FULL DISCLOSURE: I have used nothing but Macs in my law office since 1986. I am a full-fledged Mac Fanatic.
However, I am not pleased with the “Snow Leopard” (“SL”) update to system OS X 10.6. SL is mostly “under the hood” and, to be fair, it speeds operations, produces a clearer screen image, saves on GB as a completely new system. All of that works fairly well, even with the low, low price of only $29.95 for the upgrade.
So far, so good. The problem arises with SL’s treatment of 3rd party printers, especially “All-in-Ones”, which are very popular with low volume operations such as a solo practice or small firm. I have/had three (3) HP 5610xi’s, which served my scanning and printing needs quite well until I installed SL.
Despite the listing of the HP 5600 series of machines as being supported on the SL install DVD, the DVD only includes open source drivers for fax-not scanning and printing. As far as SL is concerned, my HP 5610xi is now a brick. Apple decided to remove my prior printer drivers (not unheard of in an upgrade); but they failed to replace them.
HP has no updated printer drivers and has the temerity to tell some who have older model printers to buy new ones to solve their “problem”. Wow! That attitude will really want to make me run out and buy a new HP printer.
To make matters worse, every time I fire up my iMac, Software Update asks if I want to install the printer driver to run my HP 5610xi, then, after having me agree to a software license, tells me that software is “currently unavailable”.
SL also removed my HP ScanPro OCR software. If I want to buy a Fujitsu ScanSnap to solve my scanning problems, SL also broke major aspects of ScanSnap. See their status update.
My advice is to avoid the SL upgrade until someone else you know with the same printer you have can confirm that the printer is in actual operation.
For some excellent answers about SL, try the FAQ’s from the folks at Macintouch. and their Compatibility List.
lennyesq 
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UPDATE 9-08-09: I’ve had the opposite experience. I use my 15” MacBook Pro running Snow Leopard both here in the office and at home. It works perfectly with a Brother MFC-8460N multifunction (printer, scanner, copier), an HP LaserJet 4000 TN, a Xerox WorkCenter 4150, and a Dymo LableWriter Twin Turbo, all here in the office. At home it works seamlessly with a wireless HP-6180 multifunction machine, a separate high resolution MicroTek scanner, and an Epson (840, I think) printer. Not a second’s problem with any of them.
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Jay L. Samoff
Samoff & Benton, PLLC
24 John St., PO Box 3870, Kingston, NY 12402
Tel: (845) 331-4977 Fax: (845) 331-4726
jlsamoff@catskillmtnlaw.com
I wish to utilize my HP Laserjet 4000TN with my MacBrro Pro 17″ with op system 10.6.2. However, I cannot get the printer to connect successfully, either via Ethernet cable or on a network through my Mac airport. Any suggestions on set up and configuration?
DAB
I can find a driver for your printer and system at:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodNameId=14952&prodTypeId=18972&prodSeriesId=25474&swLang=8&taskId=135&swEnvOID=4082
I agree with lennyesq – i was talked into snow leopard, and now i can not scan, or use any of the automated HP features of the 5610. Had I known that the 30 dollar upgrade was going to cost me my printer/scanner/fax – i would not have listened to the joy’s of Snow.
The printer update for the HP 5610 was issued by Apple in November 2009. It is available via Software Update or at:
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/firmware_hardware/hpprinterdriversformacosxv106.html