Support - who wants mine ?
Following is a transcript of a conversation with an on-line support technician from HP.COM
I was just trying to resolve a printing problem to an Officejet printer...........
Albert: I shall provide you with manual uninstallation steps
Glenn Rose-Ward: ok
Albert: please copy/paste the steps into a Notepad/Wordpad and then perform them
Glenn Rose-Ward: right
Albert: It contains many steps take them correctly as i send all at once then we shall perform each in order
Glenn Rose-Ward: right
Albert: Thank you
Albert: Here are the steps Glenn
Albert: The following steps will wipe printer and printer drivers from the computer:
A. Removing entries from Add/Remove programs.
B. Removing entries from Printers and Faxes folder.
C. Removing entries from Registry.
D. Removing folders from C:\Windows
A. Add/Remove Programs:
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1. Click Start, Control Panel and double-click Add/Remove Programs.
2. If there is an entry relating to one of the printers, select it, then click Change/Remove.
3. Follow the dialog and "uninstall all" or "remove all" as appropriate.
Some "printer software" have programs that show up here and it will be a good idea to remove those before going any further.
B. Printers Folder:
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1. Click Start, Control Panel and double-click Printers and Faxes.
2. Delete all the Printers available, by right-click and selecting "delete" option.
3. Click File menu and select Server Properties.
4. Select the Drivers tab.
5. For each entry, select the entry and click Remove.
C. Windows Registry:
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Before modifying registry, take a backup of it.
1. Click Start and click on Run.
2. Type Regedit and from File menu, click on Export Registry.
3. Select "All" option for backing up every key of registry.
4. Give a destination file (say Regbackup) and save it on to the Desktop.
5. Now, click "+" beside HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM
6. Click "+" beside CurrentControlSet
7. Click "+" beside Control
8. Click "+" beside Print
9. Click "+" beside Environments
10. Click "+" beside Windows NT x86
11. Click "+" beside Drivers
12. Under this key, there will be the keys Version-2 and Version-3 (some may be absent, which is normal)
13. Click on each Version key to find contents in the right-window pane.
14. Delete all the sub-keys inside Version-2 and Version-3, but not these keys themselves.
15. From File menu, click exit.
D. Deleting Folders:
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1. Click Start, Run and type "cmd" (without quotes).
2. Key-in the following commands:
net stop spooler
net start spooler
3. Type exit.
4. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to:
%systemroot%\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86
NOTE: %systemroot% is usually C:\Windows, but it might be "winnt" or something else; this is set when the OS is installed.
5. Inside w32x86, there will be folders with the names 2 and 3 (some may be absent, which is normal)
6. Delete all of the files and sub-folders in each of the 2 and 3 folders, but not the folders themselves.
7. Inside w32x86, there may be other folders with names starting with "hewlett_packard", "hphp" or something else; delete these folders also.
8. Restart the print spooler (as in 2nd step, above)
9. Restart the computer.
At this point, the system should be pretty well back to the way it was before any printers were installed. The printing subsystem is then "clean" and ready for printers to be added using printer drivers. Install the all-in-one software, now.
Albert: Let me know after you copying them
Albert: lets start performing the steps as you come back
Glenn Rose-Ward: iv'e copied them this might take a while
Albert: Ok Start from first step now glenn
Albert: Proceed performing the steps, let me know at what step you are while performing
Albert: Whenever you have any issue please let me know
Glenn Rose-Ward: There is an entry in add remove programs which doesn't have a change button
Glenn Rose-Ward: it is officejet d series
Albert: What button you have their
Glenn Rose-Ward: none
Albert: did you perform this step earlier
Glenn Rose-Ward: yes
Albert: Did you remove last time itself if so proceed with next step Glenn
Glenn Rose-Ward: ok
Albert: Go ahead Glenn
Glenn Rose-Ward: i can't delete all the printers available i need some of them
Albert: Can you make me clear what you mean Glenn
Glenn Rose-Ward: i have 6 printers installed and none of them are office jet
Glenn Rose-Ward: i don't really want to have to delete them all just to re-install the hp one
Albert: Glenn is that all other printers are of HP
Glenn Rose-Ward: no some are and some aren't - iv'e deleted them now anyway
Glenn Rose-Ward: registry is now clean
Albert: So you deleted all printers now
Albert: Which steps are you performing now
Glenn Rose-Ward: trying to delete the folders in system32\drivers
Albert: Let me know the steps you are at now.
Albert: Glenn i shall tell you some information
Glenn Rose-Ward: go on
Glenn Rose-Ward: some of these are still locked despite the fact that iv'e stopped the print spoller service
Albert: In HP All in One Printer software installation , you cannot install more than single printer on a computer
Albert: More than single printer will not work
Albert: a
Glenn Rose-Ward: but it has been working for weeks
Albert: Another thing if you want your present thing to work all other printer software need to be removed completely
Albert: then install this
Albert: I understand only few printers can work this way but cannot guarantee that it works successfully when installed with several printers
Albert: One thing can be done Glenn
Albert: you need to install the alternater drivers to make printer work when used with other printers installed
Albert: so i can give you the Alternate drivers information
Albert: Are you able to understand the concept now.
Glenn Rose-Ward: i no longer have any printers installed
Albert: okay did you uninstall by all steps i sent you .
Albert: First let me know if you can open the page.
Albert: Iam sorry please disregard the message
Albert: Are you still connected to me?
Glenn Rose-Ward: yes
Albert: Now try to install using your CD once
Glenn Rose-Ward: i didn't work
Glenn Rose-Ward: it still says it is already installed
Albert: There are two things here Glenn
Albert: did you remove all folders perfectly
Albert: please check
Glenn Rose-Ward: yes i have checked
Glenn Rose-Ward: and it is gone
Albert: First - may be uninstallation was not completely performed
Glenn Rose-Ward: agreed
Albert: Second-- Installation CD might be having corrupted files
Glenn Rose-Ward: i only have the one CD
Albert: Glenn i shall give you URL to download the Software for you
Glenn Rose-Ward: Thanks
Albert: Try this from internet then install it
Albert: You are welcome Glenn
Albert: URL
Albert: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?dlc=en&lc=en&os=228&product=64995&lang=en&cc=us&softwareitem=oj-2520-3
Albert: From this you can download the HP software then install it
Glenn Rose-Ward: got that thanks i will call later if i have a problem
Albert: but while using with other printers you may get issue back
Glenn Rose-Ward: ok
Albert: please get back i shall assist you to resolve the issue
Albert: You are welcome anytime Glenn
Glenn Rose-Ward: bye