HP DJ970Cse Network Printer & Windows 7

[DaLog]

I have a HP Deskjet 970 Cse (parallel) printer attached to a computer that is running XP Sp3 on my network. I want to be able to use the printer across the network with machines running Windows 7 64-bit. When I "Add a Printer" in Windows 7 it "sees" the printer but says that it can't communicate with it. The HP web site talks about a generic driver in Windows 7 that will work but gives no information on the name of the driver or where in Windows to find it.
The printer is parallel only and the Windows 7 computers don't have parallel ports, so I can't hook the printer directly up to the Windows 7 computers. I can't see spending $50 on a parallel/USB cord just for downloading a driver either.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[grimreaper]

the cable itself costs cheap on ebay and since your using parallel port connection yeah i can see that could be a problem modern connections are mostly USB
i'll try to help if i can

 

[patwhatsthat]

At what point are you having an issue, are you being prompted for a driver or are you having some type of permission issue. Windows 7 has a built in native driver for your printer, so if you have it shared properly on the other machine and when you go to add the printer you should have the opportunity to select the hp driver from the list of native drivers that Win 7 has available.

 

[DaLog]

I believe that the printer is properly shared on it's host machine because I can print to it from every machine on the network except the two Windows 7 machines that are new. The "Install Printer" window does see the printer on the network but says it can't find a driver for it and opens a window where you can type in the name and location of the INF file. I guess my question at this point is WHAT is the name of the Windows 7 generic driver for a HP Deskjet 970 Cse and WHERE is that file on my Windows 7 computer?

 

[RedBirdDad]

I've had similar issues getting a LaserJet 1020 on an XP box (32bit) to be seen by a Win 7 (64bit) machine. When you select the printer, Win7 wants to load the driver from the XP box which fails every time.

I was able to get around it by going to the HP site and downloading the 64bit driver for the printer and installing it locally on the W7 machine. After that, I was able to get the printer going. I think it has something to do with XP 32bit drivers and W7 64bit drivers interfering with each other.

In your case the printer is too old. A parallel to USB cable may be the only way to get it going with W7. It may be the only way to get the generic 64bit driver installed on the W7 box.

 

[patwhatsthat]

I believe that the printer is properly shared on it's host machine because I can print to it from every machine on the network except the two Windows 7 machines that are new. The "Install Printer" window does see the printer on the network but says it can't find a driver for it and opens a window where you can type in the name and location of the INF file. I guess my question at this point is WHAT is the name of the Windows 7 generic driver for a HP Deskjet 970 Cse and WHERE is that file on my Windows 7 computer?

DaLog:
On the Windows 7 machine try this
So many people have done this before me and probably better but here goes:
Open Devices and Printers
Select add printer near the top menu bar
Select add local printer
Choose Create a new port and local port from drop down arrow Click Next
In the enter a port name do one of the following
1. \\MachineNameHostingPrinter\Printer'sShareName or
2. \\ipaddressOfMachineHostingPrinter\Printer'sShareName
In the install printer driver dialog box do one of the following
1. In the left panel select you printer manufacturer and in the right panel select your printer model (to use Win7 native drivers) This is Where You Should See The Driver for the Deskjet 970 or
2. Select the have disk button and direct the install process to the folder where you have download and extracted the Win 7 drivers for your printer.
Hope this helps

 

[RedBirdDad]

patwhatsthat:

That's a good idea. The only thing he may have a problem with is the last step. He can't download a driver since HP doesn't have one for that printer. According to HP it uses the generic driver in Windows. What he might be able to do it have it look at Windows update to grab it.

I'm anxious to see how this works.

 

[patwhatsthat]

RedBirdDad;
Do me a favor, open your printers and devices, select one of the printers and up near the top, select printer server properties. Now on the Drivers tab select the add button and then next and then next again, in the left panel choose HP and in the right panel scroll and see if you find a HP DeskJet 970Cse, I believe he stated that that is his printer. I just want to make sure that you see, the same thing that I'm seeing and I'm not giving him some bad info. My install is a clean Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit, install and has the driver built into it as a choice. So if you have the time could you comfirm this for me?

 

[RedBirdDad]

patwhatsthat:

I'm not seeing the HP DeskJet 970cse in the list. Did you?

I'm running 64bit Ultimate as well.

 

[patwhatsthat]

Yes, absolutely, that's why I asked you to check. I assumed it was a native driver, I don't have a clue how it got added to my list of printer drivers to install. Unless it has something to do with different versions of Windows 7. Anyway thanks, for the help and now I'll jump over to HP and see what they are recommending for a generic driver, he keeps referring to I suspect that perhaps its something like a 500 or 500c, anyway thanks again for checking

 

[RedBirdDad]

I looked at the HP site and it says the 970cse uses a generic driver. I'm interested in what your take on it is.

 

[patwhatsthat]

HP, was not much help if you're not able to connect the printer to the PC and then using Windows Update to help, so that's out...I did find some other information from a Microsoft site that says using the HP DeskJet 500 drivers would work, but I think that's only monochrome, so perhaps if the 500c drivers are available to select you might try that.

 

[RedBirdDad]

I'm thinking he could use your procedure but in the last step point it to Windows Update. HP's notes kinda implies you have to go to Windows Update to get the generic driver.

 

[DaLog]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I FINALLY got it working. I posted the pertinent info in the HARDWARE forum.
THANKS AGAIN, you were a GREAT help!

 

[DaLog]

The problem has been solved guys! I posted the entire process in the Hardware forum. Thanks for all your help.