HP Photosmart 7550 installation problem

[RacingSOUL]

Hello everyone!
I have problem installing driver for my HP Photosmart 7550 printer.
I do everything that is told on the official HP website - Installing and Configuring an Alternate Driver in Windows Vista HP Photosmart 7550 Printer - HP Customer Care (United States - English)
I can't do the following that is told in this guide in step 2:
"9. After a message appears on the computer that the product was added successfully, connect the USB cable to the product and to the computer.
10. On the Found New Hardware screen, click Cancel".
In other words this found new hardware pop-up appears but there is no way to cancel it in windows 7... It always installs drivers by its own and I can't interrupt this process!
However I have no problem actually getting the printer to work and even print the test page.
But I have this thing in the Control Panel -> Printers section (screenshot).

I tried many times to remove all drivers for my printer and printer itself, but every time I plug it to my PC found new hardware appears and installs its own drivers... How can I stop it from doing this because actually this printer is already installed in my system and works flawlessly.

 

[pohtangina]

so your printer works and your just complaining about the nagware?
I wish I had your problem...coz my printer wont install

 

[RacingSOUL]

ohh... finally I've solved this thing. And you can do the same thing with your photosmart 7600 printer.
I did the following:
1) removed every entry about this printer so it looked like there were no printer installed; for users who haven't installed their printer before at all skip to step 2;
2) plugged in my printer and let the windows install their own drivers and reached the error about not found driver;
3) opened device manager and found that printer with question mark on it;
4) right click on this printer and choose update driver -> search drivers on this computer -> choose the driver from the list of already installed driver (im sorry if the sentence does not 100% match what you have because Im on russian windows 7) -> Under Manufacturer on the Install the printer driver dialog box, select HP. Under Printers , select the appropriate alternate print driver for the HP product (look step 1 here - and then click Next -> click yes if the message that this driver was not tested or other blablabla on this device appears. The print driver starts to install;
5) after the printer installation follow step 3 in this guide Installing and Configuring an Alternate Driver in Windows Vista HP Photosmart 7550 Printer - HP Customer Care (United States - English)

Tell me if that works for you!

 

[pohtangina]

You forgot to mention that the printer should be disconnected (USB) before step 3. If not then let us know.

 

[RacingSOUL]

No no no, do not disconnect it!
Don't follow HP guide, use mine)))

 

[pohtangina]

There we go. Good to know! I found this other guide (Re: Vista) and requires it disconnected. Thanks!

BTW. I think Ive tried this and this failed (connected / Step 1). But Ill see again and try it.

 

[RacingSOUL]

I tried what vista guide told me and got the above written issue (in first post). After it I messed there and here I finally solved my problem. You can follow what I've written anyway...

If you are talking about their step 3 - there is no requirement about getting printer disconnected manually.

 

[RacingSOUL]

Well I did whole procedure again - I unistalled/removed my printer from my system.
Plugged it in my PC.
Found new hardware appeared and installed 2 drivers and faild on 3rd one.
I opened device manager and found my printer under Unknown devices tab.
I right clicked on it choose update driver -> from my PC-> driver from already installed drivers -> found HP driver for my printer -> installed it.
I went to control panel -> printers.
Found my printer and right click on it and choose printer properties.
Went to Ports tab and choose DOT4_001 (in your case you should choose USB as desribed here in step 3 Installing and Configuring an Alternate Driver in Windows Vista HP Photosmart 7550 Printer - HP Customer Care (United States - English))
I printed the test page.

That's all

 

[pohtangina]

xxx
If you are talking about their step 3 - there is no requirement about getting printer disconnected manually.

I know that. I just asked you to reconfirm it as it wasnt a definitive guide you posted. Since you skipped #1 and #2. Like I said Ive done the alternate driver method but it fails. I just havent reconfigured the port I guess.

 

[RacingSOUL]

Yes, you are right, I skipped steps 1 and 2 from original vista guide. Actually step 1 is only about determining the appropriate compatible driver and doesn't contain any actions)) So generally speaking I ignored whole step 2 and instead of it I did the following:
2) plugged in my printer and let the windows install their own drivers and reached the error about not found driver;
3) opened device manager and found that printer with question mark on it;
4) right click on this printer and choose update driver -> search drivers on this computer -> choose the driver from the list of already installed driver (im sorry if the sentence does not 100% match what you have because Im on russian windows 7) -> Under Manufacturer on the Install the printer driver dialog box, select HP. Under Printers , select the appropriate alternate print driver for the HP product (look step 1 here - and then click Next -> click yes if the message that this driver was not tested or other blablabla on this device appears. The print driver starts to install

Tell me please if you solve your problem)

 

[pohtangina]

it worked!
re: HP Photosmart 7600/7660 series

what I did (after all the failures)
1.removed the HP from device manager (x2 of them 1(?circle)+1(!in triangle)
2.unplugged usb
3.your steps...(in my case the HP 5550 drivers IIRC) c/o HP site
4.test = vhalla

Note > I never had to change the port to USB!

BUT
there is still something with a !triangle "Photosmart 7600 series"
I dont really care about it as long as the printer works!

+rep to you! Thanks!

attached photo

EDIT
update driver on the icon with the QUESTION MARK...not the exclamation triangle

 

[RacingSOUL]

Im glad it worked))) Thanks for rep!

What does it say when you click on your printer about this warning-triangle?

 

[RacingSOUL]

I got your problem)) According to your screenshot you have installed wrong alternate driver for you printer. Deskjet 5550 (HPA) driver is for Photosmart 7350 and 7550 (mine is 7550).

BUT you have Photosmart 7600 and you must install this driver Deskjet 5600 - you can see it in step 1 from official HP guide.


Driver from deskjet 5550 can cause some text formating problems while printing pages with Photosmart 7600 (found that in google). That's why there is warning triangle - you have to remove that printer once more and install it again from scratch with Deskjet 5600 driver!

Im eager to hear if that will help you

 

[pohtangina]

hmm. I havent run through problems yet. But Ill re check the driver and see. that icon you see with the ! mark (1 of 2 ) I didnt bother solving that since I start with x 2 of them (the other was a ? in a circle). Since its easy Ill redo it and use HP 5600. thanks!

 

[klesmiley]

Yes, it worked for me as well!

I had tried and tried to find a driver for my HP 7660 Photosmart to no avail! Until I tried your procedure. I clicked "Print a test page" expecting an error as before. But it started printing!

I thank you very very much. The next alternative was to dump my perfectly good printer that I like so much and get a new one.

 

[klesmiley]

Still works after all these years!

I was looking at my old posts. My HP 7660 Photosmart is still working! I'm so glad I didn't have to replace it in 2010! LOL!