under
Vista.

I just purchased a ColorLaserjet 2605dn for use with my Vista Business 32
bit. Prior to purchasing the printer I confirmed that HP had a vista driver
showing on their web site (the "universal driver"). I did a general google
web and newsgroup search for "HP 2605" and "Vista" and didn't find any
issues.

However, after I set up the printer, the driver installed, but never would
talk to the printer. If I right clicked on "properties" on the printer, I
got an "Explorer stopped working" message. Searching the net found I
several other users having this problem with the universal driver on Vista
(not specifically with the 2605).

After trying all kinds of reinstalls, system restore, etc. I downloaded and
installed the Windows XP version of the PCL6 driver for the 2605. It seems
to be working fine now.

Vista was beta for a long time, and released to "corporate customers" (I
would think HP would qualify) over three months ago. Somebody really
dropped the ball on the HP printer drivers...
Mike O.

 

[Birk Binnard]

I tried that PCL driver also; for me it would only support B/W printing,
not color. Did you check if it would print in color for you?

 

[Mike O]

I tried that PCL driver also; for me it would only support B/W printing,
not color. Did you check if it would print in color for you?

Seems to do everything it's supposed to. Color, dual side, etc.

- Mike

 

[Birk Binnard]

Interesting. Is your printer attached via USB or parallel port?

 

[Birk Binnard]

To fix the problem you have to ignore Vista's Add Printer message about
only using Add Printer for a non-USB device. Instead, proceed to add the
printer as an HP PCL6 printer and then select one of the USB ports for
the printer. This is the key to getting the printer to work.

PCL 6 is necessary for color support. PCL 5 will work, but only print
in B/W.

A remaining problem is that the HP Easy Printer utility, which is needed
to check the printer status, cartridge status, etc., will not talk
across a USB port. It requires a DOT4 port which is a software driver I
have yet to find on the HP website.

At least I have the printer printing now. I'll work on the DOT4 problem
next.

 

[Mike O]

Interesting. Is your printer attached via USB or parallel port?

Actually it's over the network port, using TCP/IP printing.

 

[Hugh Wyn Griffith]

Actually it's over the network port,

Direct to a network enabled printer, via a dedicated print server or to
another PC to which the printer is connected? If the latter what
version of Windows on that PC?

 

[Mike O]

Direct to a network enabled printer, via a dedicated print server or to
another PC to which the printer is connected? If the latter what
version of Windows on that PC?

Direct to the network card in the printer itself. I created the tcp/ip port
in Windows and pointed the print driver to that port.

 

[Hugh Wyn Griffith]

Thanks for the additional information.

I think Birk may be wrong, as a generalization, that PCL5 won't print
color.