[Dana2007]

My HP LaserJet 6L won't print.

I visited the HP website to download any recent drivers. According to the site, operating system Microsoft Windows XP comes with the driver for this printer. When I click on "Automaticly check if driver needs updating," I get an error message that reads, "HP Instant Support - Driver Check
Your system appears to be blocking popup windows.

HP Instant Support - Driver Check needs to launch
a popup window to run. Your system appears to be
blocking that. Please watch your browser for prompts
asking for permission or configure your system to
allow popups from our site.


This occurs even after I turn off the pop up blocker and after I add the HP to allow pop ups from that site. I have used both Internet Explorer 7 and Foxfire. I have disconnected the printer and removed all printers from the settings.

After I delete and then add the printer back, it still does not print.

I purchased another HP LaserJet printer. (A used one from someone on Ebay) Still does not print. The printing stays in cue saying "printing" while it blinks rapidly. I have to keep canceling print so it will stop blinking.



Forgot to add that what the symptoms were before the printer stopped working completely. First, I could not print from any source unless I closed all the windows except the page I was trying to print. When it finally decided to print, it would print one small area of the document in huge letters that it was taking up the entire paper just to print that very small area. After it would finish printing in that manner, I would resend my document and it would then print normal. Eventually, that didn't work either. Now it won't print at all not even a test page after I add the printer as a new printer.

[KISS]

Try the PCL6 "universal print driver" here: Product search results

[Dana2007]

Ok, the Universal print driver is downloading right now. Hope it works.

Thank you

[Dana2007]

OK. Well the universal driver finished downloading. I restarted my computer but there is no change in the printing. The test page sits in que and blinks. I have to go over to the printer properties to cancel the print to make it stop blinking. I also have to click on refresh.

Also, my old LaserJet 6L used to make a lot of noise when it was first turned on. The same noise that it would make when it was printing. But the recently acquired used printer makes no sound at all. Only the top orange light comes on. That is how I know it is getting power to it. Are other printers this way also? They make noise when the power first comes on?

Thanks again.

[KISS]

The manual is located here:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/su...4/bpl03394.pdf

Can you print the test page from the front panel (Section 4-1)? That will eliminate any and all driver issues.


There are some blinking error conditions described in the manual, but it depends on wich light is blinking. One error suggests than manual feed is enabled.

You may also try resetting the printer to default conditions. Again in the manual.

Some of the new printers may not make any noise because they are in power save mode immediately. Only when a job is started to they do a self test. I'm not sure if my HP P2015 makes any noise at all, but a Laserjet 4 and HP 4050 definitely do. I'll have to check later. Usually the printer preforms a self test. Manual feed seems a good possibility since you don't have any error lights.

I've seen the 4050 choke on PDF documents when not printed in Postscript or if the physical memory was too small.

The Universal printer driver is very obscure on HP's website, but it has solved a lot of printing problems, namely pages with Excel. What's cool about it is that you can define virtual printers that have certain characteristics. You could have a virtual printer named simplex, duplex, envelopes and balance sheet for instance or, I believe, set up them as tasks within the printer. It works very differently. I have one for simplex (one sided, duplex and 2 per page/duplex as printers.

[ScottGem]

I don't think it's a drivers issue. I would start by deleting the printer from the printers folder, then reinstalling it using the builot in driver. Also how much RAM do you have?

[Dana2007]

The test page will not print. Not when I use the add printer wizard, not from the properties of the printer and not from the front panel.

Have deleted all printers. I have disconnected and reconnected the printer
Several times using different cables including different power cable and using different outlets. I then connect the printer back and use the Add printer wizard repeatedly.


How do I find the amount of RAM on the printer? Don't know how to find the Ram in my printer.

[ScottGem]

I didn't ask for printer RAM, I asked about your system RAM. The printer has about 16Mg.

[Dana2007]

I don't know where to find the system RAM. How do I check to see how much I have and how much do I need to have to be able to print?

Is system RAM something that gets used up eventually so that my printer stops working?

Do I need to buy more RAM once it gets used up?

[ScottGem]

What version of Windows. Usually you can right click on My Computer and select Properties to find out system RAM. If you are low on RAM it could affect printing.

[Dana2007]

It says:

Enpower
AMD Athlon (tm) 64 processor
3500+
2.20 GHz, 480 MB of RAM
Physical Address Extension

[Dana2007]

After I downloaded the universal driver from the HP website, does the computer automatically install it?

[ScottGem]

And what version of Windows. 480M of RAM would be light for XP.

And yes just downloading isn't enough, you have to install.

[KISS]

No. The initial executable will create a directory with the program Install.exe in it and you need to run that.

It may not work for non-networked printers. Hopefully search will work for you. If the printer is shared, then that's another possibility, because it puts it on the network. I've only used it for networked printers.

Add printer from the Printers and Faxes Control panel has the 6L listed, so why don't you try that first and write down the location when it finds the printer. This is the location you nned to specify for the Universal printer driver.

Did the test page print manually?

[Dana2007]

I'm using Windows XP

I have attempted to install the HPUPD41PCL532universal driver.exe application but I get a WinZip self extractor window. I don't know what that means. So I went back to the HP website to download the universal driver, but this time I clicked on run instead of download. It is currently running.

I had to search for the file using "search"

No, the test page did not print manually either. I get no responds at all from the recently acquired printer. The former printer does respond but then all the lights come on and it stops.

I'm waiting for the universal driver to finish running.

[KISS]

Turn the printer on then off.

Do this:

Printing a Self-Test Page
A self-test page can be useful in identifying your printer's configuration
And to ensure that your printer is working properly.
To print a self-test page:
1 Make sure that the Ready light is on and all other lights are off. If
Necessary, wake up the printer by briefly pressing and releasing the
Front Panel button.
2 Now briefly press and release the Front Panel button again. The Data
Light will come on and the Ready light will blink. Please wait for a
Self-test page to print.
If the self-test page does not print, try the following:
1 Ensure that paper is loaded in the printer.

Is the Ready or Data light blinking?

For your other printer, it appears that all the lights on signifies a hardware problem with the printer.

[Dana2007]

Ok, the HPUPD41PCL532universal driver.exe application has finished running (as opposed to installing). It also prompted me with a WinZip window. I clicked on the unzip button. Then I sent a document to the printer. The printer icon together with all the opened window icons are flashing but nothing is printing.

Is it possible that I don't have enough RAM? How do I clear out some of the RAM? I have removed all cookies and I think all temporary files. Not sure how to double check that.

[Dana2007]

Keepitsimple

The front panel button is completely unresponsive when I push on the Front Panel button . Unlike my former printer. The newly acquired printer doesn't make a sound. Only the orange 'ON" light is on no matter how often I press the Front Panel Button.

[KISS]

The WinZip window is fine. Downloading the printer driver is a mult-step process.
1. Download the file from HP's website
2. Run that file after it downloads
3. A Win Zip window appears
4. Accept the default location or chose another
5. Navigate to that location
6. Double click on install.exe

ZIP files are compressed archives which is the standard compressed archive in Windows.

[KISS]

Is the orange light the "Ready light"?

Briefly really means "very quickly". Like less than 1 second.