Home / Product Selection / Printers / Installation / Installing the Printer Software in Windows Vista for a USB Cable Connection
  • Question

    Installing the Printer Software in Windows Vista for a USB Cable Connection

    • Answer
    • Introduction
      This document explains how to install the print drivers and other software for your HP product. Please read this if you plan to use a USB cable to connect your product to a computer that has a Windows Vista operating system.
      Figure 1: USB Cable
      USB cable
      CAUTION: Do NOT connect the USB cable now. Wait until the on-screen instructions prompt you to connect it. HP recommends using a USB cable that is less than 3 m (10 ft) long.
      A print driver is a software program that allows the computer to run the product. HP offers a variety of print drivers and software on the product CD and the HP Web site. The available choices vary by product.
      NOTE:If you are trying to resolve a particular issue or error message, reinstalling a driver might not resolve the issue. Unless you know that reinstalling is the correct solution, search for help documents that pertain to your specific issue or error message.
      If you prefer not to use the cleaning, updating, and troubleshooting utilities from HP Solution Center, a driver might already be available on your computer. You can access this driver by plugging the USB cable into a powered USB port on your computer.
      Advanced Users : If you don't need installation instructions and want to download a driver, you can click the following link now to go to the downloads page: Select Software and Drivers .
      Should I install with the product CD or download the software?
      Don’t worry if you don’t have the product CD! You can download the most current software available for your product from the HP Web site at no cost. The following information might help you decide which installation method to use:
      CDDownload
      For a new product:CD installation is a quick and easy method.If you do not have a CD, you can download the software you need.
      For an older product:CD installation might not work if you are installing the product on a computer running a newer operating system that released AFTER the HP product released.Downloading the software provides the best results for your older product. Even though it takes more time than using the CD, downloading the latest software can help you avoid installation issues.

      Downloading is the recommended method if your computer operating system released after the HP product released.
      About the software:The software on the CD is current to the date of the product release.The software that you can download from the HP Web site is the most current software available for your product. HP often updates software and drivers AFTER the product and CD release to the market.
      Click the plus sign () for more information.
      Step-by-step instructions follow, but you can also watch a video preview of the entire download and install process.
      Video of downloading and installing the software from the HP Web site
      The following video demonstrates how to download and install the software in Windows Vista.
      NOTE:This video is for demonstration purposes only. The product and software in the video might differ from your product and available software.
      If you have trouble viewing the video or to view the video in a different size, click here to play the video on YouTube.
      Step one: Download the software
      Many products have more than one driver option on the downloads page. Choices might include aBasic type, and Full Feature type. If both options are available, the following information might help you decide which driver to download.
      Basic typeFull Feature type
      For basic printing: This driver runs the basic print functions of your product only. 

      If you have an All-in-One, the basic driver does not provide the software needed for most users to copy or fax from the computer, or to use all the scanning features of the All-in-One.

      For quick download: The file size is smaller than the Full Feature driver, so it is faster to download and install.      		For enhanced printing and full functionality: HP includes valuable software to help you get the most from your product. If you have an All-in-One, this driver provides complete product functionality for printing, scanning, copying, and faxing.

      The software varies by product , but here are some examples:

      • Searchable help files tailored to your product
      • Image-editing software
      • HP Solution Center: This important tool helps you establish settings for printing. It also helps you with product maintenance, troubleshooting, software updates, and links to buy supplies.


      NOTE: During the Full Feature installation process, you can choose a custom installation, where you select the specific software items that you want to install.
      HP recommends the Full Feature type of download, if available, to ensure the best support your product.
      Follow these steps to download the product software and save it to your computer.
      1. Disconnect the USB cable from both the product and the computer (if you already connected it).
      2. Turn the product on.
      3. Open a new window to browse to the Get Software and Drivers page:
        Right-click this link, Get Software and Drivers , and then click Open in New Window .
      4. If prompted, type your product number, and then click Next . You might also need to click your model in a list of similar products.
      5. Select your operating system, and then click Next .
      6. Click the Plus sign ( ) next to Driver , and then click the driver that you want to download. If you need help deciding, see the information in the previous table.
      7. Read through the minimum system requirements and additional instructions. You can also click View directions ( ) for complete download instructions.
      8. Click Download .
      9. If the File Download Security Warning window displays, click Save , and then browse to the location on your computer where you want to save the file.
      10. Click Save . The software downloads to your computer.
        Hint: Make a note of the place that you saved the file, in case you want to install it at a later time.
      Step two: Install the software
      Follow these steps to install the downloaded software.
      1. When the download is complete and you are ready to install the files, click Open Folder , and then click the downloaded file. The file name ends in .exe .
        NOTE:If you closed the Download Complete screen, browse to the folder where you saved the .exe file, and then click it.
      2. You can accept the default place to save the files. Click Next , and then wait while the installer extracts the files to prepare for installation.
      3. When the Install Wizard starts, follow the on-screen instructions to install the software.
        NOTE:If you have previously installed the software and are changing the connection type from USB to Ethernet, click Add a device when the Uninstall the software or Add a device window opens.
        For a Full Feature installation, you choose what type of installation you want. The following information might help you decide which installation type to use.
        Typical (Recommended)Minimum
        For full use of all your product features : HP includes valuable software to help you get the most out of your product. 

        HP designed this installation type to work for most users.        		A custom type of installation might be available for your product. This installation allows you to install the minimum software required or the preferred software. Use this type of installation only if you have one of the following reasons: 

        • The computer is low on hard disk space.
        • You attempted a recommended type of installation and received errors. (If errors occur during the recommended installation, fix them before trying a custom installation.)
        The Recommended type of installation allows you to get the most out of your product.
      During the installation, you choose what type of installation you want. The installation type names vary depending on your product. The following information might help you decide which installation type to use.
      Recommended typeCustom type
      Recommended , Full , or EasyCustom , Express , or Advanced
      For full use of all your product features : This installation provides full product functionality. HP also includes valuable software to help you get the most out of your product. 

      This type of installation is designed to work for most users.      		A custom type of installation might be available for your product. This installation allows you to install the minimum software required or the preferred software. 

      Use this type of installation only if the computer is low on hard disk space or you attempted a recommended type of installation and received errors. (Try to fix any errors before starting a custom installation.)

      CAUTION:To avoid unintended loss of product functionality, read the description of each software component carefully during the installation process.
      The Recommended type of installation allows you to take advantage of all your product features.
      Follow these steps to install the software with the product CD.
      1. Turn the product on.
      2. Insert the product CD into the CD drive of the computer, and then wait a few seconds for the software installer to start.
        If the installer does not start automatically, click the Windows icon ( ), click Computer , and then double-click the CD drive.
        NOTE:If the User Account Control screen opens, click Allow to continue.
      3. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the software.
        IMPORTANT: The installer might ask if you want to check online for the latest installation updates for your product. For the best installation results, HP recommends that you click “Yes” to let the installer check for updates and download them for you.
      If you experience an error during installation, try these general installation troubleshooting steps (c02251801) (in English).
    •  
    • View Answer at http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c02283673&tmp_task=setupCategory&cc=uk&dlc=en&lang=en&lc=en&product=3794615
    •  
    •  
    • Not the answer you were looking for?
    •  
    • Click a problem area below for more Printers solutions
    •  
    •  
    •  
    • Not sure where to start, try searching our site
    •  
    •  
ad_holder