Hi tones99,
I would like to help answer your inquiry. There is no firmware update available; however, I do recommend if you do not already have the printer connected to a wall outlet to do so. Using a surge protector can cause errors.
Issues when Connected to an Uninterruptible Power Supply/Power Strip/Surge Protector
In this document you will see,
ISSUE:
As for the *# trick, I am not sure I understand, there is a reset you can try but it is not *#. I will send you a PM (Private Message) to explain. Before we begin, please review the HP Privacy Statement.
This Privacy Statement informs you of our privacy practices and of the choices you can make about the way information about you and your online activity is collected and how that information is used. This statement is readily available on our HP.com home page and at the bottom of every HP web page.
There are an increasing number of posts in this forum and elsewhere in the internet with the steps to do a resets on different printers. The reset itself will sometimes fix problems, so the reset is not the issue.
Some resets require you to enter button combinations to open special menus on your printer that you were never meant to access. These special menus are used by the developers and support personnel for debugging issues, but they are not meant for untrained users and can have unintended results. One wrong button push and you no could no longer have a printer, but instead a pricey paper weight. To top it off, if you do happen to "brick" the printer this way, it is considered customer induced damage, and voids the warranty automatically. These resets are only meant to be given out and used as a last resort, and under direct instruction of a HP tech support representative. They should not be done lightly!