HP APS unknown error

[Shutterbug2006]

I have a 44" GP ps Z3100, which I had had no problem using to advance profile paper in the past.

Recently i was advised through the HP Printer Utility that there were new printer drivers for the PS3 and HPGL2 and I also noted that the HP APS software had an update to 1.4.

My firmware is TR12-TR12PS_6.0.0.7

I had also a new roll of HP Opaque SCRIM which was not listed in the printer paper types, so I downloaded the ICC profile for it from the HP website.

I updated the printer with the new printer drivers and the APS software. Then I uploaded the ICC profile to the printer per HP's instructions. Printer driver now shows 61.73.361.41 under "About"

The printer rebooted after the ICC upload, as it is supposed to.

I fed the HP Opaque SCRIM roll into the printer, and the printer tried to feed it. The LCD panel on the printer told me there was a paper jam and to unload and re-feed the paper. So I removed the SCRIM and seen the leading edge had been all scrunched up. The LCD panel then told me to reseat the Blue/Green printhead. When I removed it, I noticed the foil on the bottom left side of the print head had been lifted off the print head and was destroyed.

Contacted HP support, they had a print head sent out within two days at no charge. The tech promised to call me to ensure the head arrived and got installed OK, but he never did.

I was wary about reinstalling the SCRIM material until I could figure out why the paper jam occurred in the first place, as I had installed it properly. So I have installed HP Satin to print some photos in the meantime.

I decided to run the HP APS software to profile the monitor and the paper again. The monitor profiled correctly, but when I went to profile the paper, the HP APS software reported "HP APS" on the title bar, and "unknown error" in the middle of the little popup message. Printer status shows "connected" and Calibration status shows "No paper found". Can't do anything at this point, have to cancel out.

Spoke to an HP tech, after navigating the insane HP voice prompting system. Half hour later, I'm told I need to contact the Xrite Canada toll free number. I'm not amused because I bought an HP printer, should expect support from HP, but agree to call there. The woman there asked me to call back in a half hour, the technician is out on lunch. Wow. One technician to handle all of Canada?

Got a call back from the HP support guy, gave me a new case number, and a new toll free number to call the Solutions Graphics Team, they might have an answer to my dilemna.

I thought I read a thread about this problem before, but I can't for the life of me find it using the forums search function. I'm sure it's a simple fix.

While the HP tech was on the phone with me, I started examining the Windows Registry under HP software and found what I believe are the paper profile entries. Unfortunately, two of the entries are filled with UNKNOWN REG_SZ entries, and I've found an INVALID DWORD VALUE for another key. Not sure what to make of it, will talk to the Advanced Graphics Team about that when I get them on the phone.

The printer prints just fine. I just can't use my HP APS.

And somewhere in installing the updates, I lost the HP PCL printer driver, and got a duplicate HP PS3 driver (labelled PS3_1). Also, the HP Printer Utility is now showing I have two printers installed, only one was listed before (unless I'm blind and never saw it before). I had three printer drivers installed before (HPGL2, PCL and PS3) and am sure I only ever saw one printer listed in the HP Printer Utility.

So the fun begins, unless someone else has encountered the same HP APS unknown error message before, and can point me in the direction of a solution.

[Edhopkins]

Quick question: are you still under your first year warranty?  

I just found that the Care Packs you can buy to extend your warranty beyond that first year are only for hardware. All software support is gone.

So I would guess that the poor help from HP you are getting now, under warranty, will drop to zero at the end of the first year.

If you are getting support from HP even though you are not under warranty or if you have the standard hardware Care Pack, I would really like to know that.

I have the same printer you have but have not tried to upgrade it yet. Good luck working it out.

Ed
Baltimore

[Shutterbug2006]

I am under warranty, bought the printer April 23, 2008. I intend to buy the 3 year support contract so I won't be left in the lurch.

At the moment however, my problem is being exasperated. I called the 1-877-877-0873 phone number HP tech support asked me to call to contact Xrite in Canada.

The fellow who answered said, "You need to contact HP. We are the distributors in Canada, we do not provide technical support for the products we distribute". So I guess I was given either the wrong phone number, or the runaround.

Talking to HP now to see what's going on. Started this at 11am, its now 2pm and I'm no closer to a solution than when I started.

Frustrating to say the least. Lovely printer though.

[Shutterbug2006]

The new person I spoke with says the call has been "collated" and is going to a second level support team, who will be calling me back. *crosses fingers*

[Edhopkins]

I am under warranty, bought the printer April 23, 2008. I intend to buy the 3 year support contract so I won't be left in the lurch.

...
Frustrating to say the least. Lovely printer though.

It is a lovely printer. But my point was that the "service contract" is a Care Pack and it only covers hardware, not software problems.  So if you have the kind of problem you are having now, you WILL BE left in the lurch.  

I am running out of my first year warranty (HP z3100ps GP--44") in about 8 days and shopping around. HP told me today that the telephone SOFTWARE support stops with the 1 year warranty and is not covered by the Care Pack.  I am referring to the following:


HP 3 year Next business day Onsite for Designjet Z3x00 HW Support UF035E

This HP service provides high-quality remote assistance and onsite support for your covered hardware, helping you to improve product uptime.
•
Help improve system uptime
•
Convenient onsite support
•
Second-day onsite response, standard business hours (9x5) (Limited to Commercial LCD products)


Nothing on software.  This is the package for $1499. And it is for two years--as others have said.  They count years from when you bought the printer.

So...you will be in the lurch.

Anybody out there: correct me if I have this wrong.

Ed

Baltimore

[Shutterbug2006]

So what is the cost for a support call for software issues? or a support pack for software issues?

[Shutterbug2006]

I just called Stacey at the contract division (1-877-271-3113) and she stated that if you buy the 2yr Care pack, it covers software support as well as hardware. Which makes sense, really.

[Shutterbug2006]

It turns out  the fix was simple. While I was not able to get a definitive fix from HP or from XRITE, an HP technician did point me in the right direction.

I launched the HP APS software, clicked on Printer, then clicked on the button -> to proceed. That was when the unknown error message would pop up. The HP technician suggested that I look at the pick list under the printer box to see what printer was selected. I was unable to do this, but saw that no printer was showing up there. So I closed the HP APS software, went to my printers folder, and on a lark, deleted a Lexmark color laser printer that I had recently removed from my network. It was not the "default" printer, the Z3100 PS3 was, but since this was a networked printer (directly addressed by a unique IP address) that was no longer on the network, I figured it might have something to do with the problem. When I went back into the APS and did what I did before, the error message did not pop up, and I was able to select the Z3100 Photo PS3 as the selected printer. It appears as if I can go to the next step and calibrate the paper it correctly shows as being loaded in the printer.

Yay for simple solutions.

Now I'll cross my fingers and update to the latest firmware ;P