HOW TO: Resolve HP Printer Driver Installation Issues on Windows 10

Question

Symptoms

First off; for several HP OfficeJet Printers (such as with the HP Officejet 6500A e-All-in-One Printer - E710a) the HP Installer downloaded from the website, or via the HP Print and Scan Doctor, will NOT install the Drivers for a USB Connected Printer. It just isn’t detected.

NOTE: You can copy the HP Print and Scan Doctor “updated/downloaded” Installation and Driver Files from; "C:\Program Files\HP\HP Printer Name” (i.e. "C:\Program Files\HP\HP Officejet 6500 E710a-f”) to another location such as "C:\Drivers\” for easier access.

Errors

If you try to manually install the Drivers through the Print Management Console, or the Device Manager, you will encounter the following errors:

• Error when installing Drivers through Print Management: "Unable to install , x64, Type3 - User Mode driver. This operation is not supported.”

  • The Microsoft KB Article 3041911 (hxxps://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3041911) is NOT applicable to this issue.

• Error when installing Drivers through Device Manager: “This operation requires an interactive window station”.

Solution

Assumptions

• That you know how to install Drivers through the Device Manager & Print Management Console (because it is not part of this guide).

Solution

1. Browse to the following Directory:
   • "C:\Windows\System32"

2. Change the Owner and the Security permissions for the following Folders:

   • DriverStore
     1. Right-click the DriverStore Folder and select Properties.
     2. Select the Security Tab at the top, and Click on the Advanced button.
     3. Click on the Change link.
     4. Type administrators in the pop-up, and Click OK.
     5. Check the “Replace owner on subcontainers and objects” box, and click OK.
     6. Click on the Advanced button AGAIN.
     7. Click on the Change permissions button.
     8. Click on the Add button.
     9. Click on the Select a principal link.
     10. Type administrators in the pop-up, and Click OK.
     11. Check the Full control box, and Click OK.
     12. Check the Replace all child object permission entries with inheritable permission entries from this object and click OK.
     13. Click Yes on the Windows Security pop-up.
     14. The Security Tab on the DriverStore Properties Window will “appear” to not have the newly added Permissions until they are reopened. Click OK.

   • The Security permissions on the following Folders may also need to be changed ONLY IF changing the Security permissions on above Folder DOES NOT resolve the issue;

     • drivers
     • DRVSTORE

   • Update the missing HP Printer Drivers Through the Device Manager using the HP Print and Scan Doctor “updated/downloaded” Installation and Driver Files Folder Path Noted in the Question at the top of this page under Symptoms.

References

You cannot install an additional 64-bit driver for a shared printer on a 32-bit print server https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3041911

"This operation requires an interactive window station” error https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/40ce7063-3d1e-4297-b682-35d8ef122634/this-operation-requires-an-interactive-window-station-error