Success! How to Print/Scan on network (Win7 & HP 2710)

Question

OK, I can't say that this will work for everyone considering how many different setups there are out there, but I was able to Print and Scan over my network using the HP software for my Photosmart 2710.  This works about 95% of the way.  The extra 5% I'll explain:
1) I keep getting a "device driver failed to install" error on restarting the PC.  This only happens on a PC restart and you can silence the message if you want (although it may slience any other hardware install messages with it).  The funny thing is that the printer/scanner still work perfectly fine even with error.
2) It seems Win7 programs still can't "see" the scanner and it appears to be "half installed"... I'm able to view the scanner properties, but when I select "Scan Profiles" I get an error saying "no scaners are insalled.  However, the HP software can see and use the scanner AND you can press the "scan" button on the printer and get the scanner to load the HP software to capture the scan.
3) Final Notes:  Printing seems to work perfectly from any program in Win7, and I'm unable to test the Fax since I'm not setup for that.
4) Lastly, my "UAC" was turned off so I'm unware of any extra "are you sure?" messages you may get.
~~~~~How to get the HP Photosmart 2710 to Print, Scan... and maybe Fax over the network with Windows 7~~~~~
OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit (Fresh install -- Installed Win7 then Installed the HP software to ensure no conflicts)
Network Connection: Wired through a Belkin N+ router (did not use the 2710's wifi)
Status: HP Digital Monitor can see and track the printer and scanner, some scanning options may not work if your not using the HP software.
How to:
1) Download the latest "HP Officejet and Photosmart Full Feature Software and Drivers" package (about 164MB large)" for Windows VISTA (32bit & 64bit) and the 2710 and save to your desktop.  Of course you should double check to ensure there's not a new Windows 7 software package available... just in case HP decided to help us out.  If there is, download that instead and ingore the rest of this post. ;-)
2) Now goto "Start", "Control Panel", "System & Security", "Windows Firewall".  On the left panel select "Turn Windows Firewalll on or off".  Now ensure that both "Turn Off Windows Firewall" options are selected... save your settings.  ALSO, ensure you've turned off any other 3rd party firewalls that may be running "ZoneAlarm, Norton, Symantec, etc".  Finally, you may need to double check your router settings, although if the printer was working before Windows 7... chances are your network is fine.
3) Now "Right Click" on the driver package sitting on your desktop and select "troubleshoot compatibility"... once Win7 gets done "detecting problems" make sure you select "Troubleshoot Program" (2nd option).  Now select "I don't see my problem listed" and click "Next".
4) On the new screen select "Windows Vista (Service Pack 2) and click "Next" and then select "I don't see my problem listed"... finally, click the "Start the program..." button that appears.
5) During the install slide the extra "program compatibility" window out of the way (leaving it open) and allow the installer to do it's work.  If everything goes to plan all the HP software should be installed and your printer should be detected on the network.  Once the installer is all done you can close out the extra window and if you so choose you can "save these settings for this program".
6)  Restart the PC for good measure and you should be able to run the 2710... keep in mind that you'll probably get the "device driver failed to install" message, but again I've not seen any real problem with that message yet.
7)  Now you can slow turn the windows firewall and any other 3rd party firewall settings back to what they were before.. keeping in mind that you might  have to give permission for the HP software to passthrough the firewalls you have running for it to work correctly.
Hope this helps, until HP does.   I'll try to answer any questions to the best of my ability.  Sorry about any spelling errors.
TK.
Message Edited by teknomedic on 10-25-2009 07:29 PM
Message Edited by teknomedic on 10-25-2009 07:30 PM

Answer 1

Thank you for the above. It got me most of the way, but I had to do a few more bits to get the drivers to work correctly on Windows 7 Professional.
* Install windows 7
* Install anti virus/spam/firewall solution
* Install the 'basic' inbuilt windows 7 printer driver for the HP 2710. Then check it will print, so know printer works
* Turn off the firewall used on windows 7
* Installs the Vista drivers for the HP 2710, under vista service pack 2 compatibility mode, as above
* Download and install the Vista Reboot patch for Windows 7 upgrade (I think this stops the driver message at startup)
* At this point the printer worked, but scanner did not.
* Download and install the Windows 7 c309a All in 1 Photosmart software. Ignore when it looks for the c309a printer, and say complete the install. Basically this looks to be a newer photosmart based on the same software solution as the original HP2710. As it over-installs the 2710 software & drivers, it automatically fixes the bits that the 2710 install did not get right.
* Turn on your firewall
* Reboot the windows 7 PC
* On startup allow the HP software to access the different network bits (say Yes) to can HPxxxx access networks etc..
* Update Win7 with microsoft updates
* Reboot PC
Now after a few reboots the PC starts with a full patched Win 7 Operating System and the HP 2710 can Print, Scan, Fax as normal. Now I can use the HP2710 for another year until it breaks on me.