HP Scan Refuses to See Printer

G8racingfool

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Hi all, bit of an odd one here so I thought I'd check with ya'll to see if anyone here is come across this.

Client has an OfficeJet 8725 which is an older(ish) HP inkjet printer. One of the office workers who uses the printer called me up saying they were having issues with scanning. So I remote in and find that they're using the "HP Scan" application to do the scanning and the application wasn't seeing the printer on the network (printer is connected to network wirelessly).

I'll keep this short by providing just the highlights:

  • I can ping the printer (both by IP and hostname)
  • I can see the printer when scanning the network
  • I can print to the printer
  • If I remove the printer and use the Windows "Add Printer" wizard I can re-install it without issue.
  • I can scan from the printer using Windows Fax and Scan (more on why this is not a solution later)
  • I can access the printers web interface
  • The HP printer management software shows correct ink levels and information (so it's obviously finding the printer)
But the HP scan will not connect to the printer and just errors saying it cannot find it. So far I've:

  • Reinstalled the HP software (both a quick-n-dirty reinstall and a full "go through the registry and pick every last bit of crap out" clean install).
  • Restarted the printer.
  • Restarted the computer.
  • Verified (Windows) firewall was not blocking.
  • Disabled (Windows) firewall completely.
  • Disabled A/V (Emsisoft) completely.
  • Tried a different user profile.
All of this has been done from the laptop with the problem. Other office workers are not having this issue so it is isolated between this particular system and this particular printer. The only major thing I haven't tried is restarting the network equipment but I'm not able to do so because the client location is a shared one so I have no access to the network equipment and the building maintainer who does is not currently available.

Finally, it is absolutely mandatory (according to this particular office worker) that I get the software working because using Windows Fax/Scan or another scanning application is just not in the cards. (She's old, she doesn't want to re-learn something and frankly I'd rather not have to spend 3 days teaching her.)

So, that said any ideas?


System specs are:

Dell System Vostro 3750 running Windows 10 Home (I know :E) v1803
i3-2310M + 6GB Memory
OfficeJet Pro 8725
Emsisoft + Windows Firewall
Last set of updates were installed on the 9th, issue first started on the 11th and was confirmed working on the 10th (so updates *probably* aren't the problem).
Nothing noticeably changed between when it was working and when it stopped.
 
Possible solution found here.

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Scann...8725-issues-scanning-to-computer/td-p/6256742

For scan to computer option to respond, request you to make sure the option is enabled on the printer assistant.
Open the printer assistant on your computer.
Select the option that says Manage scan to computer and enable the option on printer assistant.
Printer Assistant is nothing but the icon of your printer on the desktop.

Besides the updates anything else got installed or something added to the startup launch that could conflict with a port?

Shawn W. Dion
aka GreyWolf
 
Using the HP Network Printer Install Wizard might help. It's been retired but still works well. I've got copies around here somewhere if you can't find it.
 
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Other office workers are not having this issue so it is isolated between this particular system and this particular printer.
As it's definitely a software issue, and others have no problems, i'd be inclined to avoid spending any more time bughunting and just N&P at this point.
 
As it's definitely a software issue, and others have no problems, i'd be inclined to avoid spending any more time bughunting and just N&P at this point.

HP, for some reason, has these random, completely PITA, issues with those OJ Pro's. I've seen where replacing a failed OJ with a new one has the same thing. Even in a new profile. One trick that worked at getting the scanner to work in a Apple environment was to install an older app package. So maybe give that a try before the N&P.
 
HP, for some reason, has these random, completely PITA, issues with those OJ Pro's. I've seen where replacing a failed OJ with a new one has the same thing. Even in a new profile. One trick that worked at getting the scanner to work in a Apple environment was to install an older app package. So maybe give that a try before the N&P.

Will definitely do that as N&P is an absolute last resort for me right now. This is a remote device so I'd like to avoid a 90 minute trip each way to pick it up. I'll hopefully have another shot at it today so I'll keep ya'll posted.
 
Double-postola ahoy.

So I remoted back in today and, lo-and-behold, the issue was no longer present. Again, nothing noticeable had changed computer/printer-wise so the only thing I can think of that would've resolved it was maybe the network gear restarted over the weekend and flushed whatever hiccup was happening.

Have to say I'm even more annoyed now than I was when I first put this thread up. Hate having issues "fix" themselves without knowing what exactly caused it.
 
I have a new-ish Officejet and have had the same problem. Restarting the network resolved the issue so I would be heavily leaning towards that after everything else you did.
 
HP, for some reason, has these random, completely PITA, issues with those OJ Pro's. I've seen where replacing a failed OJ with a new one has the same thing. Even in a new profile. One trick that worked at getting the scanner to work in a Apple environment was to install an older app package. So maybe give that a try before the N&P.
I think some of those are due to 'losing' the internal IP. I like to give printers a static internal wherever possible. Seems to cut down on those sort of problems.
 
I agree with the static ip suggestion. Also, I've had some success with the HP Scan and Capture app in the Windows 10 Store (literally the only useful thing I've ever found there.) The app works well after initial setup and, if it does lose connection, it is very easy to reconnect.
 
All in one printer / scanners are such a nightmare!

One solution I've found that everyone has been completely satisfied with is getting a real scanner, a Fujitsu ScanSnap.

But when that isn't the fix, it's always a fun ride. I've seen similar things with HP and with Epson.

After reading your OP I was ready to suggest resetting the router. Just last week I had a similar problem with HP printers. Small office with two computers and two printers. Printers were connected to network wirelessly. Blue WiFi light on. Valid IP address in use. Could ping. I didn't reset printers or computers. I went to the Netgear router and power cycled it. Bam! Jobs in the queue magically started printing. Problem solved.

(Also, I connected my Mac laptop to the network and tried to add the printers. They weren't seen, but were after the restart of the router. I typically do this as a test, although now I'm now 100% sure if the Mac portion was exactly that way this time)
 
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