HP LaserJet 4L

[Guest]

When upgrading to XP, I tried to install my old printer (HP LaserJet 4L) via
a HP generic driver routine, but I still can't get it to work - any
suggestions on how to fix it (other than buying a new printer)?

Novis

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

When upgrading to XP, I tried to install my old printer (HP LaserJet 4L) via
a HP generic driver routine, but I still can't get it to work - any
suggestions on how to fix it (other than buying a new printer)?

You couldn't find the proper drivers for the 4L anywhere?

If you can't find XP drivers, use Win2000 drivers. Or try drivers for
the 5L

 

[JS]

You can try a driver for a newer version of LaserJet (example: 1000 series)
as they support HP's PCL code and have Windows XP drivers on HP's web site.
You have about a 50/50 chance of this solution working.

JS

 

[DatabaseBen]

try a dedicated driver
from HP....

 

[V Green]

The 4L is natively supported by the XP "Add/Remove
Printer" wizard.

Did you try this?

If you did, and it didn't work, what happened?

 

[HeyBub]

When upgrading to XP, I tried to install my old printer (HP LaserJet
4L) via a HP generic driver routine, but I still can't get it to work
- any suggestions on how to fix it (other than buying a new printer)?

Don't use the generic driver. Use the one labeled "HP Laser 4L" or one of
its cousins (4L/S, etc.).

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

When upgrading to XP, I tried to install my old printer (HP LaserJet
4L) via a HP generic driver routine,

Windows XP supports the HP LJ 4L natively. No " HP generic driver routine"
is necessary. Just go to Control Panel | Printers and Faxes | Add Printer,
choose HP, and scroll until you find your printer

but I still can't get it to work
- any suggestions on how to fix it (other than buying a new printer)?

Please help us to help you. What does "I still can't get it to work" mean?
What happens when you try? If you get an error message, please quote it
verbatim.

For information on how to make a good newsgroup posting, read
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm and

 

[Bob I]

That makes it sound like you haven't put in the correct motherboard
drivers for XP yet. You probably cant even see the LPT port in Device
manager.

 

[Bob I]

In that case you may want to try hooking another printer to the port to
see that it is working correctly. There is no reason that a correctly
functioning HP 4 shouldn't just hook up and work as the drivers come
with XP and it's a workhorse of a printer. Have you done self testing on
the printer and is the LPT port set to ECP in the computer BIOS?

 

[V Green]

Hi V Green,

Could you guide me some more - what would I need to do? Remove the
downloaded file (HP LaserJet 4L) again and redo the process of downloading
it? When trying to load the file, it searches for a format that isn't in the
"HP-pack" that I downloaded (or, I might be doing it wrong...).

Any hints? Please.

//Novis

Start>>Printers and Faxes>>Add Printer

follow the prompts.

Don't let the system "search" for the 4L, pick it
manually from the list.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Hi Ken Blake,

Well, it doesn't say very much, just "This document could not be
printed", and looking at the printer cue, it only says "Fault". Can I
get more info. elsewhere?

Did you use some generic printer driver or did you correctly inmstall it as
a LJ 4L, as I suggested?

Unless you installed it using the correct driver, uninstall it and reinstall
it correctly.

 

[Guest]

Hi Bob 1,

Well, I did try the BIOS print-out manuever, but that didn't work either -
would that suggest that the LPT1-port isn't activated/malfuctioning? I'll try
and see if I can connect and old Canon Fax/Printer and test.

//Novis

 

[Guest]

I did cherry-pick the printer off the list, and thus doesn't use a generic
printer. If the LPT1-port is functioning, then there is a slight risk that
I'm messing things up when trying to install the file. What I do is that I
download the file onto the computer, enter the 'install faxes/printers',
choose install printer, follow the 'Installation Wizard', browze the folder
with the downloaded file, BUT I still get the same error report - that the
test pagr cannot be printed... Talk about being blinded by the obvious...

Possible explanation? Suggested solution?

//Novis

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I did cherry-pick the printer off the list, and thus doesn't use a
generic printer. If the LPT1-port is functioning, then there is a
slight risk that I'm messing things up when trying to install the
file. What I do is that I download the file onto the computer, enter
the 'install faxes/printers', choose install printer, follow the
'Installation Wizard', browze the folder with the downloaded file,
BUT I still get the same error report - that the test pagr cannot be
printed... Talk about being blinded by the obvious...

Possible explanation? Suggested solution?

You say "what I do is that I download the file onto the computer..." What
file did you download? From where? There's no file that's necessary to
download. As I said, Windows XP has native support for your printer. The
driver comes with XP and no other files are needed.

 

[Guest]

True, I'm not dowloading it from the Internet, I choose it from the menu that
appears from the 'Download Wizard'. This is how I do it:

Add printers and faxes>>
Welcome to the guide Add printers>> Next>>
Local printer that is connected to this computer [selected]>>Next>>
Use the following port [LPT1: (Recommended printer port)[selected]]>>Next>>
Manufacturer (HP [selected]); Printer (HP LaserJet 4L [selected])>>Next>>
HP LaserJet 4L - Do you want to keep the current driver routine or replace with the new one) - (Replace current driver routine [selected])>>Next>>
Printer name (HP LaserJet 4L)>>Next>>
Do you want to print a test page? (Yes [selected])>>Next>>
Finishing the Guide to add printers>>Finishing>>
The test page is now sent to the printer /..../ Click OK if the test page is to be printed>>OK>>

From printer >>Test page>>Status (Error-Printing)

And there I'm stuck...

Could it be yhe LPT1-port instead?

//Novis

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

True, I'm not dowloading it from the Internet, I choose it from the
menu that appears from the 'Download Wizard'. This is how I do it:

Add printers and faxes>>
Welcome to the guide Add printers>> Next>>
Local printer that is connected to this computer [selected]>>Next>>
Use the following port [LPT1: (Recommended printer
port)[selected]]>>Next>>
Manufacturer (HP [selected]); Printer (HP LaserJet 4L
[selected])>>Next>>
HP LaserJet 4L - Do you want to keep the current driver routine or
replace with the new one) - (Replace current driver routine
[selected])>>Next>> Printer name (HP LaserJet 4L)>>Next>>
Do you want to print a test page? (Yes [selected])>>Next>>
Finishing the Guide to add printers>>Finishing>>
The test page is now sent to the printer /..../ Click OK if the
test page is to be printed>>OK>>

From printer >>Test page>>Status (Error-Printing)

And there I'm stuck...

Could it be yhe LPT1-port instead?

I don't know this printer and what kinds of connection(s) it has. Are you
sure you have it plugged into the LPT1 (parallel) port? You're not by chance
using a USB connection? If it is connected o the parallel port, make sure
the connection is tight.

And (forgive me for suggesting the obvious), but make sure the printer is
powered on.

If the printer is powered on, and it is properly connected, it would seem
that one of three things is wrong:

1. The parallel cable is bad.

2. The printer itself is bad.

3. The parallel port is bad.

Do you have another computer you can try the printer on? Or can you take it
to a friend's to try?

 

[Bob I]

Same as Ken's message. You will need to determine, Printer, Cable, or
LPT is the actual cause.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Hi Ken,

Thank you for all your support and patients, it seems I missed
testing one of the USB-ports (I apparently have five of them), and
when trying from a laptop I did get it to work again. Rather
embarrasing, actually, but being a Novis...

All the best, and many thanks for your kind support.

You're welcome, but if you had the printer connected to a USB port, and when
it said "Use the following port [LPT1: (Recommended printer port)" and
that's what you selected, that's why it didn't work (as I suggested below).
You plugged it into one kind of port, but told it to look for the printer in
another.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

True, I'm not dowloading it from the Internet, I choose it from the
menu that appears from the 'Download Wizard'. This is how I do it:

Add printers and faxes>>
Welcome to the guide Add printers>> Next>>
Local printer that is connected to this computer
[selected]>>Next>> Use the following port [LPT1: (Recommended
printer port)[selected]]>>Next>>
Manufacturer (HP [selected]); Printer (HP LaserJet 4L
[selected])>>Next>>
HP LaserJet 4L - Do you want to keep the current driver routine or
replace with the new one) - (Replace current driver routine
[selected])>>Next>> Printer name (HP LaserJet 4L)>>Next>>
Do you want to print a test page? (Yes [selected])>>Next>>
Finishing the Guide to add printers>>Finishing>>
The test page is now sent to the printer /..../ Click OK if the
test page is to be printed>>OK>>

From printer >>Test page>>Status (Error-Printing)

And there I'm stuck...

Could it be yhe LPT1-port instead?

I don't know this printer and what kinds of connection(s) it has.
Are you sure you have it plugged into the LPT1 (parallel) port?
You're not by chance using a USB connection? If it is connected o
the parallel port, make sure the connection is tight.

And (forgive me for suggesting the obvious), but make sure the
printer is powered on.

If the printer is powered on, and it is properly connected, it would
seem that one of three things is wrong:

1. The parallel cable is bad.

2. The printer itself is bad.

3. The parallel port is bad.

Do you have another computer you can try the printer on? Or can you
take it to a friend's to try?

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

:

Novis wrote:

I did cherry-pick the printer off the list, and thus doesn't use a
generic printer. If the LPT1-port is functioning, then there is a
slight risk that I'm messing things up when trying to install the
file. What I do is that I download the file onto the computer,
enter the 'install faxes/printers', choose install printer,
follow the 'Installation Wizard', browze the folder with the
downloaded file, BUT I still get the same error report - that the
test pagr cannot be printed... Talk about being blinded by the
obvious...

Possible explanation? Suggested solution?


You say "what I do is that I download the file onto the
computer..." What file did you download? From where? There's no
file that's necessary to download. As I said, Windows XP has
native support for your printer. The driver comes with XP and no
other files are needed.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup



:

Novis wrote:

Hi Ken Blake,

Well, it doesn't say very much, just "This document could not be
printed", and looking at the printer cue, it only says "Fault".
Can I get more info. elsewhere?


Did you use some generic printer driver or did you correctly
inmstall it as a LJ 4L, as I suggested?

Unless you installed it using the correct driver, uninstall it
and reinstall it correctly.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup



:

Novis wrote:

When upgrading to XP, I tried to install my old printer (HP
LaserJet 4L) via a HP generic driver routine,


Windows XP supports the HP LJ 4L natively. No " HP generic
driver routine" is necessary. Just go to Control Panel |
Printers and Faxes
Add Printer, choose HP, and scroll until you find your printer


but I still can't get it to work
- any suggestions on how to fix it (other than buying a new
printer)?


Please help us to help you. What does "I still can't get it to
work" mean? What happens when you try? If you get an error
message, please quote it verbatim.

For information on how to make a good newsgroup posting, read
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm and

 

[Bob I]

Glad to hear all is well, not to worry, I think everyone has overlooked
something sometime, otherwise they haven't been working very hard! ;-)