If you have got a new HP printer and you want to install it, this article is for you. The instructions compiled here are simple and reliable. However, as you know that things go wrong despite your best efforts, follow them carefully. It will save you a great deal of time by preventing the things from going wrong and facing HP printer problems. Check the below mentioned free HP printer support guide. Remember this guide presents a generic procedure for most of the HP wired-cum-wireless printers and not for a specific model.
Procedure:
Grab your HP printer setup kit. Open it to find the HP printer installation disk, different wires, power adapter, and HP printer support manual. Now make a note of your printer model or version. It will be printed at the back or front of the device. Also make note of the product key if there is any. If you want to set up a wireless printer connection, you must have the static or dynamic IP address, Subnet Mask, and Gateway information. You can obtain this information from your Internet Service Provider (ISP).
Connect your HP printer to the power outlet using the power adapter and the cable. Plug one end of the power cable firmly into your HP printer and run its other end in the power adapter that came with the kit. Now run the power adapter's cable in to the electricity outlet and turn it on. If your HP printer setup kit came without a power adapter, do not worry. You can connect your printer straight to the electricity outlet using the power cable. However, a power adapter connection is preferred more than a straight power connection.
When turned on, the printer will boot. You will see the green power lights on the printer. It means the printer is on and ready. If it's not, press the Power or On button on the device. Now look for the USB cable that will connect your printer to your computer and keep it handy. Do not connect it, just keep it beside. Close all the currently opened programs on your computer screen. When done, insert the HP printer installation disk into the drive of your computer and restart it. Choose to boot from the CD and follow the on-screen prompts.
When the computer has rebooted, you should see the autorun HP printer installation wizard. If you do not see an auto prompt after waiting for 1-2 minutes, click on the Start menu and browse to My Computer (Windows 7/Vista users should go to Computer). Look for the removable CD-ROM icon. It might be under E drive if this is your removable media directory is. It can be anything that you have chosen as your default location. Double click the CD, setup.exe icon and then click the Run button to execute the wizard.
When asked, enter your HP printer's model or make and accept the HP product license agreement. Click Next after each command to continue. When prompted, connect the USB cable firmly to the USB port of your computer and run its other end into your printer's USB port. When connected, the installation wizard will detect the hardware changes and prompt you therefore. If the wizard does not detect the printer and shows an error message, power off the printer and then power on. The wizard will detect the printer. Hit the Next button.
When prompted, choose to install the necessary driver software. You can either choose the drivers to downloaded from the HP website (your internet connection must be active at that time), from the HP printer installation disk itself, or from the list of drivers on your computer. For that last option to work, your computer must have all the necessary driver software on it. Whatever option you choose, hit the Next button afterwards. It can take some time, so be patient.
When prompted, customize your settings. Choose whether to download driver software updates and patches automatically or manually. Select whether you want to push for update install now or post-installation. Also make your selection for a wired or wireless connection. For a wireless connection, make sure that your printer is properly connected to the right port of your wireless router. Besides, you will need the static or dynamic IP address, Subnet Mask, and Gateway information as mentioned in the first step.
When done, hit the Finish button to close the installation wizard window and reboot your computer. When done, your computer will reboot. Take the installation disk out and put it back in its safe case. Keep it back in the kit or at a place where it is away from damage, moisture, and unauthorized reach. You might need it in the future. When done, get back to the computer. There will be printer icon on your desktop or you might see a notification in the Start menu that a new program has been installed. Open HP printer from the shortcut and check the print settings by going into the Properties menu. When done, print a test page.
Additional Tidbits:
If you face any difficulty during or after the installation procedure and you are unable to get through it, contact HP technical support or HP product support service.
