HP Photosmart C4280 All-in-one printer

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Level 1

8 points

HP Photosmart C4280 All-in-one printer

This may or may not be a mac problem but the HP people are no use. I bought the above printer with my mac book pro. The softward downloads off the CD ok but I'm then taken to the HP Printer Assistant and am asked to select my printer. But there's no printer shown in the window. I can actually print, so it's not a crisis - just wondered if other people had any problems downloading the software. This suggests the mac's not properly "reading" the printer, or vice versa.

Imac G5, Mac OS X (10.4.4)

Posted on Sep 28, 2007 2:17 PM

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Answer 1

S.U.

Level 6

9,601 points

Sep 28, 2007 2:45 PM in response to emberglance

This is interesting, since I am geting the same printer with my new MBP, but it hasn't arrived yet. But I had an odd problem with my old HP1022 LaserJet, which worked perfectly on my old iBook. The HP software download said "Download Later", so I used the CD. It installed after a fashion, and fortunately it prints, but it has a generic icon from the printer utility rather than the usual LaserJet Icon. So there is something going on, but I don't know what. I am guessing that maybe the "Download Later" is in anticipation of Leopard which was delayed, but in reality I really don't know what's going on.

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Answer 2

emberglance Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 28, 2007 3:05 PM in response to S.U.

Also, when I added the printer in Systems Preferences, it wanted to know what driver to use and when you click HP you're then given a looooong list of HP models not one of which is the C4280.

And don't get me started on their online assistant "Pauline", who was less human that a dalek and who took 20 minutes to getting round to telling me they don't offer any support for this model (which is being sold to almost all mac buyers in the country...)

But that's by the by.

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Answer 3

S.U.

Level 6

9,601 points

Sep 28, 2007 8:11 PM in response to emberglance

When I bought the retail Tiger DVD for my iBook and did a clean install, I discovered that not a single one of my HP printers was in the HP list. So when I did and erase and install of the OS on my MBP, I did a custom install by eliminating all the printer drivers and languages I will never use. Then I added the Lasejet using the CD.

The free printer I got with my iBook was actually in the list and had a driver. You would think that any printer that came for free with a computer would be on the list and have the driver installed, but maybe not any more--at least not with my MBP.

It's a shame that the printer manufacturers can't simplify things and have fewer drivers which work for multiple printers.

I have found HP support to be pretty spotty, with some people being very helpful and others being totally ignorant. It sounds like you got one of the more worthless ones. It's a pity--they would sell more printers if you could count on decent support.

This may be worth a little feedback to Apple.

Good luck!

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Answer 4

S.U.

Level 6

9,601 points

Oct 12, 2007 2:17 PM in response to Mary Gate

Welcome to Apple Discussions!

I finally got my HP Photosmart C4280 Printer and installed it without incident. It seems to print just fine. I followed the HP installation instructions exactly and used the CD provided by HP. The only thing I noticed, and this seems to be the case with every HP printer I have, is that the cables really have to be pushed in hard at the back of the printer or it won't work.

If you and the OP could post back with how far you got in the installation and where you got hung up, maybe we could figure out what the problem is. But if you haven't already, try installing the driver on the CD. It sounds like it is not included in the drivers that came on the computer.

Good luck, and please post back if you need more help.

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Answer 5

Oct 10, 2007 9:32 PM in response to emberglance

I have the exact same problem with MacBook and this brand new C4280, and I can't print at all. Help anyone?

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