If this is the only problem with this printer, you are lucky.
I'm looking for a XP driver for a very long time without success.
Please check also the printing of black item only and black items
togther with some colos ones. I think you will see the difference
In the first case the black is black; in the second case the black is
dark grey. The XP driver is NOT using correctly the black cartrdge.
The HP support said that they don't have a better driver and they know
the problem

About the two side printing' use the FinePrint program (www.fineprint.com).
It is very good.