Printer does not communicate with PC.

The new Save prompt usually means the app is sending the document to a virtual printer such as Microsoft Print to PDF, so select the physical HP printer and make it the Windows default.

1. Select the HP printer instead of “Print to PDF”

1. Open the document and select File > Print.
2. Open the Printer drop-down.
3. Select the entry for your HP 4100e that does not include “PDF,” “OneNote,” or “Print to file.”
4. Confirm its status says Ready, then select Print. Microsoft specifically recommends checking that Print to PDF or Print to file is not selected when an application saves instead of printing. ^1^

Then make that choice permanent:

1. Open Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
2. Under Printer preferences, turn Let Windows manage my default printer Off.
3. Select the HP 4100e and choose Set as default.
4. Its status should change to Default. ^2^

2. Test communication outside the application

1. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
2. Select the HP printer.
3. Select Printer properties.
4. On the General tab, select Print Test Page. ^1^

Use the result to choose the next step:

• The test page prints: Windows and the USB printer are communicating. The problem is confined to the original application. Reopen its print screen, select the HP printer, and verify that Print to PDF and Print to file are not selected. Also try a simple document from Notepad.
• The test page does not print: Continue with the print queue, spooler, and USB checks below.
• The HP printer is absent from Printers & scanners: Skip to the USB check.

3. If the test page fails, reset the queue and spooler

Since reinstalling and power-cycling did not help, do not repeat those steps.

1. Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
2. Select the HP printer and choose Open print queue.
3. Cancel every pending job.
4. Press Windows key + R, enter services.msc, and press Enter.
5. Find Print Spooler, right-click it, and select Restart.
6. Return to Printer properties and try Print Test Page again. ^3^

If jobs cannot be cancelled, use the manual queue reset:

1. In services.msc, right-click Print Spooler > Stop.
2. Open File Explorer and enter: C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS
3. Delete the files inside that folder—not the folder itself.
4. Return to Services, right-click Print Spooler, and select Start. ^3^

This deletes pending print jobs.

4. If Windows does not show the HP printer

Because this is a direct USB connection, the modem is not involved.

1. Leave the printer powered on.
2. Disconnect its USB cable from the PC.
3. Connect it directly to a different USB port, without a hub or docking station.
4. Recheck Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. Microsoft recommends another USB port to rule out a port problem. ^4^
5. If it remains absent, open Device Manager and look under Printers, Print queues, and Universal Serial Bus controllers for an item with a yellow warning symbol. Open its Properties and note the exact Device status/error code. ^5^

That error code, whether the HP appears under Printers & scanners, and the result of Print Test Page are the key details needed for the next diagnosis.

References

1. Windows 11
2. Windows 11
3. Windows 11
4. Windows 11
5. Fix USB-C problems in Windows