Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Automatically Print Both Sides with HP LaserJet P2015dn and Window 7

Since i upgraded my laptop with Windows 7, i couldn't figure out how to automatically print in both sides with my office's HP LaserJet P2015dn. On windows XP and Vista that had "HP LaserJet P2015 PCL5 Plug and Play Print Driver Package" HP drivers installed, there was an easy-to-find-and-understand option (Two-sided Printing) on Print → Preferences → Printing Shortcuts tab. Unfortunately, on Windows 7 the only driver available is the one coming with Windows 7 but there is no such tab and the closest option to it, is to print duplex manually.
Today i tried to fix this, but having spent allot of time using the good old fashion way of trial and error, I decided to call HP's support. They tried to help (not that effectively) but i managed to find the solution by my own while i was waiting for reply...

So here are the steps to fix this:

  1. Click on Start
  2. Click on "Devices and Printers"
  3. Right click on the printer listed there
  4. Click on "Printer Properties"
  5. Select "Device Settings" tab
  6. On the "Installable Options" there is an option named "Duplex Unit (for 2-sided Printing)", select "Installed" from the drop down menu
  7. Press OK
  8. Now you are able to auto print on both sides by selecting: Print → Preferences → Finishing tab → Print on Both Sides

I'm posting this because I couldn't find anything useful Googling around. BTW, if you decide to contact hp for support on this matter, you will get a dialog something like the following one :

[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 9:49 PM] -- Christos Botsikas says:
Hello, I have a HP P2015dn printer in me network and it work's fine but i can't manage how to automatically print on both sides using Windows 7. On XP and vista i was able to define that through printer's preferences just before print something. With the included drivers on windows 7 there is only an option to manually print on both sides. I already tried to install the old drivers i used to install on XP and Vista systems ("HP LaserJet P2015 PCL5 Plug and Play Print Driver Package") but i failed to install them successfully (i couldn't open the printing preferences).
Can you help me on how can i automatically print on both sides on windows 7?
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 9:49 PM] -- Automatically generated message:
A Support specialist, ***** has been assigned to your case.
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 9:50 PM] -- ***** says:
Hello Christos, thank you for contacting HP Instant Support. My name is *****. Please give me 2 min to go through your information. Thank you.
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 9:53 PM] -- ***** says:
I understand that you need assistance in printing on both sides on windows 7. Is that correct?
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 9:53 PM] -- Christos Botsikas says:
yes
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 9:54 PM] -- Christos Botsikas says:
but automatically not manually
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 9:54 PM] -- ***** says:
The printer driver is available in windows 7 itself. Have you installed it?
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 9:55 PM] -- Christos Botsikas says:

yes that is correct
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 9:55 PM] -- Christos Botsikas says:
i can see the network printer and i can print single side
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 9:56 PM] -- ***** says:
I understand that you have installed the printer driver from windows 7. Is that correct?
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 9:56 PM] -- Christos Botsikas says:
yes
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 9:56 PM] -- ***** says:
The driver is available in windows 7 only and you did not install it from the CD or via download. Is that correct?
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 9:57 PM] -- Christos Botsikas says:
i am currently using the one from Windows 7 named "HP LaserJet P2015 PCL6"
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 9:58 PM] -- ***** says:
Okay, thank you for providing the information
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 9:59 PM] -- ***** says:
Give me a moment while I refer to my resources
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 9:59 PM] -- ***** says:
Give me a moment while I refer to my resources
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 10:04 PM] -- ***** says:
Thanks for being online. Follow the below steps


1. Click on Start
2. Click on Printers and Devices
3. Right click on the printer driver listed there
4. Click on properties
5. A window opens saying that it is requesting for Device properties
6. It takes time to open the properties window
7. Let me know when it opens the properties window
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 10:05 PM] -- Christos Botsikas says:
i got it open
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 10:10 PM] -- Christos Botsikas says:
I just made it print in both sides...
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 10:11 PM] -- Christos Botsikas says:
do you want me to tell how i did it to keep it in future reference?
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 10:13 PM] -- Christos Botsikas says:
1. Click on Start
2. Click on Devices and Printers
3. Right click on the printer listed there
4. Click on Printer Properties (not Properties)
5. A window opens
6. Select Device Settings tab
7. on the Installable Options there is an option named Duplex Unit (for 2-sided Printing), select Installed from the drop down menu
8. Press OK
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 10:15 PM] -- ***** says:
Okay.
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 10:16 PM] -- Christos Botsikas says:
now i'm able to select the auto double side printing from Print->Preferences-> Finishing tab-> Print on Both Sides
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 10:17 PM] -- ***** says:
Okay.
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 10:17 PM] -- ***** says:
Select that and try printing
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 10:17 PM] -- Christos Botsikas says:
thank you for your time anyway. Keep that for future assistant on your customers. It worked fine for me...
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 10:18 PM] -- ***** says:
You're welcome
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 10:18 PM] -- ***** says:
Christos, would you agree that we have resolved the issue and may I mark this interaction as closed?
[Tuesday, October 06, 2009 10:19 PM] -- Christos Botsikas says:
yes you can. Please note to your resources that the suggestion you had is not applying for this problem on windows 7...

68 comments:

Darren said...

I would like to thank you for posting this duplex solution. I have been waiting for HP to release a driver for Windows 7 but so far no luck. Finding your solution made me very happy. Thanks so much. Kent

Ahmet said...

Thank you very much. I tried this with my HP C7280 on Windows 7 Ultimate and it worked like a charm.

Anonymous said...

This blog was a LIFE SAVER!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Dude, I was pulling my hair out on this and wasting paper! Thanks for posting the solution. And thank God for Google!

- Dave in San Diego, CA

Anonymous said...

Hey, this problem made me crazy, but your posting saved me. You are an Angel!

Pablo said...

Awesome! Thanks for posting this!

Anonymous said...

Kudos. This issue has been a pain in my rear since the day I installed Windows 7.

By the way, except for this one Windows 7 issue, my 2015DN printer has been just outstanding so far.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

I'd like to echo the other commenters and thank you, Christos!
Works like a charm now...

Chandresh Pant said...

Thanks buddy for saving lots of trees!

Unknown said...

Thanks very much! I was googling for the solution but could not find any light until I saw yours.

Unknown said...

Just upgraded to Winows 7 and this was driving me "Nuts" cause in WinXP pro the printer worked fine.
Thanks for posting this fix. Hp needs to get on the ball on notifications of this problem.

Anonymous said...

Thank you very much for your information!!!

Anonymous said...

HI dude,
thank you very much..i was confusing to fix that issue..thanks once again.

OceanDrop said...

thank you very very much for your post. it has saved me from a lot of inconvienience. thanks again !

geetha said...

thanks so much!

Anonymous said...

Very helpful, Thanks.

Anonymous said...

What if the section in question is greyed out? I have this issue but am unable to change any of the settings under "Device Settings".

Anonymous said...

Amen to the other comments. Such an easy fix, but who would have thought to do that??? Awesome!!! Thanks!!!

Brandon Martin said...

Thank you! I still haven't seen information or a new driver from HP that would make this clear to users without reading your blog post.

Pravin said...

Thank you very much for help...

Anonymous said...

Thank you.
Looked everywhere for this. Although the manual both sides option was entertaining for the rest of the people in the office.

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for posting this!

Anonymous said...

beautifullll thank you so much.. now i am going to start saving papers again... i've been for almost a year now printing single sided pages

Anonymous said...

Thanks! it worked for me as well.

Anonymous said...

Muchísimas Gracias... Thank you so much!!! I have been looking for the right driver for quite a while, even with computer professionals and didn't find any. Until I found your solution.
Thank you again...

Anonymous said...

Many thanks, a great help. Cheers

Anonymous said...

untsumThnks for the advice on fixing this problem. I have spent many hours for a remedy and cam up on you solution. Great, Great, Thanks

Bert Pembroke Pines Florida

Anonymous said...

thank you very much , you really awsome

Anonymous said...

you are angel maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan

ammen da' craziest said...

tq bro...penat aku fikir camner nak buat...kalo xp dia auto setting...yg win 7 kena wat manual plak...aiseh...btw, thanks !!!

Anonymous said...

My man.....YOU ARE THE MAN. I've been waiting for a year for this solution. For the past year i manually flip pages. waste of time. thank again.

Naveed Ejaz said...

Thanks a lot for your help

Anonymous said...

The post was a reason for my morning smile, felt technologically saved.
Thanks dude!
Deule. Tanzania

Happy Ewock said...

Ive been trying to get this duplex printing problem fixed to no avail. The fix you posted is good up to the point you pick the uninstalled duplex line and try to install it. That whole selection of installed/uninstalled choices are grey and unavailable to me to change. Any ideas?
alamodem@email.com

Thank you

Anonymous said...

Made my day. Thanks. Brent

Anonymous said...

thank you thank you thank you

RobMack said...

You're a dead-set LEGEND!!! Cheers mate - going to save me a heap of messing around :)

Anonymous said...

Brilliant! Works like a charm. I spent many hours looking for a solution, and this is IT. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your big help!

Scott.Lee.Chamberlin said...

Worked for me! Great tip in the absence of helpful HP help.

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much, I have been delaying this fix for so long and now simply followed your steps - and it worked like a charm.
Think of all the trees you saved with this post!

Anonymous said...

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

Eoin said...

Thank you for this post - it is so helpful!!

Anonymous said...

awesome. thanks!

Anonymous said...

thanks a lot. i also spent tons of time in vain before finding this excellent post. thanks again.

Paula said...

Thank you SO MUCH!! Ever since IT upgraded my PC to Win7 I've been pulling my hair out because I couldn't print double sided - which was no problem at all with the previous driver.

HP support were no help at all for me.

Anonymous said...

Thank you so very much for this info. I had the same printing problem with my Windows7not having "automatic" for a choice. I was printing with my other computer using Vista to print on both sides. Thanks!

Crankycat

Anonymous said...

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

Anonymous said...

THANK YOU SOOO MUCH for posting this :)

Anonymous said...

Hi. the post was really useful but so you know how to print a whole document without having to push the go button after every page has printed even though duplex is enabled?

Anonymous said...

thx! works great :-)
regards,
ak

Anonymous said...

Thank you! Great post. Very Useful. I was also having the same problems.

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much! :)

Anonymous said...

WOW this was the best tech help I ever got online! Thank you!!
I can't believe i solved this problem in less than a minute, I was sure I would be searching for hours for some clue to the problem.

Anonymous said...

Thank you very much for posting this!

Anonymous said...

Thanks a lot! You saves the day!

Anonymous said...

Very helpful, thank you!

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much! We were going mad...

Adrian said...

You sir, deserve a medal!

After 2 hours of googleing... and lots of stupid solution, this is just briliant!

Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for posting. I thought I needed a special driver.

Anonymous said...

Thank you! It is the only thing that worked for me.

tresh said...

Thank you! Your are good. You are relevant....You posted this in 2009 and it proved to be a life saver in 2014. Keep up the good job!

Anonymous said...

Agree with above... November 2014 and solution still works (and saved me a lot of time). Thank you!

Unknown said...

Thanks a lot for this solution to automatically print both sides.

Unknown said...

Cool, I have been looking for this for a while :)

Anonymous said...

works perfectly

Anonymous said...

Thanks from me too, made my day! Ondrej