If your HP Printer is showing error code 79, start with these three targeted actions. First, power the printer off, unplug the power cord for 60 seconds, then restart it with all network and USB cables disconnected. Error 79 is often triggered by a bad print job or communication issue, and isolating the printer from incoming jobs can let it boot normally. Second, if the printer starts correctly while disconnected, clear the entire print queue from every connected Windows, macOS, or print server source, then reconnect the printer. A corrupted PostScript, PCL, or PDF job is one of the most common reasons for error 79. Third, update the printer firmware directly from HP using the exact model number. On many LaserJet models, error 79 appears when the formatter crashes while processing a job that the installed firmware cannot handle properly.
HP Printer error 79 indicates a firmware or formatter processing failure. In practical terms, the printer has encountered a command, print job, DIMM interaction, accessory response, or network input that caused the printer firmware to stop functioning normally. On many HP LaserJet and enterprise units, error 79 appears as 79 Service Error, 79.00FE, or a similar 79 variation. While the suffix can vary by model, the core meaning remains the same: the printer controller has crashed during processing. This makes error 79 different from paper path, toner, or hardware jam issues. It is usually tied to data handling, firmware execution, EIO accessories, memory modules, or a malformed print stream.
Error 79 is especially common in office environments where the printer receives jobs from multiple computers, mobile devices, cloud platforms, or print servers. If the printer displays error 79 immediately on startup, the issue may be tied to firmware corruption, a failing formatter, or an attached accessory. If error 79 only appears when someone prints a specific file or from a specific application, the cause is more likely a bad print job, wrong driver language, or software-generated code the printer cannot process correctly.
Follow the steps below one at a time — many error codes can be fixed faster than they look.
Follow the steps below in order. Because error 79 is usually tied to processing or communication, the sequence matters. The goal is to determine whether error 79 is coming from a print job, driver path, network path, accessory, firmware issue, or hardware-level formatter fault.
Step 1: Power cycle the printer correctly.
Turn the HP Printer off using the power switch. Unplug the power cable from the rear of the printer and from the wall outlet. Wait at least 60 seconds. This clears temporary memory on many HP models more effectively than a quick restart. Plug the printer directly into a wall outlet, not a surge strip, and turn it back on. If error 79 disappears and the printer reaches Ready, the crash may have been temporary. If error 79 returns immediately, continue to the next step.
Step 2: Disconnect all data connections before startup.
Power the printer off again. Disconnect Ethernet, USB, parallel, and any direct host cables. Remove any USB thumb drive from the front or rear port. Leave only the power cable attached. Turn the printer back on. If the printer now starts normally, error 79 is most likely caused by a print job, network traffic, connected computer, or external accessory. If error 79 still appears with all cables removed, the issue is likely internal to the printer, such as firmware, formatter, DIMM, or accessory hardware.
Step 3: Clear every print queue completely.
If the printer boots normally while disconnected, do not reconnect it yet. Go to every PC or Mac that sends jobs to this printer and cancel all pending documents. If the printer is shared from a Windows print server, open Print Management or Devices and Printers, stop the Print Spooler service, delete stuck files from the spool folder, then restart the spooler. If the printer is deployed through a Linux or UNIX queue, clear pending jobs there as well. Error 79 often returns because the same corrupted job is automatically resent as soon as the printer reconnects to the network.
Step 4: Print an internal page from the printer control panel.
Before reconnecting the printer, print a Configuration Page or Menu Map from the control panel. If the internal page prints successfully, the engine is usually fine and error 79 is more likely data-related than mechanical. If error 79 occurs even when printing internal pages, suspect firmware corruption, formatter failure, or memory/accessory conflicts rather than a workstation print file.
Step 5: Identify whether a specific file triggers error 79.
Reconnect the printer to one computer only, preferably using a simple direct connection if supported. Send a basic test page from the operating system. Then try printing a plain text document. If those print successfully but a certain PDF, Excel workbook, CAD drawing, or ERP-generated report causes error 79, the problem is tied to that file type or application output. In that case, print the file as an image, flatten transparency, reduce embedded fonts, or export it to a different format before printing. Error 79 frequently appears with overly complex PDFs or jobs containing damaged font data.
Step 6: Replace the current print driver with a model-appropriate driver.
On the sending computer, remove the existing HP Printer driver and install an HP-supported driver for the exact model. If you are currently using PCL 6, test with HP Universal Print Driver PCL 5 or PostScript if your model supports it. If you are using PostScript and error 79 occurs with office documents, test with PCL 5 or PCL 6. Driver language mismatches are a major source of error 79, especially on older enterprise printers receiving jobs from newer operating systems. Avoid generic drivers where possible.
Step 7: Update firmware to the latest stable release.
Check the firmware revision on the Configuration Page or Embedded Web Server. Download the latest firmware package from HP for the exact printer model. Apply the update using the method recommended by HP for that device, such as USB, Embedded Web Server, or HP Web Jetadmin. Do not interrupt power during the update. Many persistent error 79 cases are resolved by firmware revisions that improve handling of PDF, PCL, PostScript, network packets, or accessory communication. After updating, restart the printer and retest.
Step 8: Remove optional accessories and DIMMs.
If error 79 still occurs even with no data cables attached, turn the printer off and remove any optional memory DIMMs, third-party storage devices, EIO cards, Jetdirect cards, or accessory modules one at a time. Then restart after each removal. A faulty or incompatible memory module can trigger error 79 during startup as the formatter initializes hardware. If the error clears after removing a specific component, leave it out and confirm the printer remains stable. Replace that component with an HP-approved part if needed.
Step 9: Check the network path and print server behavior.
If the printer only shows error 79 when reconnected to the network, the cause may be upstream. Review whether a print server, queue management tool, or document workflow application is automatically resubmitting the same job. Disable advanced print features on the client, turn off bidirectional support temporarily, and assign the printer a Standard TCP/IP port if using Windows. If the environment uses a universal driver package pushed to many devices, test with a dedicated model-specific queue. Error 79 often persists in managed networks because the damaged job source is never fully removed.
Step 10: Disable direct PDF printing or alternate job types if applicable.
Some HP enterprise devices process direct PDF, PostScript, or XPS jobs differently depending on firmware and installed personality support. If error 79 appears mainly with PDF printing from Adobe Acrobat or browser-based viewers, try printing as image, switching to a different viewer, or using a different driver language. Also test whether printing the same content from another application avoids error 79. This helps confirm that the formatter crash is tied to a specific print data stream rather than the printer hardware.
Step 11: Perform a cold reset or partial reset if supported by the model.
On many HP LaserJet printers, a cold reset, NVRAM reset, or factory reset can clear corrupted settings that contribute to error 79. The exact procedure varies by model and control panel type, so use the correct sequence for that printer. Before resetting, note network settings, tray configurations, and custom setup values because they may be erased. After the reset, leave the printer disconnected from the network until you verify it reaches Ready and can print internal pages without error 79.
Step 12: Evaluate the formatter board.
If error 79 appears at startup with no cables attached, no optional accessories installed, updated firmware, and cleared settings, the formatter board becomes the primary suspect. The formatter is responsible for interpreting print jobs and managing firmware execution. A failing formatter can produce repeat error 79 conditions even when no external jobs are present. Signs that point toward formatter failure include random restarts, inability to complete initialization, missing menu functions, or repeated 79 crashes immediately after power-on. At that stage, board replacement or printer service is usually required.
Step 13: Rebuild the environment carefully after the printer stabilizes.
Once the printer reaches Ready without error 79, reconnect components one at a time. First test internal pages, then a direct computer connection, then the network, then optional accessories. This step-by-step reintroduction is important because it confirms exactly what reintroduces error 79. If the error returns only after reconnecting one workstation, one server queue, or one accessory, you have isolated the cause.
Step 14: Prevent error 79 from returning.
Use current HP firmware, keep only necessary accessories installed, and standardize on a tested driver version for all users. If your environment prints large PDFs, graphics-heavy reports, or ERP output, validate those applications with the correct printer language. Clear abandoned queues promptly after crashes. On shared office devices, a single recurring malformed job can repeatedly trigger error 79 for everyone until the queue source is corrected.
Error 79 on an HP Printer is usually fixable once you determine whether the crash is coming from incoming data, firmware limitations, optional hardware, or the formatter itself. The most effective path is to isolate the printer from all job sources, confirm it can start independently, clear all queues, update firmware, and then add connections back in stages. If the printer still displays error 79 with no cables and no accessories attached, the problem is no longer a bad print job and is far more likely tied to internal electronics, especially the formatter.
Related: For other HP firmware and service errors, see HP Printer Error 49 and HP Printer Error 59.
If the crash only occurs on a particular file, the problem is usually inside that PDF rather than the printer itself. Damaged fonts, unsupported formatting, or overly complex vector graphics can overwhelm the printer’s processing and trigger the same formatter crash every time. Printing the file as a flattened image, switching to a different print language (PCL instead of PostScript, or vice versa), or updating the print driver typically resolves it.
Not usually. When the cause is a stuck print job, outdated firmware, or a driver conflict, the fix is free and only takes a few minutes. Costs only rise if the formatter board, a memory module, or the network interface has actually failed and needs replacing, in which case expect a moderate to higher repair bill depending on parts and labor.
Start with the software-level fixes above, since most units recover fully. Replacement becomes the more sensible option if error 79 keeps returning even after a firmware update, a full queue clear, removing any recently added accessories, and confirming the formatter itself is at fault, particularly on an older printer where hardware repair costs may approach the price of a new unit.
Not in most cases. Many instances of error 79 clear up with a power cycle, a print queue reset, and a firmware update that anyone can perform without special tools. To keep the error from returning, avoid resending the same print job that triggered it, since the printer will crash again the moment it tries to process the same corrupted data.
Yes. A corrupted print job, an overly complex document, or an incompatible printer driver can sometimes crash the printer’s processing system. Clear the print queue, restart the printer, test with a simple page, and update or reinstall the correct HP driver before replacing hardware.
Usually, yes. If the printer can reach a stable ready state, install the correct firmware for the exact HP model using HP’s official instructions and a reliable connection. Do not interrupt power during the firmware update. If the printer cannot finish starting or the error returns after checking the print queue, driver, and firmware, professional service may be appropriate.
See also: Printer Error Codes – Complete Guide by Brand — browse all HP, Canon, Brother, and Epson error code fixes in one place.
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