Windows 7 does suffer from missing drivers

ET3D · Dec 4, 2009, 11:39 AM

It's an issue that bugged Vista at the start, and now, a few days after upgrading my wife's laptop to Windows 7, I discovered that out HP J6413 printer has no Windows 7 drivers, which is quite annoying. The upgrade advisor didn't say anything about it, probably because it's wireless. HP's site says a driver will be available late January. Quiet annoying.

Optix · Dec 4, 2009, 02:42 PM

You could always try the Vista drivers. I have run into a few instances where those have worked when 7 drivers were unavailable. Does 7 pick up the new hardware and try to install it's own driver?

mkk · Dec 4, 2009, 02:43 PM

Wireless can be tricky, but for printers in general there's a chance that even the XP driver might work. In case there's no Vista driver to try.

SeraphicSorcerer · Dec 4, 2009, 04:21 PM

I've noticed the problem more and more is actually HP. I tried installing Vista drivers for my HP, and guess what it actually says you can't use em which is bollox, because they go through the installer.....

Try a site like station-drivers might have em. Just beware they got a few popups and such but no spyware that I've ever come across.

Judas · Dec 4, 2009, 04:46 PM

HP/Dell/Compaq/Toshiba and countless other manufacturers that require "unique" drivers and do not allow for Reference drivers at all, imo, can all go

themselves

SeraphicSorcerer · Dec 4, 2009, 05:08 PM

Amen to that.

ET3D · Dec 4, 2009, 09:34 PM

HP recommends on their site to connect using USB and use the default Windows 7 drivers. So there are drivers, but USB isn't a solution when the printer is far away. The entire point of the wireless printer was to avoid using Windows printer sharing, since I had problems getting networking working across Windows versions. That's why it's doubly annoying to have an OS upgrade cause failure here.

As for using the Vista drivers, they weren't upgraded like virtually all the other drivers on the laptop (which simply continued to work under Windows 7), so I suspect that reinstalling them won't work. Especially since HP would likely have said to use the Vista drivers if that was possible.

Takaharu · Dec 4, 2009, 10:08 PM

What if you plug in the printer using the USB cable, install the driver that's included in Windows 7 then try accessing it via wireless? I'm assuming just having the drivers would suffice, as long as it picks up the printer.

Judas · Dec 4, 2009, 10:12 PM

Na i've tried that..

the drivers are basically a fall back basic driver system, they include no such wireless capabilities.

Dec 4, 2009, 11:39 AM	#1
ET3D Hopeless Dreamer Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Dreamland, near the pool of infinite graphics cards Posts: 3,057 Rep Power: 105 System Specs	Windows 7 does suffer from missing drivers It's an issue that bugged Vista at the start, and now, a few days after upgrading my wife's laptop to Windows 7, I discovered that out HP J6413 printer has no Windows 7 drivers, which is quite annoying. The upgrade advisor didn't say anything about it, probably because it's wireless. HP's site says a driver will be available late January. Quiet annoying.

Dec 4, 2009, 02:43 PM	#3
mkk Cthulhu/Dagon 2012 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Gefle, Sweden Posts: 4,495 Rep Power: 132 System Specs	Re: Windows 7 does suffer from missing drivers Wireless can be tricky, but for printers in general there's a chance that even the XP driver might work. In case there's no Vista driver to try.

Dec 4, 2009, 04:21 PM	#4
SeraphicSorcerer HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 2,295 Rep Power: 156 System Specs	Re: Windows 7 does suffer from missing drivers I've noticed the problem more and more is actually HP. I tried installing Vista drivers for my HP, and guess what it actually says you can't use em which is bollox, because they go through the installer..... Try a site like station-drivers might have em. Just beware they got a few popups and such but no spyware that I've ever come across. __________________

Dec 4, 2009, 05:08 PM	#6
SeraphicSorcerer HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 2,295 Rep Power: 156 System Specs	Re: Windows 7 does suffer from missing drivers Amen to that. __________________

Dec 4, 2009, 09:34 PM	Thread Starter #7
ET3D Hopeless Dreamer Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Dreamland, near the pool of infinite graphics cards Posts: 3,057 Rep Power: 105 System Specs	Re: Windows 7 does suffer from missing drivers HP recommends on their site to connect using USB and use the default Windows 7 drivers. So there are drivers, but USB isn't a solution when the printer is far away. The entire point of the wireless printer was to avoid using Windows printer sharing, since I had problems getting networking working across Windows versions. That's why it's doubly annoying to have an OS upgrade cause failure here. As for using the Vista drivers, they weren't upgraded like virtually all the other drivers on the laptop (which simply continued to work under Windows 7), so I suspect that reinstalling them won't work. Especially since HP would likely have said to use the Vista drivers if that was possible.

Dec 4, 2009, 10:08 PM	#8
Takaharu I can fart in 7 languages Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: England, UK Posts: 1,859 Rep Power: 113 System Specs	Re: Windows 7 does suffer from missing drivers What if you plug in the printer using the USB cable, install the driver that's included in Windows 7 then try accessing it via wireless? I'm assuming just having the drivers would suffice, as long as it picks up the printer. __________________ I don't get paid to know the answer, therefore I'm far more likely to give you a straight and honest answer. Mods Rig, Box Mods Rig, Folding details