HP Designjet 500 42 inch plotter and Win 7 - 64 bit [ Edited ]

[SlashGuy1]

When we installed our HP Designjet 500 42 inch plotter on the new Windows 7 64 bit machine, we found that we were unable to get the same features that were available before when we were on Windows XP.  You can go into the Paper Standard tab and add Architectural by checking a box, but you can't select Arch D 24x36 print like we could before.  It's not even an option.  So, checking the Atchitectural under the Paper Standard tab adds no abilities to print like we could before.  None of the Arch paper sizes are available. The plotter does print, but the scale is off. We have manually inserted the paper sizes, but it does not print correctly without selecting the correct form. We are not AutoCad users, we are designers that simply print off what we receive in email.  The driver is called hpdj500wx64pclen.exe version 6.08, and basically all of the 64 bit drivers are the same now and all of the 32 bit drivers are the same ... so it doesn't do any good to jump back.  Who has an answer to this? We are not the only ones printing Arch D 24x36.  Please assist.

[timwj1]

I have not heard of Arch sizes not showing up once you add them, but I have seen the scale being off with the driver HP has on their website.  I would delete that printer/driver, reinstall it, and when it get to the point where it asks you for a disk or pick your make and model, click on Windows update instead, wait for a while for it to load its entire database of built in drivers and then pick your model and see if that works for you as it has for me.

[SlashGuy1]

Thanks for the reply.  When we initially plugged in the USB cable, we did let it go out to Windows Update and install the driver.  It found a driver and installed it.  That's when we noticed there were no Arch options.  Once I discovered that, we cleaned that driver and package out with <cmd> printui /s /tu and went to the website to get drivers.  We have tried all sorts of different drivers and variations with the same results on all of them (carefully removing the old driver after each test).  Not sure what else to try.  Its a $4500 plotter, so it's rude that the driver isn't complete with all the options they had back when it was loaded on Windows XP.  I started wondering actually if it wasn't an application that made the Arch options available, like an Adobe Professional or something ... but I have been convinced that the driver itself should contain the form types.

As a side note, I loaded the drivers on different machines as well ... and they don't show the Arch D forms either!

[timwj1]

I have never heard of such a problem with Windows 7 connected to an HP 500. The driver listed on the website should be a 510 driver, not 500 driver. It sure sounds like you still have a driver issue or network security/permissions issue blocking something. Have you verified when you delete the drivers that don't work that you go into server properties and delete the driver there or make sure it is deleted after your CMD command?

[SlashGuy1]

Yes, I just tested it and it does indeed remove the drivers.  The driver on the site for the Designjet 500 is called HP DesignJet 500 PCL3GUI 64-bit driver.  The is another driver, but I believe that is for a plotter with a special card in it. That's what I was told.  There is also a Designjet 510 unit out there, but it's not the same plotter. 

It's a USB printer, so there's no network issues.  The PC is not on a domain, so it's not a group policy issue.  The user is the only user on the computer, and she is the administrator.  Outside of the facility, I get the same results on other computers as well.  I can't figure it.

[timwj1]

The 510 replaced the 500 so it uses the same driver.  Since the others aren't working for you I'd try the 510 driver.  http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=18...

[SlashGuy1]

I tried installing the drivers for the HP Designjet 510 42in Printer (my printer is actually a HP Designjet 500 42in Printer).  That also does not give me any Arch D paper settings at all or any other Arch paper settings.  I have gone into the Paper Standards tab and selected the Architectual box.  I was hopeful that it would work.  Doesn't anyone use the Arch D forms any more?  Did they remove the functionality of the 24x36?  Keep in mind, the printer does print, but the scale is off.  On the 'Select a Form' section, I need to be able to drop that list down and select Arch D .. like we did in XP ... then all will be well.

[Scoob]

I am not an expert on this but I have been using the HP DesignJet 500 42 for some time on Windows 7, 32 bit and now, 64 bit.  I just moved to a new 64 bit machine.  I plugged the 500 into to the new computer using USB.  It searched and found the right drivers and everything worked perfectly.  Including architectural sizes being availabe. The driver is listed as "hpltdrv7.dll", last modified in 2007, in "C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\x64\3" for whatever it's worth.  The "About" tab in printer properties says "HP Designjet Printer Driver v6.07."  No idea if this helps but I don't think the problem is with the driver not being available or complete.   From previous emails I think you've done this . . but just to be sure:  Have you gone into Printer Properties => Paper Standards => and selected "Architectural?"   If this option isn't available I don't know the reason but I can tell you that it is there on mine and works fine.

For what it's worth.

[Scoob]

Adder: I do have the entrie Achitectural list available including Arch D.

[Scoob]

Okay . . . I do NOT have the oversized Arch D available which is probably what your missing? 24" X 36" rather than 22" X 34"? Yikes. Sorry. I don't use that one so I've never missed it. Best of luck. I would guess that only HP support can answer that one.