I installed windows xp home edition. when attempting to down load new
driver for my hp officejet t45 something went wrong. when i try to
reinstall i get the following: "Setup has detected a previous
installation of the officejet series software. You must uninstall that
software fefore continuing. Use the Uninstall Software option in the
HP officejet program group or run Uninstall from the Office jet series
softare CD."

I do not have an HP program group. No printer is currently showing as
installed and I have deleted all files with hp*.*

What can I do to clear this so I can install the printer?

Hi chaseinc, 

By deleting those hp*.* files and 121 of them, I believe you might
have caused some serious damage to other programs or the Operating
System itself. Please do not get into editing the Windows registry!!

Before trying to solve your printer problem, I advise you to
re-install Windows XP. Why I say this is because, even if your printer
gets installed, your action of deleting all those files may result in
an unstable condition of your computer. It is better to start over
again than have a running machine which may crash or malfunction at
any point of time in the future. You may be working on something very
important and suddenly the computer may crash!

This time, AFTER shutting down the computer, please disconnect the
printer from the computer either on the computer side or on the
printer side (which is easier because it is a clip-on connector rather
than a connector with screws).

Secondly, if you have upgraded from an earlier version of Windows, the
'add/remove software' in 'Control Panel' may have an option to
uninstall XP. Please use this and revert to your earlier version of
windows. Once you have done this, re-install your Windows XP. Once you
have done this, and XP is up and functioning, re-download the new
drivers for your printer from the HP website.

This is the URL for the XP driver download:
-URL- 
http://www.hp.com/cgi-bin/cposupport/swindex.pl?p=hpofficeje18440&l=en&c=MicrosoftWindowsXP

Now shut down your computer completely and connect the printer. The
Parallel port does not support 'hot' connection or disconnection like
the USB port!

Start up the computer. When XP loads, it will pop up a window saying
'found new hardware' or something similar. You are supposed to ignore
this and other 'Windows certification windows'. The installation
process is explained quite in detail on this URL.

-URL-
http://www.hp.com/cgi-bin/cposupport/get_doc.pl?SNI=hpofficeje18440&LC=multifunction&Tfile=bpu01852

Please note the settings for the parallel port should be done before
the printer installation process. Please follow this step-by-step.

I am quite sure this will work out. If you face any problems, please
don't hesitate to contact me again!

warm regards
vinod-ga

---

Clarification of Answer by vinods-ga on 07 Oct 2002 13:46 PDT

Hi chaseinc, 

Did you manage to get the printer installed?

warm regards
vinods-ga

Hi, 

To give a solution to your problem, I need to know 

1. What port are you using to connect the printer? Is it the USB port?
The USB port connects through a small rectangular connector about 3/4
or an inch long and 1/4 or an inch wide. If it is not the USB post,
are you using a Parallel port to connect your printer?

2. Did you manage to download the new drivers for the printer
properly? You mentioned that something went wrong. Can you describe
this? Was it a bad download or a broken and resumed download? In this
case, please download the drivers again.


3. please let me know what you see under

Start> Control Panel > System > Hardware (tab) > Device manager

Do you see any anything under Printers? If you do, please click on the
'+" sign and describe what you see.

Please let me know this and I will definitely find a solution to your
problem.

warm regards
vinod-ga

1. I am using the Parallel port.

2. I did successfully download the correct drivers and software from
the hp web site.

3. under 'divice manager' nothing shows up for printers. and if I go
to Control Panel then printers and faxes it is blank with no printers
installed.

After installing windows xp it said new hard ware found and ask me to
put the install CD in for my printer. When that came up and started to
load it said 'Do not load this' and sent me to the hp web site. I
found the section for downloading drivers for my printer and
successfully downloaded same.

When I tried to run the install it said 'Setup has detected a previous
installation of the officejet series software...' so I tried to use
the HP Uninstall but computer crashed.

I rebootet and tried several more times with same result...

Then I think I did something really dumb. I did a search for all files
hp*.* and found 121 files and deleted all of them.

Now I have no HP folder, no uninstall, and hp does not show up in Add
/ Delete programs from control panel.

I have deleted and redownloaded the drivers / install program from hp
site several times always with same results: 'Setup has detected a
previous installation of the officejet series software...'

I very much appreciate your assistance.

hello chaseinc,

what i do to solve this kind of problems is to delete the
corresponding software's entry in the registry.

Before doing anything in the registry, backup your registry:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q322756

1.Run "regedit" (without quotes)
2.Expand HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (to expand click on the +).
3.Expand Software.
4.If there is any key with HP's name, expand that.
5.If there is any key with with the software you are trying to
install, right-click on it and select 'Delete'
6.Close regedit and try to install your HP's software

try that and post if that works (or not), and good luck ;)

guybrush152