So, some people are stuck on Windows xp, as may be some computers. But files do need printing. This set of instructions is good for other hardware connected to a computer with Windows xp, but with that operating system no longer supported by the hardware manufacturer.
The combo printer, scanner and copier is hp LaserJet Pro MFP M28w.
Officially, hp no longer supports Windows xp, so they no longer offer drivers for it. Microsoft also seems to have shut off Windows Update support for Windows xp.
Otherwise, it would have been possible to use Windows Update to automatically download and install the necessary drivers.
32-bit drivers meant for Windows 7 might not work. In my case, the installation failed because of a file certificate error.
On attempting to launch one of the files extracted from the downloaded printer driver installer for Windows 7, the said file required Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0. To be safe, download and install that component first, as did I.
When using Internet search, I discovered, that there are slightly older versions of basic hp drivers for that model of device, but download locations offering that driver version were not particularly trustworthy.
But knowledge of older basic drivers for Windows xp got me the bright idea to check out the Windows Update Catalog.
First, on connecting the printer combo via USB showed me the display name of the printer's model:
HPHP LaserJet MFP M28-M31
("HPHP" is not a mistake; this is how it was actually displayed.)
This proved useful when searching the catalog:
As with any other obscure driver, go to
catalog.update.microsoft.com, and search for
m28-m31 xp
in the case of this printer combo. "m28-m31" is the device model range, as displayed in the Found New Hardware wizard. "xp" should be self-explanatory, but searching without it will yield over a hundred results, which would be cumbersome to look through in search for a driver meant for only one major version of Windows.
A helpful demonstration link for this search is
here.
The search yielded 14 results with the same file size, so this meant, that the printer combo is made up of several discreet integrated devices, with a driver for each, but in one and the same package.
To be safe, pick the package that does not mention "Windows XP 64-bit" in the table row.
On clicking "Download", I downloaded a 32.8 MB .cab file with a long file name made up of hexadecimal symbols.
Using 7-Zip, I extracted the CAB file into a new folder, and browsed to that folder in Windows Explorer.
Keep in mind, that I usually have set Windows Explorer to show system files, including .inf files.
The extracted folder contains several .inf files, and these and other .inf files in the extracted bunch of files are driver installation files.
Other subfolders were the following:
Right-click on all the .inf files, and click Install for each of them.
The .inf files should have correct information built-in as to bitness, so, that 32-bit drivers are installed in a 32-bit system.
The XPV folder also contains .inf files, and these pertain to the printing function. Right-click on those, too, and click 'Install' for their context menus.
Restart Windows.
On restart and login, most drivers for the affected hardware should install correctly, but getting the printer to be recognised may require more work, if the printer happens to be not listed in the Printers and Faxes Control Panel folder.
My memory is iffy here, but the basic gist is this:
In that same Printers and Faxes folder, click on "Add a printer" in the left-side Printer Tasks Explorer sidebar, or select File > Add a printer from the menu bar.
This launches the Add Printer wizard. There, click Next.
Select the 'Local printer attached to this computer' radio button. The checkbox to automatically detect the Plug and Play printer is optional (this function might not work).
Click Next to
select a printer port.
The "Use the following port:" radio button must be checked. From the drop-down menu, pick the port that displays as "USB00
x (Virtual printer port for USB)" (
x is a number). Click Next.
After that, installation should commence, and one would then be provided with printer options.
The printer test page printed correctly, and I was happy.
Caveat: If there are two or more listed virtual printer ports for USB, repeat Add Printer routine, and click next. If the printer is already listed and shown as 'not connected' (faded out), right-click on the item, click on Properties.
In the Properties window for that printer, click on the Ports tab. In the list, pick the USB port that works.
A few hours after that, I discovered the driver installation CD for that same printer/scanner/copier combo, but if memory serves, it did not contain drivers for Windows xp when I first wanted to install drivers on Windows XP for that printer several years ago.
The thought of trying Windows Update did not come to mind, because: Microsoft had stopped issuing updates for Windows xp, and there were serious performance issues with Windows Update in that computer, as Windows Update had at times stopped working properly, and was taking up huge CPU resources. Had I not had issues with Windows Update on that computer, I'd have probably tried Windows Update, as it still supported Windows XP at the time.
