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[HELP] broke a (HP) Printer by pulling USB Plug -when it was trying to print (?)

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tomos:
This is one of those situation where I'm not 100% sure what happened but I think it was this (note: the OS messages are translated so may be off a bit):

I think I pulled the printer's usb plug (from the computer) while the printer was receiving info from the computer about a print job

Printer: HP OfficeJet Pro 8500
OS: Windows 7 (64 bit)

Next time I tried to print, it didnt work (absolutely no response from printer)

* I tried different USB ports,
* tried restarting printer and pc (a couple of times)
I tried the OS trouble shooter and it said that there was something in the printer queue - nothing was showing there - but I suspect a print job got half sent to the printer and screwed things up, but it doesnt show in the printer queue.

Under printers, there was an option in this printers context menu - something like "delete the printer queue". I chose this, and it said it was going to delete the printer - which was not the next logical step from just deleting the queued documents - but I thought WTF and did it - I thought when I connected the printer again the OS would simply install it again, but this didnt work. Absolutely no response from the OS when the printer was reconnected.

I tried the HP software which sent me into a weird loop of attach printer -> install manually (I think, it was quite vague) -> back to beginning.
So that was no help.

This is not my computer/printer - I'm going to go back there (possibly on Sunday) with a different laptop and see if the printer gets installed on that one (in which case I would presume the problem with the OS - but I suspect it's with the printer.)

But I thought I'd ask here if anyone had any tips - the printer is brand new so under guarantee (although I'd be embarrassed either way: to admit, or to not admit, what happenend)

Did try a google search but no success (but possibly using the wrong terms)
One of those days...

mouser:
typically what one does in such case is UNPLUG device from power.. WAIT 5-10 minutes, replug it in.

worstje:
I am with the mouser. Unplug the printer and wait a while. Same with Windows.

Printers are by far the buggiest most crappy appliances known to man, save perhaps those old-fashioned modems. Some are dumb machines that rely completely on the computer to do its every twitch, others only want the computer to tell them what the page looks like, and inbetween those things all printers have totally insane and messed up software packages that are supposed to make things 'easier' but rarely ever do.

So, if power-recycling both your printer and Windows doesn't work, remove your printer, run DriverCleaner or something similar, then reinstall it. If that messes up too, try another computer. If that messes up too, then congratulations, you broke your printer but good.

mouser:
while i avoid any programs that clean registry or drivers, for fear of making things work, the suggestion to try another computer is excellent, and i would do that if power cycle doesnt work.  and worstje is right to suggestion restarting the PC too before concluding it's something bad with printer.

tomos:
okay, thanks for the tips :up:
will try on Sunday...

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