[SOLVED] Printer Driver Issue in W7

My printer is an HP laserjet P2015. In Vista, I had an HP postscript plugnplay driver that worked great, but HP provided Microsoft with the wrong Windows 7 driver for this printer. The driver in W7 is a PCL6 Universal driver, and though it works, it doesn't work well.

When I clean installed W7, W7 installed my printer and the universal driver that came with W7. I tried to "Add a printer" so I could try my old vista driver, but W7 wants to automatically add that universal driver.

Is there a way to "Add a printer" with my own choice of drivers?

Hi DallasDad

When you add printer can you do it off line so Windows 7 cant download the universal driver, also if Windows still just reloads the driver uninstall it via task manager then install your driver off line from disk or saved file.

I could be mistaken, but I think the software already had the driver without going online.
Last night I downloaded the Vista driver I wanted, but I couldn't do anything with it.

I think one problem is Administrators priviledges. W7 thinks there's a difference between "administrator" and "administrator". They both look the same to me, so I've been having an argument with W7 about that, so far I'm losing the argument.

I tried to add a printer and install the driver to that, but I got so far and it just wouldn't do it. I was using instructions for performing the same task in Vista. It worked in Vista, but wouldn't work in W7.

I tried changing the driver for the existing printer set up, but when I get to the window that contains the box to click for "New Driver", it's greyed out and won't let me in, so maybe it's an Admin Priviledge issue? I don't know. Everything I try, I'm hitting a dead end.

This can be frustrating, have you tried making a new account (with full admin rights and password) and then try accessing the driver you want ?, also right click and run as Admin.

You could try turning UAC settings off until the printer is setup. A reboot is required each time the UAC settings have changed in order to take effect.

This is a shot on the dark, but it might just work.
Would it be possible for you to install your own drivers with the printer unattached?
That is to say, uninstall the MS supplied ones, disconnect the printer, install your own drivers, connect printer and see what happens!

YES!! Finally figured it out!
Rather than add a printer or delete the original driver, I figured out how to simply add a driver to the driver bank, then select the new driver for the default printer.

The trick is to find the "Add Printer Driver Wizard" and if anyone needs the key, here it is:

Start > Control Panel > Devices and Printers
Double click the default printer to open.
Click Customize Your Printer
Click Change Properties > Advanced > New Driver
This opens the Add Printer Driver Wizard

Once you get to the wizard, the rest of it falls into place.

BTW, it sounds easy now, but trust me. It wasn't!

Glad you got it sorted DD

Thanks Veedaz. You and me both!
I was afraid I was either going to have to just live with it or buy a new Printer.