To learn how to fix the HP printer error 49 service error, we advise that you read this article carefully till the end.
The HP printer error 49 is an indication that the firmware has a communication error. The error 49 could be intermittent; hence, it happens once in a while. If this is the case, you can clear the error by turning off your printer and then turning it back on.
On the other hand, the error could be persistent. In other words, it happens frequently and isn’t cleared by turning off your printer and then turning it back on.
Error 49 happens when your HP printer tries to execute a function that its firmware does not have the capacity to support.
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Steps to Fix HP Printer Error 49 Service Error
To fix this error, do these steps:
Step 1: Turn off your HP printer and then turn it back on. This is called a power cycle.
Step 2: If the above step doesn’t resolve the error, then you should print an Event Log. An Event Log will show you the frequency of the error’s occurrence.
Note: If the error occurs once a week or less, you shouldn’t be worried as this can be considered to be on the same severity level as a paper jam that happens once in a while.
Step 3: If you find the frequency to be more than once in a week, then you should enable Auto Recovery either via EWS (Embedded Web Server) or your printer’s control panel.
Note: In most cases, the feature for Auto Recovery is usually default enabled. Hence, when error 49 occurs, this feature will perform a power cycle automatically.
i. Open these menus:
- FutureSmart 3: Go to “Administration”, and then “Management”.
- FutureSmart 4: Go to “Settings”, and then “General”.
ii. Select “Auto Recovery”.
iii. Select “Enabled”.
iv. Select “Save”.
If the above resolves the error, don’t continue troubleshooting.
However, if the error occurs later, go to “Intermittent Error 49” below and do the steps.
If the above doesn’t clear the error, then go to “Persistent Error 49” below and do the steps.
The HP printer error 49 Service error is one of the many error codes you might encounter on HP printers. Therefore, we recommend that you read this more detailed article: HP Printer Error Codes [How to Fix] where we provide solutions to different HP printer error codes.
Intermittent Error 49 – HP Printer Error 49 Service Error
To solve intermittent error 49, do the following:
Step 1: Confirm the version of the firmware and update if it isn’t up-to-date.
i. Print out a configuration page and confirm if your HP printer runs on FutureSmart 3 or 4.
ii. Go to this site.
iii. Click on “Upgrade Now”. This will provide you with a printer list where you can check out the current firmware versions.
iv. Confirm if the firmware on your printer is the same as the current version.
v. If you find that a more current version is listed, click on the link which will take you to the HP.com page where you can download the firmware.
vi. Scroll down the page to the section for “FutureSmart4” or “FutureSmart 3”.
vii. Locate the printer firmware file.
viii. Click on “Download”.
ix. Click on “Save As”.
x. Select your USB drive location or a computer location.
xi. Choose “Open folder”. Alternatively, you can go straight to the USB drive or computer location where the file was saved.
xii. Right-click on the zip folder, and click on “extract all files”.
xiii. Pay attention to the location where the “.bdl” file is stored.
xiv. Update the printer firmware using the “Maintenance” menu on your printer’s control panel via the USB flash. Alternatively, you can use the EWS (Embedded Web Server) to do the update.
- For FutureSmart 3: Go to your HP printer control panel’s Home Screen, then navigate to and choose “Device Maintenance”. After that, choose “USB Firmware Upgrade”.
- For FutureSmart 4: Go to your HP printer control panel’s Home Screen, choose “Support Tools, then choose “Maintenance”. After that, choose “USB Firmware Upgrade”.
xv. The update will take a few minutes; hence, you need to wait for it to get complete. Once it is done, your HP printer will reboot automatically.
xvi. Once your HP printer is on, print out a Configuration Page. From the printed page, confirm that the new firmware has been installed successfully.
If you don’t get the error again, then you should stop troubleshooting.
However, if you still experience intermittent errors, then you should reach out to HP Support.
Persistent Error 49 – HP Printer Error 49 Service Error
If the error is persistent and refuses to clear, then you should follow the troubleshooting steps below to fix this error. If any of the troubleshooting steps fix the error, then you don’t have to continue with the remaining steps.
1. Browse the Internet for a Help Document that is Specific to your Printer and the Error
i. Run a search on the internet for a document that will help you fix error 49 as it relates to your HP printer model.
ii. If you can’t find any documents, keep troubleshooting.
2. Check Power Connections
i. Remove your printer from a surge protector if you are using one.
ii. Plug your printer’s power cord into an electric wall outlet.
iii. Keep troubleshooting if the above doesn’t clear the error.
3. Check Printer Connections
i. Test your HP printer cables
- Turn your HP printer off.
- Disconnect and then reconnect cable connections.
- Turn your HP printer on.
- Keep troubleshooting if the above doesn’t clear the error.
ii. Test network cable and fax connections
- Remove the network, US, and fax cables from your HP printer.
- Turn off your printer and then turn it back on.
- Plug the fax cable back into your printer and try printing.
- If there is any installed network software that queries for information, then you should disable should software.
- Plug the network cable back into your printer and confirm that the network is well connected.
If this clears the error, then you can re-enable the software you just disabled. However, if you find that the error is displayed once you enable the software, then you should contact your network administrator.
If none of the above is responsible for the error, keep troubleshooting.
iii. Test accessory connections
- Turn off your HP printer, and then turn it back on.
- Turn off and even disconnect any additional accessories such as attached USB drives, fax cards, etc.
- If doing the above gets rid of the error, then reconnect each accessory one after the other. Then print out a Configuration page once you reconnect an accessory.
- If you see the error returning after you reconnected any of the accessories, then that accessory component has to be replaced.
If this fixes the error, then you should stop troubleshooting.
However, if it doesn’t clear the error, then you should keep troubleshooting.
4. Update your HP printer firmware via the Preboot Menu with a USB Flash Drive
i. Print out a configuration page and confirm if your HP printer runs on FutureSmart 3 or 4.
ii. Go to this site.
iii. Click on “Upgrade Now”. This will provide you with a printer list where you can check out the current firmware versions.
iv. Confirm if the firmware on your printer is the same as the current version.
v. If you find that a more current version is listed, click on the link which will take you to the HP.com page where you can download the firmware.
vi. Scroll down the page to the section for “FutureSmart4” or “FutureSmart 3”.
vii. Locate the printer firmware file.
viii. Click on “Download”.
ix. Click on “Save As”.
x. Select your USB drive location.
xi. Choose “Open folder”. Alternatively, you can go straight to the USB drive location.
xii. Right-click on the zip folder, and click on “extract all files”.
xiii. Pay attention to the location where the “.bdl” file is stored.
xiv. Update your HP printer firmware from the Preboot menu.
- Turn your HP printer off and then turn it on.
- On your printer’s control panel, the HP logo will appear as well as a “1/8” and an underscore just beneath the logo. When this happens, touch the HP logo. This action will cause the Preboot menu to open.
- Move to and highlight “Administrator”
If you are unable to access the menu because it is locked, then you should log in with the administrator’s details.
- Move to and highlight “Download”.
- Insert the USB flash drive that has the firmware’s “.bdl” file into your printer’s USB port.
If the printer cannot find the file, ensure that the file is saved in the main directory instead of a folder. If the file is still not found, you should use another flash drive.
- Move to and highlight “USB Thumbdrive”.
- Move to and highlight the firmware “.bdl” file.
If there are two or more “.bdl” files in the flash drive, ensure you select the one that is for the current firmware version.
- Select “OK” and then wait for the completion of the upload.
- When “Complete” is displayed on your printer’s control panel, choose the back navigation arrow until you see “Continue”.
- Select “Continue”. Your HP printer will then reboot automatically and the update will begin.
While the update is going on, do not stop the process. The process could take as long as 30 minutes and sometimes more.
xv. Print out a configuration page as soon as your printer is in “Ready”. Check the firmware version on the configuration page and confirm that it is the new one.
If the above doesn’t resolve the error, then it might be that a particular setting isn’t compatible with the installed firmware. In such a case, reach out to HP Support for further assistance.
