Error when setting up printer

I'm on a mac mini running Sierra and have been using my old HP laserjet 4300n fine up until now. We recently moved house and when I plugged everything back in, it's stopped working. It's all connected the same as it was and the printer adder thingy is finding my printer ok (through a jet connect card - bonjour) but when I go to add it and it gets to the setting up 'hp laserjet 4300' I get an error

An error occurred while trying to add the selected device.

server-error-internal-error

I've reset the printing system a couple of times, removed the printer drivers and they've redownloaded from apple ok but still it's erroring. It won't even add a basic Acrobat driver that doesn't require an external connection to anything. No software has been changed other than when I reset the printing system and it downloaded again. I've currently got no printers available at all as it errors every time, no matter what I try to add.

Help!!

Mac mini, macOS Sierra (10.12.6)

Posted on Mar 7, 2018 2:11 PM

Top-ranking reply

Eric Root

Level 10

685,257 points

Posted on Mar 8, 2018 8:55 AM

If the above doesn't work, try setting up another admin user account to see if the same problem continues. Also try the Safe Mode.

Safe Mode - About El Capitan
also Sierra

Safe Mode Startup – El Capitan. also Sierra

If it works in the Safe Mode, try running this program when booted normally and then copy and paste the output in a reply. The program was created by Etresoft, a frequent contributor. Please use copy and paste as screen shots can be hard to read. Click “Share Report” button in the toolbar, select “Copy to Clipboard” and then paste into a reply. This will show what is running on your computer. No personal information is shown.

Etrecheck – System Information

View in context

Similar questions

20 replies

Mar 8, 2018 8:36 PM in response to Eric Root

I have a new one coming next week

Cunnla

Level 6

8,263 points

Mar 11, 2018 6:53 PM in response to louisedaartist

Hi,

Take a look at this HP article on a similar server error problem.

Solved: Web Services problem - Server connection error - HP Support Forum - 926923

Eric Root

Level 10

685,257 points

Mar 7, 2018 7:44 PM in response to louisedaartist

Wireless or USB attached?

HP – Printer Not Found During Wireless Installation

HP – Wireless Printing Center

Network Printer Troubleshooting

Ping printer: If you have the printers IP address open Terminal (Applications/Utilities) and at the prompt type: ping {printerIP}. You will get a reply or failure.

Printer Troubleshooting - Yosemite

WiFi Printer to WiFi Network - Connect

Mar 8, 2018 8:10 PM in response to Eric Root

yep, made no difference. I'm wondering if something is up with the ethernet cable... it's able to see the printer but it's when it's creating the actual printer that it errors. It's like it's either blocked from doing it, there's some corrupt instruction somewhere or it's not able to send instructions to the printer even if it can read everything. I would think if it could find it then the cable must be ok though...

Cunnla

Level 6

8,263 points

Mar 12, 2018 10:05 PM in response to louisedaartist

If you want to erase and reinstall Sierra you will need a bootable Sierra installer on an external disk or USB stick as Recovery tries to install High Sierra. If you have a Sierra installer on your Mac or in your purchases in the App Store you can install it on the external -- format Mac OS X extended (journaled) -- and then put it on your Mac. This installation will erase your drive so back up everything.

Before reinstalling your software, see if the printers work, then put things back one by one.

P.S. How to create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

Error when setting up printer