HP z3100 new driver error 'arguements invalid'!!!!

[ricgal]

Hi -- Help appreciatied
I get three qaurteres of the way through installing the new windows driver for the z3100 and an error comes up-  'arguements invalid'  I press ok and the installer bums out-  this happens on both my XP machines,  can anyone shed some light please???

[Jim Cole]

Try re-booting and re-installing. Seems to be a common occurrance.

Jim

[rdonson]

Hi -- Help appreciatied
I get three qaurteres of the way through installing the new windows driver for the z3100 and an error comes up-  'arguements invalid'  I press ok and the installer bums out-  this happens on both my XP machines,  can anyone shed some light please???
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=118966\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

You may also need to delete install directories between reboots.

[tharrington]

You may also need to delete install directories between reboots.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=118991\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Did this help you solve your problem...I still haven't gotten it to work?  Any more suggestions?
thank you!

[rdonson]

Did this help you solve your problem...I still haven't gotten it to work?  Any more suggestions?
thank you!
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=119010\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Yes, this helped me - that's why I mentioned it.  I was getting error messages that were related to file locks between failed installations.  Deleting the directories helped me.  I eventually got to a state between deleting and rebooting where rerunning install worked.

[tharrington]

Yes, this helped me - that's why I mentioned it.  I was getting error messages that were related to file locks between failed installations.  Deleting the directories helped me.  I eventually got to a state between deleting and rebooting where rerunning install worked.
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Certainly- that only makes sense!  Forgive me- for whatever reason I was thinking that my post would be directed to the original poster.  Could I bother you again to elaborate on the process you used to delete the directories? ie. which directories, etc..

Unfortunately HP is not offering much help: (I would have thought that there would be some similarities with permission issues that I could address specifically but apparently not).

"Hello ,
Thank you for contacting Hewlett-Packard's Commercial Solutions Center.

 We understand that your computer displays an "arguments are invalid" message when you try to install drivers for your Designjet Z3100.

 This is a Windows error, which may indicate a permissions issue, or may mean that you need to install one or more ActiveX controls. Please check the Microsoft website for more information regarding this error message.

If you need further assistance, please use the reply feature to include all previous correspondence as we have a number of technicians answering messages. For additional technical information, troubleshooting information and software updates, please visit our HP Customer Care web site at:

[a href=\"http://www.hp.com/go/support]http://www.hp.com/go/support[/url].
Once again, thank you for contacting Hewlett-Packard's Commercial Solutions Center.

[Geoff Wittig]

I had the same experience with my Windows XP system; the updated Z3100 driver hung up half-way through with several scary-looking error dialogues. I closed out, manually removed the HP Z3100 directory (under program files) and rebooted. Voila! the new driver was installed when the computer rebooted.
Talk about graceless installation!

[Mark D Segal]

Another symptom of manufacturers turfing inadequately tested stuff into the market-place with no warnings and no trouble-shooting documentation available to consumers. It seems to be a pandemic. They're all into it in one way or another, and whoever else is convenient to blame they do it - heaven's forbid the culprits first discovered the problems by thorough testing under a wide variety of operating envoronments, and then the relevant parties collaborated on making sure stuff like this doesn't happen. Am I expecting too much? I would hope not.

[Geoff Wittig]

I have some sympathy for programmers working on a tight deadline and budget, trying to code an installer to  work on any of the countless kludge/mongrel Windows systems out there. But for gosh sakes, my desktop is from HP! I would expect their installer to work on their own computer. Go figure.

[Mark D Segal]

I have some sympathy for programmers working on a tight deadline and budget, trying to code an installer to  work on any of the countless kludge/mongrel Windows systems out there. But for gosh sakes, my desktop is from HP! I would expect their installer to work on their own computer. Go figure.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=119092\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Geoff, this is getting O.T., but as consumers we need to focus our sights on the people who make the decisions in these corporations about just how tight the deadlines and spending limits are for the folks developing their stuff. That is most likely where most of these issues are lodged. Like some of the issues we're seeing with CS3, one wonders truly how difficult it could be to design for enough variety that most set-ups would be protected - in this case especially their own!

[ricgal]

Thank you for all your input-  I can suffer cheerfully if i know others suffer with me!  will go try suggested fixes!!!
regards
Ric

UPDATE
Have uninstalled and deleted all HP stuff including APS rebooted ad nauseum to no avail-  Like a numty I have temporarily mislaid orig disc so ca'nt go back to flaky first driver.-  Orig driver no longer available for download
Can  any kind soul point me to a link to download original full driver and apps please???
feeling a little jaundiced to HP as workload builds and i am on the phone to support instead of completing it.

[tharrington]

Can  any kind soul point me to a link to download original full driver and apps please???
feeling a little jaundiced to HP as workload builds and i am on the phone to support instead of completing it.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=119122\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
[/quote]

FWIW- there is another discussion going on in the forum which I originally missed that addresses similar issue which proved to be helpful in my case...topic concerns installing the new firmware.  Anyway, as suggested, I disconnected ethernet cable and used USB cable instead.  Computer recognized printer.  I then updated driver using the downloaded install, followed by changing the port back to ethernet.  Everything is working now.

[rdonson]

Can  any kind soul point me to a link to download original full driver and apps please???
feeling a little jaundiced to HP as workload builds and i am on the phone to support instead of completing it.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=119122\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

FWIW- there is another discussion going on in the forum which I originally missed that addresses similar issue which proved to be helpful in my case...topic concerns installing the new firmware.  Anyway, as suggested, I disconnected ethernet cable and used USB cable instead.  Computer recognized printer.  I then updated driver using the downloaded install, followed by changing the port back to ethernet.  Everything is working now.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=119146\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
[/quote]

I'm so glad that you're up and running now.  I'm out of town and don't have access to my main PC and HP Z3100 so I couldn't offer more than generic information about how I got through the driver install problems.

[DotCom Editor]

Not working for me.

I've rebooted several times and deleted the folder named "HP Designjet Z3100 Photo Series." Also, I disabled the antivirus. The install continues to bomb out with the dreaded "The arguments are invalid" fatal error message.

I've left two other Program Files folders "Hewlett-Packard" and "Hp" intact each time.

Perhaps someone has an industrial-strength suggestion? Rather miserable that the same error apparently is widespread.

[tharrington]

Not working for me.

I've rebooted several times and deleted the folder named "HP Designjet Z3100 Photo Series." Also, I disabled the antivirus. The install continues to bomb out with the dreaded "The arguments are invalid" fatal error message.

I've left two other Program Files folders "Hewlett-Packard" and "Hp" intact each time.

Are you using ethernet or usb... if you switched to usb from ethernet did your computer recognize your printer?  Don't know if this will help but one thing I had to do was KEEP the existing driver which was created when I plugged in using USB.  I deleted it after the new driver was installed- also can't remeber if this was mentioned already but be sure to select the "port" option.  I had to delete my custom pages sizes too (probably because I kept the existing driver) from the printer/faxes area under server properties...as was suggested by another user.

[DotCom Editor]

Are you using ethernet or usb... if you switched to usb from ethernet did your computer recognize your printer?  Don't know if this will help but one thing I had to do was KEEP the existing driver which was created when I plugged in using USB.  I deleted it after the new driver was installed- also can't remeber if this was mentioned already but be sure to select the "port" option.  I had to delete my custom pages sizes too (probably because I kept the existing driver) from the printer/faxes area under server properties...as was suggested by another user.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=119220\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Thanks for your helpful response. My Z3100 is connected via Ethernet, unchanged since I first installed the printer. The printer is too big to fit in my little office, so it's sitting in the living room, too far away for a USB connection. I have other printers and RAID disk storage connected via Ethernet.

When the driver install launches, it finds the Z3100 without a problem at the correct IP address. The connection is fine: I can print through Photoshop and I updated the Z3100 to the new firmware without incident. Indeed, I've been printing today, even after the driver install bombed, still relying on the version 60.63.42.0 driver (which also installed just fine).

It's a mystery. And an annoying one at that!

[srpirolt]

Not sure if this will help, you may give it a try...

I was having a host of problems as well, and the HP Helpdesk recommended that even though I connect my z3100 via Ethernet, to install to FILE: Port.  Once the installation is complete change this to a network port.

Best,
René

[tharrington]

Thanks for your helpful response. My Z3100 is connected via Ethernet, unchanged since I first installed the printer. The printer is too big to fit in my little office, so it's sitting in the living room, too far away for a USB connection. I have other printers and RAID disk storage connected via Ethernet.

When the driver install launches, it finds the Z3100 without a problem at the correct IP address. The connection is fine: I can print through Photoshop and I updated the Z3100 to the new firmware without incident. Indeed, I've been printing today, even after the driver install bombed, still relying on the version 60.63.42.0 driver (which also installed just fine).

It's a mystery. And an annoying one at that!
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=119234\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I wish I knew more to be able to help you because I know it's frustrating.  This has probably already occured to you but you might try taking your computer to the printer.  I know it's a pain.  I only mention it as I was in pretty much the same boat as you- I set up the printer with ethernet and everything was functioning fine but for whatever reason it did not like the new driver install.  Of course, I would hate for you to go to the trouble of doing this and it not work!!  Best of luck to you- hopefully someone else may have some suggestions for you too!

[DotCom Editor]

Not sure if this will help, you may give it a try...

I was having a host of problems as well, and the HP Helpdesk recommended that even though I connect my z3100 via Ethernet, to install to FILE: Port.  Once the installation is complete change this to a network port.

Best,
René
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=119270\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Alas, still no luck. I did direct the software to install to "FILE: Port" as you suggested, René, but it still returned the "invalid arguments" error message. I didn't delete any ports before trying this. The printer is connected to a port named "HPDesignjetZ310024inPhoto" with a description of "HP Standard TCP/IP Port." I'm afraid if I delete that I won't be able to print, which I can still do because the previous driver version is working. Sorry to be a pain...

[srpirolt]

Sorry to hear you are having such issues, but upgrading to 61.xx from 60.xx gave me a SIGNIFICANT improvement in the color accuracy of the printer.

I am not sure what I would do except remove everything HP z3100 related – drivers/printers/software – then hope the new install will work.  You can always reinstall the software that came with the printer.  Also make sure you disable your firewall when installing.

There is always the HP Helpdesk, which was able to help in my case…albeit it took several email exchanges.

Hope you get it to work.

René