HP DeskJet 960C Network Printer

[BigJohnny]

i am using windows 7 ultimate.
on my lan there is another machine running windows xp pro which has a local printer connected. the printer is shared over the network.
when i used windows xp, i was able to add the printer as a network printer.
now, when i am using windows 7, i am able to locate the printer on the network but i cannot add it as a network printer since windows asks me for drivers.
i grabbed the latest drivers for the printer from microsoft update site and tried to provide it when i was asked, but windows didn't except it.

i know the driver is good since i was able to use it when the printer was connected to the windows 7 machine.

is there any resolution? can i install the drivers somehow manually? should i provide you with the inf file of the driver?

 

[severedsolo]

Hi Bigjohnny. I realise you have probably already done this, but Im going to tell you how to set it up step by step so we know exactly where the problem is (if there is a problem)

First: make sure drivers for the printer are installed on the computer.
also make sure the Machine with the printer connected, and the printer are both turned on.

Next: Open Devices and Printers. Delete any instances of the printer that may be there (to avoid conflicts)

then, click "Add a Printer" at the top of the Devices and Printers window
Select "Add a Local Printer"
Select "Create a New Port" and when it asks for the type, leave it on "Local Port"
When it asks for the path put //<ip address of the machine the Printer is connected to>/<printer name> (no <>'s) example: //192.168.1.2/printer
When Windows asks for Drivers click "Use Existing Drivers" (or similar, I can't remember the exact name.... but it should be obvious, just dont click "Install new drivers")
Set the Newly added Printer as Default.

Let me know how you get on

 

[BigJohnny]

i did it already..
sorry you spend your time to post back..

i thought you might have the solution for it.

 

[severedsolo]

There is no need to be rude.

If you had actually read my first post, then you would see that I said "I'm sure you have already done this, but lets run through it again just in case" I was simply trying to be thorough, I find in situations like this, it is best to go back to basics. Of course if you don't want my help then I will stop posting.

What if any error messages do you get, and at what stage? Can you provide a screenshot of the issue.

 

[bobkn]

i grabbed the latest drivers for the printer from microsoft update site and tried to provide it when i was asked, but windows didn't except it.

What form are these drivers in?

They are probably a cabinet (.cab) file. You may have to expand the archive so that Windows can find the files when you manually browse to their location. (The freeware 7Zip can do that.)

I'm surprised that you need them, as Win7 is supposed to include drivers for the 960c.

Good luck.

 

[Corrine]

Hi, BigJohnny.

Have you tried Troubleshooting (Control Panel > All Control panel Items > Troubleshooting)? If unsuccessful, this Microsoft Fix it may solve the problem as it will

Automatically diagnose and repair when you cannot print, or for problems installing a printer, connecting to a network printer and related errors.

Printing problems and printing errors

 

[BigJohnny]

i've extracted the cab file.
windows asks for inf file which indeed exist after the extraction, even when directing windows to the inf file, windows provide the following error message: "windows cannot connect to the printer".

i even tried to right click the inf file and choose install, but windows give another error message: "the inf file you have selected does not support this method of installation"

any ideas?

 

[PaulTNI]

Not sure if this will solve the OP problem, but it solved my networked HP Deskjet 960C issue where I had problems getting the driver installed initially and may be of use to others.

1. Start - Devices and Printers - Add a Printer

2. When the Add Printer window comes up, select "Add a local printer". (I know this doesn't make sense for a networked printer, but this will get the proper Windows 7 drivers installed).

3. If not already selected, click the "Use an existing port" radio button. The drop down to the right should be defaulted to "LPT1: (Printer Port)". If so, just leave it as is. If not, select it from the drop down. (Note what you choose here may not make a difference, but this is how I did it when it worked for me.)

4. Click Next.

5. The "Install the printer driver" window will come up. In the Manufacturer scroll list on the left, scroll to "HP" and select it. In the Printers list on the right, scroll to "hp deskjet 960c" and select it. If "hp deskjet 960c" does not appear in the Printers list on the right, then click the "Windows Update" button below and the missing driver will be pulled down from the Windows Update website. Note that it may take several minutes for this to refresh with the additional printer drivers. Be patient.

6. If you had to use the Windows Update option, once the list is refreshed, repeat the first 2 parts of step 5 to select "HP" and then "hp deskjet 960c".

7. Click Next.

8. The "Type a printer name" window will come up. The "Printer name" fillable block will be default completed with "hp deskjet 960c". You can either leave the default or change it to something else if you like. It doesn't matter.

9. Click Next.

10. Wait while the "Installing printer" dialogue completes.

11. When the "Printer Sharing" window comes up the "Do not share this printer" radio button should be selected as the default. Leave this as the default.

12. Click Next.

13. The "You've successfully added (printer name)" will come up. Do not click "Print a test page".

14. Click Finish.

You now have the appropriate Windows 7 printer driver installed on your system so when trying to install the networked printer, Windows 7 should not ask for them. Once you have installed the networked printer, you can delete the "local printer" that was set up with the above steps as it doesn't really exist.

Hope this helps someone.

 

[Hwalker1]

Fine if it worked

Thanks for the post, but having successfully installed the HP 950c on the windows 7 computer, and then tried to install it as a network printer - it just does not work.
I am of the opinion that it is not possible for a HP 960c printer to work on a mixed network, unlike all other makes that I have tried.