USB HP printer seen as unreadable disk

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Level 1

4 points

USB HP printer seen as unreadable disk

My HP 1606 LaserJet printer is no longer functional as a local device. I get the message "This disk is unreadable". I have read elsewhere on this board that it is the result of a flash drive in the printer that is seen via USB as a disk instead of as a printer and the Mac OS gets confused. Also when I try to reinstall it locally it sees it as a scanner. Why it worked before the various OS updates...? In any event, it still works via Ethernet. I thought someone else might have the same problem and be interested in this solution.

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015), OS X Yosemite (10.10.4)

Posted on Mar 10, 2018 9:34 AM

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Answer 1

Paul Weeks Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 10, 2018 2:42 PM in response to Kappy

I did not contact HP myself, but in Apple discussions I found this:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/8034903?answerId=32077866022#32077866022

Sep 5, 2017 4:51 PM in response to suzannefromrandburg

You cannot install generic drivers as the printer presents itself as a USB Flash drive and not as a printer. Only the correct driver understands this and can deal with it. Not a great choice by a printer manufacturer! I've just got off the phone from HP tech support. I was told there is no solution. The answer is to throw away your working printer and purchase a new one, or downgrade your operating system.

My choice for a new printer will NOT be HP!

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Answer 2

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Mar 10, 2018 2:54 PM in response to Paul Weeks

All manufacturers are like that. HP isn't the only one. They all have models they choose not to support after a period of time. Like everyone in the business, you want to move your buyers up to the latest new things as quickly as possible because that is what drives sales. To think otherwise is to say you don't understand business and economics.

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Answer 3

Paul Weeks Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 10, 2018 5:33 PM in response to Kappy

I don't understand business and economics. I naively believe the horse pucky the sales people shovel out. I never considered that Apple would remove FTP for instance. Silly me. I know they're slaving day and night to make my life better.

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Answer 4

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Mar 11, 2018 11:20 AM in response to Paul Weeks

When did they have FTP? In my nearly 30 years with Macs, they only had the feature of contacting an FTP server for downloads, only.

Actually, you do have an alternative, possibly. You could try downgrading your version of macOS to the last version that supported your printer's driver.

I have been through this several times over the years. HPs, Lexmarks, Epsons, Brothers just to name a few. Horse pucky just happens. Much like a weather report: there's a 100% probability of horse pucky. 😁😁

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Answer 5

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Mar 10, 2018 10:07 AM in response to Paul Weeks

Have you talked with HP's tech support and asked them for help? Can you find anything useful in the printer's documentation?

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USB HP printer seen as unreadable disk

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