How to Reinstall an HP Printer
By Michaele Curtis
Hewlett Packard (HP) manufactures a number of peripherals to enhance your computer's functions, including several model series of printers. One of the benefits of these printers is that they will work with must computers, provided you configure the settings correctly. When there are errors in the settings or you have made significant changes in your computer's operating system, you may have to reinstall the HP printer for it to work properly.
Disconnect any physical connections between your HP printer and your computer. Click "Start." Click "Devices and Printers." Highlight the HP printer in question. Right click on it. Click "Remove device" to uninstall it from your computer.
Insert the installation disc that came with your HP printer into the CD/DVD drive of your computer. Click "Start" if the installation wizard does not start automatically. Click "Computer." Double-click the letter associated with your CD/DVD drive to start the installation wizard.
Click "Install" on the first screen to begin checking your computer for the required files. Click "Next" on the Welcome screen that appears. Click "Next" on the screen asking you not to block any HP processes if your firewall asks you for permission to run the programs.
Select "Yes" to allow HP to install software updates automatically to your computer. Click "Next." Choose whether to install the recommended settings or to select each component manually. Click "Next."
Read HP's licensing terms and click "I agree" to move forward. Click "Next" after the screen shows the destination folder for the installation files. Check the box on the next screen if you want a shortcut to HP software to appear on your desktop. Click "Next."
Connect your HP printer to your computer using the USB cable that came with your printer. Click "Next" when the screen indicates that the computer recognizes the HP printer. Restart your computer when prompted by the installation wizard.
Click "Finish" after your computer restarts and the installation wizard indicates that it has finished the last stage of installation.
Tips
- Hewlett Packard also makes wireless printer units. To reinstall the wireless printer, you do not make a physical connection to the computer in Step 6. Instead, the installation wizard walks you through connecting your HP printer to the Internet and then to your computer.
Warnings
- Hewlett Packard makes hundreds of printer models, and the instructions can vary slightly. Consult your user manual or HP's technical support department if you have any trouble reinstalling your HP printer.
Writer Bio
Michaele Curtis began writing professionally in 2001. As a freelance writer for the Centers for Disease Control, Nationwide Insurance and AT&T Interactive, her work has appeared in "Insurance Today," "Mobiles and PDAs" and "Curve Magazine." Curtis holds a Bachelor of Arts in communication from Louisiana State University.