HP LaserJet 1536DNF MFP – Troubleshooting Notes (DriverFiles)
Most people ended up here because the printer suddenly stopped responding and it looked like a driver or connection problem at first glance. These notes record what actually happened after resets, reinstalls, and configuration changes were attempted. Some outcomes had nothing to do with the driver, and a few never came back at all, which is why power behavior, boot state, and connection mode show up in the same log.
Problem: Blank Display on boot
What users observed: The printer stopped printing and management software couldn’t connect. After a restart, it powered up with the ready/attention/low-toner lights lit and the display stayed blank. Buttons did nothing and there was no visible error message.
What was tried: Power-related attempts were made to break the stuck state. A reset was also attempted, but the key outcome was that the printer remained unresponsive until power sourcing was changed.
Where this sometimes ended: The printer came back immediately once the power situation was corrected. In that case, the failure pattern was traced back to using the wrong power cord.
Problem: Refuses to boot, blank screen persists
What users observed: The unit would not boot normally, and the screen stayed blank. The device did not recover to a usable state.
What was tried: A reset attempt was made, but it did not change the blank display behavior.
What this turned out to be: The failure was attributed to a bad main PCB.
Where this sometimes ended: The printer was treated as effectively end-of-life after extended use, with replacement becoming the practical outcome.
Problem: Scan feature missing after Windows 10 upgrade
What users observed: Printing worked after reinstalling the full software, but scanning failed with a message that the scan component could not be found. This happened after an OS upgrade and reinstall, even though the printer itself would print.
What was tried: The full software package was installed more than once, but the scan function still didn’t register until the connection type selection was corrected.
Where this sometimes ended: Scanning started working only after reinstalling with the printer treated as a network-connected device instead of “wireless,” even though the computer itself was on Wi-Fi.
Problem: Scanner fails to connect on Linux after setup changes
What users observed: The printer side worked, but scanning consistently failed to connect. A desktop icon expected for the device was also missing.
What was tried: The driver stack for the device was updated, along with an additional component associated with that stack.
Where this sometimes ended: Scanning worked again after the updated driver stack and its plugin component were in place.
Problem: Document feeder not working for scanning
What users observed: Scanning via the document feeder stopped working. Replacing a low toner cartridge did not change the behavior.
What was tried: A toner swap was attempted as a suspected cause, with no improvement.
How this played out: The feeder issue persisted after the cartridge change, suggesting the original suspicion about toner was a dead end.
Problem: Printer responds to ping but will not print
What users observed: The device was reachable on the network, but print jobs still didn’t come out. Connectivity looked fine on the surface, yet printing failed.
What was tried: Port configuration was changed away from the previous setup.
Where this sometimes ended: Printing was only described as temporarily workable after switching the port type, implying the underlying behavior could still return.
Problem: Failed to connect to AirPrint
What users observed: The printer showed as offline and would not print wirelessly. AirPrint failed. The network utility could still see the printer, but jobs wouldn’t run unless a direct USB cable was used to a computer.
What was tried: Different connection placements were tested, but the key change was switching how the printer was connected to the router.
Where this sometimes ended: The printer became usable over the network only after connecting via Ethernet instead of USB to the router hardware. Wireless printing then worked across multiple devices.
Other printers showing similar behavior:
- Scans your system for missing or outdated drivers
- Downloads and installs the correct versions
- Creates a restore point before making changes