LaserJet 4 Plus drivers

[Loose rivets]

An old question for me, but one that is still tedious in the extreme.

I love this printer, an industry standard unit. I was given this one virtually unused with the rollers etc still very pliable. This is a last ditch attempt to get it to go on my main OS.


The big question. Can I copy the driver (in all its installed parts) from the other drive, putting each piece in place manually, so to speak?

Where are the drivers located these days?


The old story for thems that are board:


One physical drive has XP Home Sp 2 and the driver loads exactly as is should. Everything works. But it is a much slower and smaller back-up drive.
Re-booting to change drives is an option, but tedious.



Second, bigger and faster drive, has XP Professional Sp 3 Now registered and updated. There is a listed driver in the menu, but it eventually asks me to put the XP disc in and then we go around the houses again...and again...and again.

HP's site offers a slew of drivers which are sent in a Zip file. These open into 30 or so DPP and DLL files. If I Browse to the folder, then they are not shown as options...in fact, they're not shown at all...and off round the houses yet again.


Gargoil shows free downloads. We've done that one on this forum. Driver Detective is unequivocal in the statement. Free HP Laserjet 4 Plus driver. We go through until it wants to access my Visa card. To me, that's just blatant *******

If there is any other way to save the day, would someone let me know.;)

[taxydual]

You can't physically move the individual driver files and .dll's from one drive to the other, (well you can, but it won't work).

The 4 plus driver is built into XP. Start at Control Panel, Printers and Faxes, delete any reference to any existing HP 4 plus.

Then click ADD PRINTER and follow the on-screen prompts. In the past, when I've been expecting a 4 plus in for repair, I've set up the driver first and then connected the printer.


Someone else has the same problem, but I very much doubt the solution.

Business support forums - HP laserjet 4 plus driver - This thread has been closed (http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/bizsupport/questionanswer.do?admit=109447626+1234295551316+28353475&threadId=1303158)

Remember to delete the 4 plus from the Printers Folder before trying a fresh install.

If all else fails, any HP PCL driver will do, the Laserjet III driver works ALL (old) Mono Laserjets.


Also, have a look at this guide Installing Windows Printer Drivers (http://www.le.ac.uk/cc/dsss/docs/print-driver.shtml) ignore the Network reference, I'm assuming it's a standalone printer.

[Saab Dastard]

LJ 4+ drivers shipped with NT4, Win2K and XP (and possibly Vista).

They are on the OS distribution media. Trivial to install.

If your PC didn't ship with the dist. media it must have some way of providing access to the standard driver files. RTFM.

SD

[Keef]

It should (ha!) be easy. The drivers are on the XP CD, and probably also on one of those "automatic" websites that Windows goes to all by itself.

Try removing the printer altogether (via Control Panel etc), then restarting the computer. Sometimes that makes it look again, and it realises it does have the drivers all along.

One of the annoying aspects of Windows is that you can have the right driver, sitting there happily, but it won't take your word for it. It wants to see all the other "stuff" that goes with driver directories. Been there...

[Saab Dastard]

Keef,

You are, as usual, quite right - the word "should" is THE most overworked in IT.


Rivets,

Sorry if my original reply was brusque - I've got a stinker of a cold and I'm feeling cr@p.

SD

[Loose rivets]

brusque!!??

After my wife, you're a beacon of pleasantness and warmth. :} Oh, and hope you soon feel well again. Plenty of Single Malt perhaps.


Some will remember that I've been through this before. As mentioned, the install onto the old disc goes seamlessly. Absolutely bog standard install.

I don't want to put everyone to too much trouble, as I'm looking forward to this physical drive becoming Windows 7 dedicated. Keef thinks I might be too late for a Beta, so will only need to used this disc while the dust settles on 7.

Apropos the posters suggestion's above, what I didn't do was clear the other HP possibles out of the way. In fact, quite the opposite, loading several and trying them in turn. Some, will print a page with Driver Updates for example, all the graphics and Trade names are perfect, then the fine details are gobbledygook. One will start with a clean sheet. HP III? I recall that being suggested before, but for the life of me can't remember if I tried it, cos I may have been in the midst of one of life's 'Interruptions'. Will do that as well.

Thanks once again folks. LR

[Captain Gadget]

LR

I downloaded the Windows 7 beta less than a week ago. Suggest you have a try - it may not be too late after all!

Gadget :ok:

[Loose rivets]

Thanks for that, will try tonight.

[seacue]

I have heard that HP didn't produce a Vista driver for my ancient Laserjet 4L printer. I'd think that may also apply to Win7 since it is based on Vista.

One can understand why HP would not want to throw good money at supporting such old printers. When will the toner cartridges vanish from the stores?

[Loose rivets]

Mmmm...bit depressing. Like scrapping a beautiful old Rolls. However, my only investment in this is the cartridge...and I can always boot from the old disk to print. If it'll print out me novel, its work is done. :hmm:


The temptation is to go back to SP 2 - which I've been offered by the young chap that sold me the OS. Here, the argument gets a bit circular as I've a gut feeling that Win 7 might be the answer to a good OS, and I'm not about to have more than two boot disks.

I suppose there's no way that One can upgrade backwards to SP2, while leaving all the Apps in place..........Just kidding.

[taxydual]

Kid you not

How to remove Windows XP Service Pack 3 from your computer (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950249)

[Loose rivets]

That's interesting. Thanks.

[gizmocat]

That's funny, I'm printing to my laserjet 4 from Vista with no problems. Straight out of the box and via wireless as well !

[seacue]

Good news, Gizmo.