Excel 365 "Accessing Printer" issue

[PBComputer]

I had this computer come in the other day with the following problem. When you try open Excel documents, the Excel splash screen says "Accessing Printer" and hangs. So I tried a system restore back a week or so, and the computer crashed (failed to boot). I was very short on time as they needing it working as soon as possible due to an audit so I re-installed the OS and set the system up again, Great all working. So on site and connect it backup, Install the printer and open a few documents all is fine. Before I leave we test again just to make sure, and the same problem is back. "Accessing Printer".

I was very short on time (Doctors and Dentist App) Else I would have stayed on site to sort it then. So I changed the default printer to the "One Note Printer" check again, and it works fine (they just need to change the printer each time... But it works.

If I open via "Excel / safe" it opens fine.

So I'm guessing the problem is with the printer driver?

I won't be able to access the system again until next week now.

The excel documents where created in Excel 97/2003/2007/2010/365 version of excel.
The computer runs Windows 8.1 Pro.
The Printer is a HP Officejet 4500
They have Office 365.

No add-on/plug-ins are running.

 

[cyabro]

There isn't a bad add on installed in Excel?
The ABBYY add-on has caused lots of problems with Office 2013 and usually comes from some printer software.

 

[PBComputer]

There isn't a bad add on installed in Excel?
The ABBYY add-on has caused lots of problems with Office 2013 and usually comes from some printer software.

Nope no add-ons are running. Forgot to added it to my post. I'll amend it.

 

[FremontPC]

I think you're on point with the printer driver, Paul. Did Windows install it's own or is this HP's driver?

 

[PBComputer]

I think you're on point with the printer driver, Paul. Did Windows install it's own or is this HP's driver?

It's HP's own driver, which was downloaded in Feb 2015, found the installer in the Downloads folder. Think I will download the latest driver or let windows find it's own driver.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Yeah I'd yank the current drivers and snag the latest, preferably the smaller bare bones corporate version driver, not the full bloated one.

My wife has that one, or the 8600, pro plus or something....similar, decent printer, but a few times I've had to wrestle with the drivers to get things settled.

 

[FremontPC]

At least HP has cleaned up their driver install packages. I remember one AIO driver they had took an hour to R&R on an older AMD system. Totally beyond.