How to install an old HP LaserJet without the disc

The small HP LaserJets - P1005, 1020, 1018, P1102 and their siblings - outlive every computer they were bought with. The printers still work; the setup discs are long gone and were made for Windows XP or 7 anyway. These models are host-based: they print nothing without the exact right driver. Here is how to install them on Windows 10 and 11 today.

Fix it automatically

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Quick answer

Connect the printer over USB, turn it on, then open Settings, Bluetooth & devices, Printers & scanners, Add device - many LaserJets install with a built-in driver in a minute. If yours is not offered, it needs the package for the exact model (P1102 and P1102w differ) - the button above matches it automatically, or see method 2 below.

Symptoms - how this problem looks

The printer does not appear when adding a device

"Driver is unavailable" next to the printer name

Windows reports it cannot find a driver for the printer

The old setup disc will not run on Windows 10 or 11

The printer shows up but every job errors out or vanishes

It printed fine before a Windows reinstall or upgrade

Why it happens

Host-based printer, exact driver required

These LaserJets have no standard printing language built in - the driver on the PC does the work. A generic driver cannot substitute; it must match the model.

The disc predates your Windows

Installers from the XP and Windows 7 era fail or install broken drivers on modern Windows. The current package from HP's site is the correct source.

Windows' catalog does not offer every old model

Some models install straight from Windows' driver store, others need the HP package - which case you have depends on the exact model.

USB detection order matters

For some packages the printer must be disconnected until the installer asks for it - connecting too early leaves a half-configured device that blocks the proper install.

The fixes, in order

1. Let Windows install it

Connect the printer over USB and turn it on.
Open Settings, Bluetooth & devices, Printers & scanners, Add device and wait for the search.
If the model appears, add it and print a test page - done.
If nothing appears after a minute, click "Add manually" and try "Add a local printer", port USB001 - the driver list under HP may contain your model. The Windows Update button in that dialog loads many more models; let it finish (it can take several minutes).

2. Install HP's official driver package

Find the exact model on the label (front or bottom of the printer) - P1005 and P1006 are different printers.
On HP's official support site, search the model and download the printer driver for your Windows version (64-bit for practically every modern PC).
Disconnect the printer, run the downloaded installer, and connect the USB cable only when the installer asks.
Finish and print a test page.

Stay safe: Download drivers only from HP's own support site. Third-party "driver download" sites repack old installers and often add unwanted software.

3. Clean up a failed earlier attempt

Disconnect the printer. Open Settings, Printers & scanners, and remove every entry of this printer.
Press Win+R, run printui /s /t2, and delete driver packages of this model if present.
Restart the PC, then run method 2 from the start - installers succeed on a clean slate far more often.

4. It installed but does not print

Set it as default: Settings, Printers & scanners, select the printer, Set as default.
Open its queue and cancel stuck jobs; restart Print Spooler (Win+R, services.msc, Print Spooler, Restart).
Plug the USB cable directly into the PC - not through a hub - and prefer a rear port.
Full guide for this stage: printer driver is unavailable.

Where the manual route gets fiddly: it only works when you land on the exact model page and pick the right package for your Windows on the first try - and vendors list several near-identical downloads per model, with the scan or utility half often shipped separately. Driver Updater does the matching for you: it identifies the hardware and installs the current driver in one pass, with a backup before the change.

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Frequently asked questions

Does the LaserJet 1020 or P1005 work on Windows 11?

Generally yes over USB - either with the driver Windows itself offers or with HP's package for the model. The printers are old but the driver path still exists; the key is the exact model match and a clean install.

Where is the exact model name?

On the label - on the front panel or the sticker underneath. Use the full designation (P1102 vs P1102w matters: the w has Wi-Fi and its own package).

Do I need HP Smart or other HP software?

For these USB-only models - no. The basic driver package is enough to print. HP Smart is aimed at newer network printers; it will not harm, but it is not the fix for a missing driver.