DeskJet Series Problem Summary and Troubleshooting Guide

• Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.0, 3.0a, 3.1
• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c 6.0, 6.0a

SUMMARY

This article lists the printer drivers available for Hewlett-Packard (HP) DeskJet printers (that is, the DeskJet, DeskJet Plus, DeskJet 500, DeskJet 500 Color [500C], DeskJet 550, and DeskJet 550C) for printing from Microsoft Windows version 3.1. The article lists the following information for each printer driver:

• Name and version of the printer driver
• Driver Name
• DeskJet model(s) supported by the driver
• Fonts supported
• Problems or limitations of each driver
• Recommendations for optimal use with Windows version 3.1

Printer Drivers Supplied by Hewlett-Packard Corporation

HP DeskJet Family Version A.03.10 for Windows 3.0 (DESKJET.DRV)

   Models:      DeskJet, DeskJet Plus, DeskJet 500
   Fonts:       Internal, cartridges, download fonts
   Problem:     Does not support scalable or TrueType fonts
   Recommend:   See "Additional Notes" below

   Models:      DeskJet, DeskJet Plus, DeskJet 500
   Fonts:       Internal, cartridges, scalable fonts
   Problem:     Does not support TrueType fonts
   Recommend:   See "Additional Notes" below

   Models:      DeskJet, DeskJet Plus, DeskJet 500, and 500 Color
   Fonts:       Internal, cartridges, scalable, and TrueType
   Problem:     See "HP DeskJet Series Version 2.1" below.
   Recommend:   See "Additional Notes" below.

   Models:      DeskJet, DeskJet Plus, DeskJet 500, 500C
   Fonts:       Internal, cartridges, scalable, and TrueType
   Problem 1:   TrueType fonts print as black blocks
   Recommend:   Update to Windows version 3.1 Universal Printer
                Driver (UNIDRV.DLL)
   Problem 2:   Prints nothing but ink smear with HP DeskJet, Plus,
                and 500 models
   Recommend:   Update to Windows version 3.1 Universal Printer
                Driver (UNIDRV.DLL)

   Notes on versions 2.0 and 2.1: The HP DeskJet Series drivers
   versions 2.0 and 2.1 print TrueType fonts correctly to the HP
   DeskJet 500C if you select the Black Only option in the
   Printer Setup dialog box. TrueType fonts do not print to any
   other DeskJet models using these printer drivers because they send
   information in a compressed mode. The 500C is the only
   model that can understand the compressed data. Printing TrueType
   fonts to other DeskJet models may result in black blocks or smeared
   ink.

   Models:      DeskJet, DeskJet Plus, DeskJet 500, 500C, 550, 550C
   Fonts:       Internal, Cartridge, Scalable, TrueType, and Color
                Support for the 500C and 550C
   Problem 1:   Printing Speed
   Recommend:   Disable Windows Print Manager when printing only one
                job
   Problem 2:   Gray ink smears when printing to DeskJet 500
   Recommend:   Re-install the HP driver version 3.0 for the DeskJet
                500 (non-color)
   Problem 3    Color bleeds on the 550C when you print combined
                color and black in the same print job
   Recommend:   Change the Ink Control option to Minimize Black &
                Color Mixing. Ink Control is found in Print Setup
   Problem 4    Envelopes may print incorrectly from Word 2.0
   Recommend    See "Additional Notes" below

   Notes on version 3.0: This HP DeskJet printer driver version is
   designed to support the use of scalable and TrueType fonts as
   well as color printing to the HP DeskJet 500C and 550C (color)
   models of the printer. This driver supports simultaneous black and
   color printing on the DeskJet 550C. This driver also supports
   the DeskJet 500 (non-color) model when properly selected at setup.

   Models:      DeskJet, DeskJet Plus, DeskJet 500, 500C, 550, 550C
   Fonts:       Scalable, TrueType, and Color Support for the 500C
                and 550C
   Problem 1:   Internal and cartridge fonts not supported
   Recommend:   Use Microsoft driver HPDSKJET.DRV version 2.1

   Models:      DeskJet, DeskJet Plus, DeskJet 500, 500C, 550, 550C
   Fonts:       Scalable, TrueType, and Color Support for the 500C
                and 550C
   Changes from Previous version:
    - Automatic color selection
    - Intellifonts no longer supported
    - Unprintable region changed to .33  top and .67  bottom

Printer Drivers Supplied By Microsoft Corporation

Windows Version 3.1: HP DeskJet 500 Version 1.1 (HPDSKJET.DRV)

   Models:      DeskJet, DeskJet Plus, DeskJet 500
   Fonts:       Internal, cartridges, and TrueType
   Problem 1:   Unable to use DeskJet scalable fonts
   Recommend:   Update to HP DeskJet Series version 4.0 driver
   Problem 2:   TrueType fonts in graphs print incorrectly.
   Recommend:   Problem was corrected in Microsoft version 2.0 driver
   Problem 3:   Color printing not supported
   Recommend:   Use DESKJETC.DRV version 4.0 from HP

If you select the HP DeskJet 500C and choose the Install button, Windows version 3.1 asks for an unlisted printer driver disk because it expects the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) disk that comes with the printer (this disk contains the HP DeskJet Series version 2.1 driver). If you insert the Windows version 3.1 Disk 6 (3.5 inch) or Disk 7 (5.25 inch) instead, the error message "Cannot find UNIDRV.DLL" occurs. This message occurs because the Windows DeskJet 500C driver is incompatible with the Windows version 3.1 Universal Printer Driver.

Windows Version 3.1: HP DeskJet 500 Version 1.2 (HPDSKJET.EXE)

   Models:      DeskJet, DeskJet Plus, DeskJet 500
   Fonts:       Internal, cartridges, and TrueType
   Problem 1:   Unable to use DeskJet scalable fonts.
   Recommend:   Update to HP DeskJet Series version 4.0 driver.
   Problem 2:   TrueType fonts in graphs print incorrectly.
   Recommend:   Problem was corrected in Microsoft version 2.0 driver.
   Problem 3:   Color printing not supported
   Recommend:   Use DESKJETC.DRV version 4.0 from HP

Windows Version 3.1: HP DeskJet 500 Version 2.0 (HPDSKJET.DRV)

   Models:      DeskJet, DeskJet Plus, DeskJet 500, DeskJet 500C
   Fonts:       Internal, cartridges, and TrueType
   Problem 1:   Unable to print color on DeskJet 500C.
   Recommend:   Update to HP DeskJet Series version 4.0 driver
   Problem 2:   Unable to use DeskJet scalable fonts
   Recommend:   Update to HP DeskJet Series version 4.0 driver

   Models:      DeskJet, DeskJet Plus, DeskJet 500, DeskJet 500C
   Fonts:       Internal, cartridges, and TrueType
   Problem 1:   Unable to print color on DeskJet 500C
   Recommend:   Update to HP DeskJet Series version 4.0 driver
   Problem 2:   Unable to use DeskJet scalable fonts
   Recommend:   Update to HP DeskJet Series version 4.0 driver

Additional Notes

Under Windows version 3.1, Hewlett-Packard recommends using version 4.0 of the DeskJet driver (DESKJETC.DRV). Under Windows 3.0, HP recommends using the HP DeskJet Series version 3.0 (DESKJETC.DRV) driver for the HP DeskJet 500, 500C, 550, and 550C if you want internal scalable font or color printing support.