HP F380 printer drivers won't install!!

I am trying to reinstall the printer and the device manager advises:
"The drivers for this de3vice are not installed (Code 28).
Windows found driver software for your device but encountered anerror while
attempting to install it.
The rquired section was not found in the INF."
It would be great if someone could advise me what to do to install the
printer.
Ican be contacted at drennard@xxxxxx.

If that printer is USB connected you need to install all the HP
software before you plug the USB cable from the printer into the PC.

You did make sure you had HP software for VISTA?

HP Full Feature Software and Drivers

03-2007 080.001.237.000 - 163.07M

from:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/s...c=en&cc=us&dlc
=en&product=1128296&lang=en

Download the critical update while you are at it and install that. Use
the Download only button unless you have first installed the HP VISTA
Software.

Try uninstalling the printer in the Printers folder as well as any HP
software for it that appears in Remove Programs, reboot the computer
without the printer connected to it and then install the HP software
and driver again.

Do not plug the USB cable into the PC until the installation software
tells you or until you get to Finish.

BTW You may have a different HP site in Autralia so use that and the
Software and Downloads link to locate the files.

HP softwarYes I did and I downloaded the HP Vista software but HP have since
advised the product is not supported by Vista despite having a Vista download
available

"huwyngr" wrote:

In article <8F4CBAD4-AD7E-4CEC-9035-709966AB4DFD@xxxxxx>,
Drennard@xxxxxx wrote:
That really surprises me since I can find no reference to this through Google or
on the HP website. Can you give me any chapter and verse on this to follow up? I
know from experience that HP Australia's website often does contain information
and drivers that are not available elsewhere so I'll be interested to hear more
about it.

I have a couple of sources I'll check on this and hang around because Alan
Morris who posts here has a direct line to HP and has produced some hard
information and valid solutions to problems posted here. He may be enjoying
turkey at present.

One question -- what version of VISTA are you using? Some versions do not
support scanning or faxing but can work with third party solutions and I'm using
a very old HP SJ5P Scanner under VISTA using even older HP Deskscan 2.9 software
instead of what came with the scanner or is in VISTA (I have Ultimate so it
should support scanners).

"huwyngr" wrote:

Vista Home premium - what puzzles me is it worked perfectly OK until a paper
jam caused Vista to look for drivers then nothing!!!
"huwyngr" wrote:

Can you please explain where the HP statement that the F380 does not
work under VISTA occurs? In the document I referred to HP do say that
some functions do not work under VISTA but that the basic driver for it
is in VISTA.

VISTA Home Premium does not include the FAX & SCAN utility.

While I make some enquiries and since the device did work at one time
under VISTA I suggest you ignore HP's statement that it does not work
and:

1 Disconnect the printer from the PC

2 Uninstall any HP software related to the printer that appears in
the Remove Programs listing

3 Delete any icons that appear for the printer in the START ...
Printers folder

4 Reboot the PC

5 Plug the printer and its USB cable into the PC and see if it is
properly recognized now rebooting if necessary.

The HP ststement came in an email i.e.:
"
Hello David,

Thank you for contacting HP Customer Care.
We are sorry to inform you that there will be no Windows Vista support
available for your HP product. Therefore your product will not work with
Windows Vista.

The majority of HP products not supported in Windows Vista are beyond seven
years old.

If you are using the Windows Vista operating system on your computer, please
consider upgrading to a newer HP product that is supported on Windows Vista.
HP has numerous products on the market that support Windows Vista.

You may receive an e-mail surveyregarding your e-mail support experience. We
would appreciate your feedback.

Sincerely,

Felicia

HP Email Support Team "
I have tried all you suggested with no success.


"huwyngr" wrote:

Thanks for rounding off the discussion.

Nevertheless the would seem to be a VISTA driver in VISTA and I would
guess that the message shows the classic differing meaning between
"support" and "works" ! Ie HP won't help you solve problems but that is
not to say it will not work at least to a limited extent.

I heard back from my friend who does the technical side of retailing
and he confirmed that they get plenty of complaints about the F380 not
working at all or intermittently and confirms it really is "bottom of
the line" at the price it sells at.

Unless you are happy to have an excuse to replace it with something
better and supported by HP for VISTA I have two suggestions you could
try out. I'll assume all the previous stuff about cleaning up and not
having the USB cable plugged into the PC, in order to keep it short:

---------------------

1 -- Locate the downloaded Full file on your hard drive and right
mouse click on it and select Properties then select the Compatibility
TAB and check the box [x] Run as Administrator and carry on installing
from that point.

2 -- Go to the HP XP driver support page at:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/s...=en&cc=us&dlc=
en&product=1128296&lang=en

and download the XP version:

HP Photosmart Software and Drivers: USB Support

07-2006 6.0.0a - 218.23M

Then (naturally all this is after removing all traces as before
especially if you tried Method 1 ) right mouse click on the downloaded
file, select Properties then select the Compatibility TAB and:

Check the upper compatibility box and select XP with SP2

Check the lower [x] Run as administrator box

and ok your way out to starting the installation again.

------------------------------

I have found that using the Run as Administrator command does overcome
some problems with installing and using software and I have also found
that setting the compatibility mode to use an earlier version of
software works remarkably well. I am running under VISTA software
issued for WIN95 and possibly earlier.

No guarantees but worth trying if you really don't want to replace the
F380.

If you want good advice from users on selecting another device to
replace the F380 and don't get it here try the Compuserve PC Hardware
Forum where there is a Print & Scan section. You don't have to be a
member any more -- just go to:

http://community.compuserve.com/n/pf...=ws-pchardware

and follow the login instructions.

Do let me know how you get on.

This is a bit of a shot in the dark. Disconnect the printer, delete all
drivers and software for the printer. Restart Windows. Put the Vista DVD in
the drive. Run the add printer wizard. Select the HP F300 series. Select
File as the port at the appropriate time. Note that the printer should not
be attached to the computer. Shut dawn the computer to power off in the
usual way. Turn on the computer. When it has finished the startup, plug the
printer in. It should detect it and install it. Navigate to the printer on
the Printers list and check the port. Change to USB port if necessary. Try a
printer test.

Tom
MSMVP 1998-2007

"drennard@xxxxxx" <drennardbigpondnetau@xxxxxx>
wrote in message news:A211A677-56FF-42BC-9F93-B56009618D6E@xxxxxx