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HP Officejet 4215 All-in-One Printer Troubleshooting

'Disconnected' Status Messages Display on USB-Connected All-in-One Products in Windows 2000 and XP

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Issue

A "Disconnected" error message displays on the control panel of a product that uses a universal serial bus (USB) cable to connect the computer and the product.
The following symptoms might also accompany the error message.
  • The product does not print or scan, even though it once did.
  • Windows cannot detect the product during installation or when restarting the computer. This might occur periodically or intermittently.
  • The "Scanner not found" error message might display while scanning.
  • The product software reports a disconnected status.
These issues are the result of an interruption in the USB communication between the product and the computer.
NOTE:Some of the following solutions require you to restart the computer. Consider bookmarking this page on your Web browser, so that you can reference it after restarting the computer.

Solution one: Check the product, the USB cable, and the connection

Follow these steps to make sure that the product and the USB cable connection are working correctly.
NOTE:It might not be necessary to perform each step to correct the problem. Make sure that the problem still exists before performing the next step.

Step one: Print a self-test report

Option one: The product has a Setup or Menu button

  1. Press the Power button ( ) to turn on the product.
  2. Press the Setup or Menu button until Reports displays on the control panel.
  3. Press Enter .
  4. Press the arrow buttons ( ) to scroll to Self-Test Report , and then press Enter . The self-test report prints.
  • If the page prints, continue on to the next step.
  • If the page does not print, the problem is a product hardware issue. Make sure that the front panel sits on the control panel correctly and does not press any buttons down. Check and close all the doors on the product, and then check the paper supply for problems.
    NOTE:For help resolving product hardware issues, go to Support & Drivers on the HP Web site. Click See support and troubleshooting information , and then type in your product.

Option two: The product does not have a Setup or Menu button

  1. Press the Power button ( ) to turn on the product.
  2. Press and hold the Cancel button.
  3. Press the Start Copy Color button. The self-test report prints.
  • If the page prints, continue on to the next step.
  • If the page does not print, the problem is a product hardware issue. Make sure that the front panel sits on the control panel correctly and does not press any buttons down. Check and close all the doors on the product, and then check the paper supply for problems.
    NOTE:For help resolving product hardware issues, go to Support & Drivers on the HP Web site. Click See support and troubleshooting information , and then type in your product.

Step two: Disconnect all data cables and devices from the product

  1. Disconnect any USB cables from the back of the product.
    CAUTION:Do not disconnect the power cord during this step.
    Figure 1: USB connection
    Illustration of removing the USB cable from the product.
  2. Remove any memory cards or USB drives from the product.
  3. Disconnect any other USB printers, USB scanners, USB cameras, and any other USB-connected peripherals.
    NOTE:Do not disconnect the keyboard or mouse.

Step three: Reconnect the data cables and devices

  1. Press the Power button ( ) to turn off the product.
  2. Connect the USB cable into a USB port on the back of the computer or into a powered hub.
  3. Reconnect the USB cable to the product.
  4. Press the Power button ( ) to turn on the product.
  5. Check the display for the error message.
    • If the error message does not display , the USB cable is not the issue. Reconnect another cable, and then repeat steps 2 through 4. Do this for each product you have connected to the computer.
      NOTE:If the connection fails after reconnecting a device, you might need to purchase and install a USB hub or uninstall the software for that device.
    • If the error message displays , the USB cable is faulty. Replace the USB cable with a new one.
      NOTE:HP recommends using a USB cable that is less than 3 meters (10 feet) long. Use a powered USB hub if you need more length.
  • If these steps resolved the issue , you do not need to continue troubleshooting.
  • If the issue persists , continue to the next solution.

Solution two: Make sure that the computer supports a USB connection

Follow these steps to check whether the computer supports a USB port and to check for unknown entries in the Device Manager.
NOTE:Some computers do not come from the factory with the USB port enabled. Connecting the product before you install the product software might prevent the Windows device detection feature (Plug and Play) from working correctly.

Step one: Check the Device Manager

  1. Open System Properties.
    • Windows 2000: Right-click My Computer , and then click Properties . The System Properties window opens.
    • Windows XP: Click Start . Right-click My Computer , and then click Properties . The System Properties window opens.
  2. Select the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager . The Device Manager window opens.
  3. Scroll to the bottom of the list of installed devices and look for the Universal Serial Bus (USB) entry. If you do not see a Universal Serial Bus (USB) entry, look for System devices .
    • If you see the USB entry , then Windows has recognized and configured the USB port. Proceed to step 4.
    • If you do not see the USB entry , or there is a yellow exclamation or question mark next to the USB controller, Windows has not recognized the USB port, the port is disabled in the computer BIOS setup, or there is a problem with the USB port setup in Windows. Contact the manufacturer of the computer for assistance correcting these problems.
  4. Look for a question mark or an exclamation point beside any of the listed devices.
    • If a question mark displays beside the product, follow these steps to remove the product from the Device Manager list.
      1. Click the HP product to highlight it.
      2. Click Action in the navigation bar, and then click Uninstall to remove the product software.
      3. Disconnect the USB cable from the product.
      4. Reconnect the USB cable to the product.
      5. Check for the error message.
        • If the problem persists, disconnect the USB cable from the product, and then uninstall the software following the directions in the HP document Uninstalling the HP All-in-One Software (c02259020) (in English). Be sure to use any software cleanup utilities listed in that document for your product model, and then reinstall the software.
    • If an exclamation point displays beside the product, follow these steps to check the product status.
      1. Right-click the product, and then check the Device status section for more instructions.
      2. Follow any on-screen instructions to resolve the issue. If no instructions display, contact HP to troubleshoot the status of the product and resolve the issue or the computer manufacturer for further information.
  • If these steps resolved the issue , you do not need to continue troubleshooting.
  • If the issue persists , continue to the next solution.

Solution three: Refresh the Device Manager

Follow these steps in the order presented to remove the Device Manager entries, and then restore them.
NOTE:These steps correct problems caused when entries are not added correctly the first time. The new entries might be different than the original entries. When you remove some entries, you might remove more than one entry, which is normal.

Step one: Remove the product from the Imaging Devices list

  1. In the Device Manager list , look for the Imaging devices entry.
  2. If you find Imaging devices listed, click the plus sign (+) beside it. A list of devices connected to the computer displays.
  3. Find the product in the list of devices, and then click the product name to highlight it.
  4. Click Action , and then click Uninstall .
  5. Click OK to confirm that you deleted the product.

Step two: Uninstall the component software

While still in the Device Manager, follow these steps to remove the product from the DOT4 and 1284.4 lists.
  1. Check the Device Manager list for these entries.
    • Dot4
    • Dot4 hpz12
    • 1284.4
    • Dot4 Setup
    • 1284.4 Setup
    • Dot4Print
    • Dot4print hpz12
    • IEEE 1284.4 compatible printers
    • Dot4USB
    • IEEE 1284.4 devices
    • USBHPH
    • USBNULL HPO08
  2. Click the plus sign (+) beside each entry. A list of devices displays.
  3. Click any instance of the product name to highlight it.
  4. Click Action in the navigation bar, and then click Uninstall .
  5. Click OK to confirm that you deleted the product.

Step three: Remove the product from the USBStore, USB Mass Storage, and USB Composite Device lists

Some products add USBStore, USB Mass Storage Device, and USB Composite Device entries to the Device Manager under the Universal Serial Bus Controllers entry. Follow these steps to remove the product from these lists.
  1. In the Device Manager, click the Universal Serial Bus Controllers entry to open it.
  2. Check the Universal Serial Bus Controllers list for the following entries.
    • USBStore
    • USB Mass Storage
    • USB Composite Device
  3. Click the plus sign (+) beside each entry. A list of devices displays.
  4. Click any entry for the product in the list to highlight it.
  5. Click Action in the navigation bar, and then click Uninstall .
  6. Click OK to confirm that you deleted the product.

Step four: Change the power management settings in Device Manager

You might also resolve this issue by changing a power management setting in the USB root hub properties. Complete the following steps to access the hub and change the settings.
  1. In the Device Manager, double-click Universal Serial Bus controllers .
  2. Right-click USB Root Hub , and then click Properties .
  3. Click the Power Management tab.
  4. Remove the checkmark from the Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power check box.
  5. Click OK , and then close Device Manager.

Step five: Check for a duplicate product icon

Check the lower right corner of the computer screen. If you see two product icons, follow these steps to remove the extra icon.
  1. Open Printers and Faxes.
    • Windows 2000: Right-click My Computer , and then click Printers and Faxes .
    • Windows XP: Click Start , and then click Printers and Faxes .
  2. Two entries for the product labeled 1 and 2 display in the Printers and Faxes window. Highlight copy 1 , and then press the Delete key on the keyboard.
  3. Restart the computer.

Step six: Restart the computer

  1. Restart the computer.
  2. Reconnect the USB cable to the computer.
  3. Reconnect the USB cable to the product. Windows detects the product, and then adds the correct entries to the Device Manager.
  • If these steps resolved the issue , you do not need to continue troubleshooting.
  • If the issue persists , continue to the next solution.

Solution four: Check for software updates and patches

Follow these steps to download software updates and patches for your product.

Step one: Download updates from the Microsoft Web site

  1. Open the Help window.
    • Windows 2000: Right-click My Computer , and then click Help . The Help window opens.
    • Windows XP: Click Start . Right-click Help and Support . The Help and Support Center window opens.
  2. Type Windows Update in the Search text box, and then press Enter . The Search Results pane displays the search results.
  3. Click Install new or updated printer drivers .
  4. Follow the instructions in the content pane to download new or updated Microsoft drivers for your product.

Step two: Download updates from the HP Web site

  1. Right-click this link, Select Software and Drivers , and then click Open in New Window .
  2. If prompted, type your product number. You might also need to click it in a list of similar products. The Select your operating system window opens.
  3. Click your operating system from the list that displays. The Select software and drivers page opens.
  4. Under Driver , click the Full Feature Software and Driver option. The Download options and information window opens.
  5. Click Install now .
    NOTE:For a step-by-step guide to the auto installation process, click View directions .
  6. Follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the latest HP software.
  • If these steps resolved the issue , you do not need to continue troubleshooting.
  • If the issue persists , continue to the next solution.

Solution five: Review known issues for Windows XP

Review the following issues. If you are experiencing any of these issues with your product, follow the steps provided to resolve the issue.

Issue one: In Windows XP, the product prints but does not scan

Workaround

Changing the compatibility mode for the HP software might allow scanning to work correctly. Follow these steps to change the compatibility mode:
  1. Right-click the icon for the HP Director on the Windows Desktop, and then click Properties .
    NOTE:This icon might have the same name as the product model.
  2. Select the Compatibility tab.
  3. Click Run this program in compatibility mode for: to select it, and then select Windows 2000 in the drop-down menu.
  4. Click OK .

Issue two: In Windows XP, disconnect errors display after the computer goes into power save mode

Windows XP tries to conserve power by disabling the USB port when the product is not in use. Additionally, after you connect a USB device to the computer, the computer might not shut down correctly. Microsoft has released an update for this problem that is available through Microsoft Update.

Download and install the Microsoft update

  1. NOTE:One or more of the links above will take you outside the Hewlett-Packard Web site. HP does not control and is not responsible for information outside of the HP Web site.
  2. Type KB822603 in the Search Microsoft Support text box, and then press Enter .
  3. Click Download details: Update for Windows XP (KB822603) . The Microsoft Download Center opens.
  4. Follow the instructions to download and install the WindowsXP-KB822603-x86-ENU.exe update.
  • If these steps resolved the issue , you do not need to continue troubleshooting.
  • If the issue persists , continue to the next solution.

Solution six: Uninstall and then reinstall the product software

Follow these steps to uninstall and then reinstall the product software in the Windows 2000 operating system.

Method one: Uninstall and then reinstall the product software in Windows 2000

Step one: Uninstall the product software

  1. Disconnect the USB cable from the back of the product.
    Figure 2: Disconnect the USB cable
    Illustration of removing the USB cable from the product.
  2. Disconnect the power cord from the back of the product.
  3. Click Start , click Programs , click Hewlett-Packard , click the product folder, and then click Uninstall .
  4. When the uninstall is complete, restart the computer.

Step two: Use the HP Officejet G, K, V, and PSC 700 series uninstaller utility

If you have an HP Officejet G, K, V, and PSC 700 series product, open the HP Uninstaller Utility. The Uninstaller Utility removes some remnants of the drivers that Windows uses during the standard uninstall.
If you have an HP Officejet G series, right-click this link Select Software and Drivers . Select your product and operating system, and then download and install the patch.
If you have an HP Officejet K, V, or PSC 700 series product, complete the following steps to run the Uninstaller Utility located in the Uninstall folder on the HP CD.
  1. Insert the product software CD in the CD drive of the computer.
  2. Click Start , and then click Run .
  3. Click Browse .
  4. Click Look in , and then select the CD drive in the drop-down menu.
  5. Double-click the Uninstall folder listed on the software CD.
  6. Double-click the Forc_uni.bat file, and then click OK to run the file.

Step three: Reinstall the product software

  1. Right-click this link, Select Software and Drivers , and then click Open in New Window .
  2. If prompted, type your product number. You might also need to click it in a list of similar products. The Select your operating system window opens.
  3. Click Microsoft Windows 2000 . The Select software and drivers page opens.
  4. Under Driver , click the Full Feature Software and Driver option. The Download options and information window opens.
  5. Click Install now .
    NOTE:For a step-by-step guide to the auto installation process, click View directions .
  6. Follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the software.

Method two: Uninstall and then reinstall the product software in Windows XP

Follow these steps in the order presented to uninstall and then reinstall the product software in Windows XP

Step one: Uninstall the product software

For complete instructions on how to uninstall the product software in Windows XP, follow the instructions in Uninstalling the HP All-in-One Software (c02259020) (in English).

Step two: Reinstall the product software

For complete instructions on how to install the new product software in Windows XP, follow the instructions in HP All-in-One Products - Installing the Product Software in Windows XP for a USB Cable Connection (c02283843) (in English).
  1. Right-click this link, Select Software and Drivers , and then click Open in New Window .
  2. If prompted, type your product number. You might also need to click it in a list of similar products. The Select your operating system window opens.
  3. Click Windows XP in the list displayed. The Select software and drivers page opens.
  4. Under Driver , click HP Officejet Full Feature Software and Driver . The Download options and information window opens.
  5. Click Install now .
    NOTE:For a step-by-step guide to the auto installation process, click View directions .
  6. Follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the software.

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