Are You Having Problems Finding Your Windows 7 or Windows 8 Print Driver? Try the HP Printer Install Wizard

NOTE:The HP Printer Install Wizard is not available for all HP printers. This tool is available only for the Windows 7 and Windows 8 operating systems.The HP Printer Install Wizard works with printers connected with a USB cable or with a wired (Ethernet) or wireless network connection. If you would like to connect your printer wirelessly, but it is not on a wireless network, you need to temporarily connect the printer with a USB cable to run the Printer Install Wizard.

 

Solution

Follow these steps to download and then run the HP Printer Install Wizard.

Step one: Download the HP Printer Install Wizard

1. Click or tap the following link to download the wizard:

   Link to wizard	File size
   HP Printer Install Wizard	> 2MB

2. Make sure that your computer meets the system requirements, and then click Download .
3. Check to see if the Security Warning dialog box opens, and then click the Plus sign ( ) next to the corresponding option:
   Show all | Hide all
   
   If the Security Warning dialog box opens
   When the Security Warning dialog box opens, choose one of the following methods to download the wizard.
   
   Method one: Run the utility
   1. In the Security Warning dialog box, click Run .
   2. When the Download Complete dialog box opens, click Run , and then click Runagain on the Security Warning dialog box.
   
   Method two: Save the utility
   1. In the Security Warning dialog box, click Save .
   2. When the Save As window opens, browse to your Desktop, and then click Save.
   3. When the download is complete, browse to where you saved the file, and then double-click the file to install the utility.
   
   If the Security Warning dialog box does not open
   1. Click Run in the Notification bar to download the software.
   2. Click Yes in the User Account Control window.
   When the wizard finishes installing, the wizard opens automatically.
   Figure 1: Example of the Printer Install Wizard window

   

Step two: Run the HP Printer Install Wizard

1. Press the Power button ( ) to turn on the printer, if it is not already on.
2. Connect the USB cable to the HP printer and to the computer, if it is not already connected to the computer or the network.
3. Make sure that your computer has an Internet connection. The wizard must access the Internet to work correctly.
4. Click Next to begin the utility. The wizard displays a list of detected products.
5. If the wizard detects more than one printer, select your HP printer from the list.
   
     Is your printer not in the list?
   If your printer is not in the list, click My Printer is not listed , and then follow the on-screen instructions.
6. The wizard automatically displays the best available driver for your HP printer.
   If a full feature driver is available , the wizard detects it. Click Next to download and install the software. For full functionality, HP recommends installing the full feature driver if it is available.
   
   What is a full feature driver?
   This installation provides full product functionality. HP also includes valuable software to help you get the most out of your printer.
   If an in-Operating System (in-OS) driver is available , the wizard explains that the driver is already installed. It also supplies a link to more information about using the in-OS driver with your printer.
   
   What is an in-OS driver?
   An in-OS driver is a basic driver that is already included in the operating system. You do not need to download or install any software from HP.
   If a Windows Update driver is available , the wizard explains that the driver is already installed. It will also supply a link to more information about using a Windows Update driver.
   
   What is a Windows Update driver?
   When you connect the USB cable to the printer, and then to the computer, or Windows 8 detects that the printer is on the same network as the PC, Windows activates Windows Update. Windows Update searches online for the most recent printer driver on the Windows Update site. If the online driver is more recent than the driver stored in Windows, the computer downloads and installs the updated driver. The Windows Update process takes place automatically.
   If an alternate driver is available , the wizard supplies a link to learn how to install and configure the alternate driver for your printer.
   
   NOTE:Alternate drivers are supported by Windows 7 only.
   
   What is an alternate driver?
   For some products that do not have a driver available, there might be another compatible driver that you can use instead.

 

Best Phone On Universe on 2013

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active vs Samsung Galaxy S4

One of the main side-effects of Samsung’s rapid brand expansion, which now includes a wide variety of devices under the ‘Galaxy S4’ moniker, is a hefty dollop of consumer confusion.

 What is the difference between the Galaxy S4 and the Galaxy S4 Active apart from the sporty suffix and bright colour schemes?

Samsung Galaxy S4: Key specs and features

A particular strong point of the Samsung Galaxy S4 is a component you’ll spend the majority of your time staring at – the display. It’s a 5-inch Super AMOLED panel with a Full HD 1920x1080 pixel resolution, chalking up a pixel density of 440 pixels-per-inch (ppi) for some incredibly sharp visual clarity. As is often the case with Samsung’s high-end Super AMOLED setups, colour and brightness are suitably robust and contrast is also strong. There’s virtually nothing to fault the image quality here.

At time of writing the only storage variant available in the UK is the 16GB version, but this still provides plenty of space for apps, games and multimedia, plus, for those who really love to carry vast music catalogues there’s also a microSD slot for cards up to 64GB.

Being a flagship phone there’s plenty to shout about when it comes to performance. Samsung has managed to optimise the now-thoroughbred Android platform (version 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, in this case) very well to its TouchWiz UI and it all works flawlessly on the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core chip. The processor is clocked at 1.9GHz with an Adreno 320 graphics processing unit (GPU) and 2GB of RAM, ensuring everything is smooth and seamless whether you’re running high-end games or flipping between apps on the multitasking carousel.

Samsung has made a fuss over the Galaxy S4’s ‘value added’ features which combine specific bits of software and hardware to do things you may not find on rival devices. While some may rate such features more highly than others, there’s no denying Samsung is offering a fairly unique set of phone interactions here.

These include things like Air View and Air Gesture, which allow you to activate certain shortcuts and interface elements without even touching the screen – you simply hover your finger over it. Smart Stay, Smart Pause and Smart Scroll also allow interactions simply by detecting where your eyes are looking at – Smart Stay means the display won’t power off as long as you’re looking at it while Smart Scroll lets you pan up and down webpages with your eye movement. Group Play lets you wirelessly link your phone up to other compatible Samsung Galaxy models to turn the handsets into a stereo or surround sound system when playing music.

Samsung’s S Health app is included and you can use it to monitor your exercise and diet.

Additional features are also associated specifically with the camera. The Galaxy S4’s camera setup is a 13-megapixel back-illuminated sensor (BSI) with LED flash, digital stabilisation, autofocus, face and smile detection, HDR, 1080p video and panoramic mode. It also supports voice commands. The front-facing secondary is rated at 2-megapixels.

The most prominent bonus features is dual-shot, which lets you capture images or video footage simultaneously with both the primary and secondary cameras, with the idea that you can still be included in the photo or video. As with the older Samsung Galaxy S3, the Galaxy S4 features good digital stabilisation, simultaneous video and image capture and a multishot mode. Multishot capabilities are further enhanced with Drama Shot, which lets you capture a series of images as a ‘motion capture’ photo. There’s also Sound and Shot to add audio to still pictures.

The Galaxy S4 is equipped with a 2,600mAh removable battery pack which should provide about a day’s use on a single charge, but handily you can also carry spares. Connectivity includes microUSB, 4G LTE, HSPA+ 3G, microSIM, Wi-Fi (Direct, Hotspot), DLNA, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS, MHL TV-Out and an infrared blaster allowing TV control.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active: Key specs and features

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active’s display sports the same 5-inch scale and Full HD resolution as the vanilla Galaxy S4 (1920x1080 pixels at 441ppi) but this time it’s TFT LCD technology rather than Super AMOLED. It’s just as sharp, bright and colourful as its stable-mate but you may find contrast isn’t as punchy and blacks aren’t going to be quite as deep.

A key component of the ‘Active’ label is the Galaxy S4 Active’s rugged properties – it’s IP67 certified meaning it’s water and dust resistant and can be submerged in water up to a depth of one metre. As well as being safely submergible in the wet stuff, the Galaxy S4 Active can also be used to capture images and video via the camera while underwater and it even has a dedicated ‘Aqua’ shooting mode. The touchscreen cannot be operated, but Samsung has made all the control buttons along the bottom of the display physical keys (rather than capacitive, as with the regular Galaxy S4) and various camera controls can be operated using these buttons.

The camera itself isn’t quite as highly rated as the vanilla Galaxy S4’s, clocking in at 8-megapixels. It’s still a BSI sensor with an LED flash, 1080p video, HDR, voice activation, face and smile detection and simultaneous video and still image capture. The front-facing secondary is a 2-megapixel setup with 1080p video.

In terms of performance, software and processor hardware, the Galaxy S4 Active uses the same combination of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core chip and Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with TouchWiz as the regular Galaxy S4. The processor is also still clocked at 1.9GHz with an Adreno 320 GPU and 2GB of RAM, so there should be no compromise on smoothness and fluidity in operation.

Onboard storage is still 16GB and you still have microSD capability for cards up to 64GB, while connectivity includes 4G LTE, HSPA+ 3G, microSIM, microUSB, Wi-Fi (Direct, Hotspot), DLNA, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS, MHL TV-Out and an infrared port. The battery pack is the same 2,600mAh unit found in the regular Galaxy S4 and is still removable.

Direct spec comparison: Shootout

Device	Samsung Galaxy S4	Samsung Galaxy S4 Active
Dimensions	136.6x69.8x7.9mm, 130g	139.7x71.3x9.1mm, 153g
Display	5-inch Super AMOLED,1920x1080 pixels,440ppi	5-inch TFT LCD, 1920x1080 pixels, 440ppi
Camera	13-megapixel,LED flash,1080p video	8-megapixel,1080p video, Aqua mode
Storage	16GB/32GB/64GB,microSD up to 64GB (Only 16GB in UK currently)	16GB,microSD up to 64GB
Processor, RAM, Graphics	1.9GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600,2GB RAM, Adreno 320 GPU	1.9GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600,2GB RAM,Adreno 320 GPU
Operating System,	Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean	Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
UI	TouchWiz	TouchWiz
Connectivity	microUSB,Bluetooth,NFC,Wi-Fi,Wi-Fi Direct,Wi-Fi Hotspot,DLNA,4G,GPS,MHL,Infrared	microUSB,Bluetooth,NFC,Wi-Fi,Wi-Fi Direct,Wi-Fi Hotspot,DLNA,4G,GPS,MHL,Infrared,IP67 certified water resistance
Battery	2,600mAh	2,600mAh

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Points to consider: Practical use

The main difference between the two models is that the Galaxy S4 Active doesn’t share all of the added features with the main flagship. It does not, for example, have the Dual Shot camera mode. But, it does retain some TouchWiz elements such as Smart Stay, Smart Scroll and Group Play.

Both camera setups are quite competitive with good image and video quality. It’s a trade-off though in terms of extra capabilities – either you go for all the Samsung Galaxy S4’s fancy capture modes or plump for just the Aqua mode underwater shooting on the Galaxy S4 Active.

There is a difference in display technology, but to be frank with both displays rocking the same Full HD 1080p resolution at 440ppi the vast majority of users are likely going to be equally satisfied in either case. The Super AMOLED on the Galaxy S4 will offer better contrast and black depth but you may find the LCD handles outdoor lighting more capably.

Performance-wise both phones should be exactly the same, with identical processor setups, interface overlays and battery packs, and with both running the same Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean software version.

While each handset has 16GB of storage the usable space is a little different. The Samsung Galaxy S4 only offers around 9GB while the Galaxy S4 Active can boast just over 11GB, which is obviously preferable. Both also have the same 64GB microSD capabilities.

Conclusion

The fact that there’s not a huge difference in price between these two models should be quite telling of the fact that they’re in a similar league in terms of power and capabilities.

The Galaxy S4 Active has a very clear target demographic, the clue is in the name, and if you’re quite likely to have your phone with you while hiking or jogging in a downpour or while messing around at the beach or pool then it may well be the phone you’ve been looking for.

It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of the regular Galaxy S4 but the vast majority of those additions are in relatively minor features or specifically ones tied into the camera, which is a slightly lower-end setup on the S4 Active, but one tailored with underwater capture in mind.

The Galaxy S4 typically retails for around QR 2100  while the Galaxy S4 Active is priced around the QR1900 mark.

Essentially, with the cheaper Galaxy S4 Active you gain waterproofing, underwater camera capture, a bit more usable onboard storage space and a screen more suited to outdoors, but you lose some specific interface capabilities, have a lower-rated camera sensor and don’t get some of the fancier camera features from the regular Galaxy S4.

Note: Its price and sec might not be match in some cases.

How to Create and Use a Recovery Drive or System Repair Disc in Windows 8

Windows 8 allows you to create a recovery drive (USB) or system repair disc (CD or DVD) that can be used to troubleshoot and restore your computer. Each type of recovery media gives you access to Windows’ advanced startup options.

You can also copy your computer’s recovery partition to the drive, creating a backup copy. After you create the backup copy, Windows will allow you to remove the recovery partition from your computer, freeing up gigabytes of space.

Creating a Recovery Drive (USB)

To open the recovery drive creation tool, press the Windows key and type recovery drive. Click or tap the Settings category and launch the Create a recovery drive application.

The Recovery Media Creator opens on your desktop. If your computer came with a recovery partition, you can copy it to the recovery drive. Of course, this will use much more space, so you’ll need a large enough USB drive. After copying the recovery partition, Windows will ask you if you want to delete the recovery partition on the hard drive. On the Surface with Windows RT, Microsoft claims that this can save you about 3.5 GB of hard disk space.

Click the Next option and you’ll be prompted to select a connected USB drive. Click the Create button and the files will by copied to your USB drive.

After the process is complete, you’ll be asked if you want to delete the recovery partition. If you do delete the recovery partition, you’ll need the drive to Refresh and Reset your PC in the future.

Creating a System Repair Disc (CD/DVD)

The ability to create a USB recovery drive is new in Windows 8. In Windows 7, only system repair discs were supported. This option is also present in Windows 8.

To open the disc creation tool, press the Windows key, type recdisc, and press Enter.

The disc creator will open on the desktop. Select the disc-burner drive with a writable CD or DVD in it and click the Create disc button to create a recovery disc.

Using a Recovery Drive or System Repair Disc

A recovery drive will normally not be necessary. If your computer fails to boot several times, Windows 8 will automatically bring up the advanced startup options, which allows you to troubleshoot and fix it.

If Windows can’t even bring up these tools, you’ll need the recovery drive, system repair disc, or a Windows 8 installation disc. Insert the recovery media into your computer and restart. Your computer should boot from the recovery media automatically. (If it doesn’t, you may need to change its boot order.)

Once it’s booted from the recovery media, you’ll see options for troubleshooting and repairing your PC. You can refresh and reset your PC or access advanced options to use system restore, recover from a system image, or automatically repair your computer. You can even get a command prompt that will allow you to fix problems by hand.

If your computer can’t boot, you should try the Automatic repair or System Restore options. Refreshing or resetting your PC should always fix the problem, too.

Downgrading From Windows 8 Pro

Method 1 of 2: Downgrading From Windows 8 Pro

1. 1
   Obtain the DVD or USB key and a valid product key for Windows 7 Professional. This does not need to be a new Windows 7 Product key; as long as it is a valid product key, you can use it, even if it has been installed on another device.
   • Call the manufacturer of your PC to ask if they can let you have installation discs for Windows 7 Professional. As many manufacturers keep disc images for all their sold computers, with the right drivers for each PC, most well known brands of machines should be able to provide this for you.
   • Download the ISO (optical) image and burn it to a disc, or order the disc itself.
     
2. 
   2
   Backup all personal files on your computer, using an external hard drive or online. Also, backup all applications and drivers. These will have to be reinstalled later.
3. 
   3
   Open the Device Manager on your computer (press X key and the Windows icon simultaneously).
   • A list will be displayed.
     
   • Click each device and make a note of the components.
     
   • Make sure you have model numbers and manufacturers of the “pointing device,” the “network adapter” and the “display adaptor.”
     
4. 
   4
   Boot from the Windows 7 installation disc. You may get a prompt saying “press any key” as it works.
5. 
   5
   Activate your Windows 7 downgrade if you are downgrading from Windows Pro 8 to Windows 7 Professional by calling the Microsoft helpline. (866) 592 8221. They will give you a code (one time use) to enter into the activation box.
6. 
   6
   Follow all prompts as the installation continues. You will be asked for your location and your selection of various data.
7. 
   7
   Install the drivers and applications. These can be obtained from the manufacturer, together with the model numbers that you noted down earlier.
8. 
   8
   Restart the computer.
9. 
   9
   Install your personal files.
10. 
    10
    Click “Step Done.”
11. 
    
12. Method 2 of 2: Downgrading From Windows 8 Home

1. 
   1
   Realize that free downgrades are only allowed from Windows 8 Pro and can only be downgraded to Windows 7 Pro or Windows Vista Business. Windows 8 Home does not come with what Microsoft terms “downgrade rights,” and therefore you will need a new license for the operating system you will downgrade to.
2. 
   2
   Purchase a new license for the Windows operating system you will be downgrading to. For most Windows 8-capable computers, Windows 7 will be your best choice.
3. 
   3
   Follow all steps for downgrading as above, except for the activation of the downgrade, including backup of all personal files and applications.
   • Enter the new license key when asked.
     
   • 
     

Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) disabling to instal New OS on Win 8

 you may have to disable the new Windows 8 secure boot feature in your Windows 8 machine's BIOS settings.

 To do this go to the Charms Bar in Windows 8 and select Settings > Change PC Settings > General > Advanced Start Up. On the next screen select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > UEFI Firmware Settings (this option is available only on new Windows 8 machines).

Once you're set to downgrade, just pop in your Windows 7/Vista installation disc or USB drive and install the system as you normally would. When prompted for a product key, use the Windows 7/Vista key that came with the older OS' installation discs and not the newer Windows 8 key; however, you will need your Windows 8 key after Windows 7 is installed.