Win7 + HP printer drivers + default language/locale

B

Bob O'Dyne

When I upgraded my laptop from Vista to Win7 I was told that I needed
to install the Win7 drivers for my HP wireless all-in-one. I expected
that, so I downloaded and installed the new driver package only to
discover that HP insisted on installing all the software in a language
other than English because the laptop's location was something other
than the US/UK etc. (I doesn't matter which HP site you download the
drivers from or where you are when you're downloading them. All the
downloaded packages are the same.)

After a great deal of mucking about, this is how I solved the problem:

1. Uninstall all HP software through the Control Panel.
2. Download and run the "Scrubber" that HP provides for the particular
printer. (While you're at it, notice how much crap didn't get
uninstalled through the normal uninstallation process.)
3. Now go into the Control Panel > Region and Language. Set everything
you possibly can to "US" or "UK" or whatever you will. In particular
it seems that you *must* set the "System locale" on the
"Administrative" tab in this way.

After a reboot you should be able to get the English language versions
of all the software installed.

As of this moment, everything is working as it should. I haven't
changed the "locale" or anything else back yet--because I've learned
from experience not to fix things that aren't broken. I probably won't
be changing them either unless something else makes it necessary.

To counteract HP's usual "We Know What Is Best For You" arrogance,
Win7 could probably do with a "Deterritorialized English-Language
Locale" option.
 
C

c_atiel

HP gets bashed because they do not provide the incredible service they did
back in the day.
No one does.
However HP has done a remarkable job of issuing good quality drivers that
keep otherwise obsolete printers usable.
Contrast that with Apple which abandons entire platforms at will and
arbitrarily refuses to update software in order to force hardware
upgrades--the next generation Iphone software will not work with Iphone 3g
although the hardware is essentially identical to the 3gs.
A case in point is my ancient Laserjet 1200.
I think this thing is ten years old, I must print a few hundred pages a
month with it, and HP issued drivers for it that work with Windows 7 64 bit.
I can't complain.
 

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