Top 10 Problems With HP Printers and Their Solutions

Despite being reliable printing machines and despite your best of efforts, HP printers often malfunction. Why? There can be multiple reasons for HP printers to malfunction and display error messages.  Here we have listed 10 common HP printer problems and their solutions.

Toner smears or does not fix to the page

Check the fuser.  If it is nearing the end, replace it.  If you don't know how to replace a fuser, refer to your HP printer support manual that originally came with the HP printer setup kit.  Sometimes, fuser displays a Clean Fuser Input message.  It is a clear indication that fuser needs a cleanup.  Open the front door on your HP printer.  Check if you see a blue brush inside there (there must be one). Take the toner cartridge out of the printer to reach the fuser input assembly.

The assembly locates on top of the black toner cartridge port. Take the blue brush out and clean the assembly.  The cleanup procedure is intended for a HP Color LaserJet 5500 printer.  If you have a different printer, refer to its manual.  If it's not fuser, it may be the toner cartridge which is either defective or nearing the end of its life.  In that case also, you will need to replace it.  If the toner is neither defective nor nearing end, clean the toner cartridge assembly.

Paper Jams

Paper jams are the commonest printer problems, not just with HP printers, but with all the printer brands and models.  Paper jam can occur due to a number of reasons from torn paper bits, wrong paper tray selected, wrong paper type selected, loose paper roller, and to a lint of dust etc.  Look carefully inside the paper tray and at the exit end of the print paper path.  If there are any bits of paper stuck inside, remove them.  Check that the paper tray has the right type of paper, that is listed in the control panel of the printer.

If it is different, the printer will experience a paper jam problem.  Make sure that the paper type matches what is in the printer properties.  If not, correct it.  Also, make sure that the printer prints to the right paper tray.  Failure to which it will lead to a paper jam.  If the roller seems to be loose, tighten it carefully.  If the roller looks shiny, it may need a replacement.  Besides, never pull paper in the opposite direction that it feeds in.   Always pull it in the paper path direction.

Windows sends print jobs to a wrong printer

It happens when Windows selects a default printer by itself.  If you are using Windows 7, click the Start button and point to Devices and Printers.  You will see various printers listed under Printer and Faxes. Right-click the desired printer and click Set as default printer.  If prompted, confirm the action and exit Devices and Printers.  Restart your computer and printer.  Test a print page and check back.  Windows should print to the right printer now.

If you are using Window XP, click the Start button and point to Control Panel.  Double-click Hardware and Sound and then Printers.  Look for the printer that you want to set as default, right-click it and then choose Set as Default Printer.

Print Spooler service stops working

This is again a common problem with HP printers.  To get rid of this problem, click the Start button and point to Run.  When in Run dialog box, type 'services.msc' (without quotes) and hit Enter.  This will take you to the Services window.  On the right hand side, look for Print Spooler, right-click it and select Restart.  When prompted, confirm the action and exit the Services window.  If prompted, restart your computer.  When done, test a print page.

50.4 error message

The error message indicates a power supply problem and generally occurs when the power cord of your printer is plugged into a power strip or the UPS.  To get rid of this error message, plug the printer directly into a power outlet.

Printouts are too light, have spots

Often a printer starts printing light or spotty when the ink\toner cartridge is either dried up or clogged. Remove the ink\toner cartridge.  Take a soft cloth and dip it into either hot water or alcohol.  Now rub the soft cloth cautiously against the print head.  Also, rub it on  the underside of the nozzle of the printer.  It will soften the ink and let the printer print properly.  Put the ink cartridge back in place.  Print a test page and check back.

Error message 69.x

This shows a temporary glitch on your printing device.  To make this message disappear, you simply need to power off your printer, wait for 10-15 seconds and then power it on.  This will reset the configurations and make your printer start working again.  In case the message still appears, power off both printer and computer and then turn them on.

Error message 10

The error indicates a Supplies Memory Error.  Depending on your HP printer model, the error can occur due to various reasons.  To get rid of the problem, power off your printer and unplug it from the power outlet.  Wait for 10-15 seconds before plugging the printer back in.  When done, plug the printer back into power outlet, power it on, and let it warm up properly.  When done, print a test page and check back.  Your printer should start working fine now.  There may also be a problem with your printer's memory.  Replace its memory stick.

Cannot fit more text on the page

You may want your print page to have a substantial text amount, but your default printer settings may not let you do so.  Sometimes, you may also face a problem when shrinking the text on a sheet.  To get rid of this problem, go to Printer Properties in Control Panel.  Change the printer settings to accommodate more pages for each sheet.  For example, click the drop-down menu under Pages per sheet and posters and select it to 2 or 3 as desired per pages.  Click the OK button.  The settings may differ according to your printer model.  Refer to your HP printer support manual for correct settings.

Wireless printer problems

Wireless printers are great for home or office use.  However, they cannot beat wired printers when it comes to speed.  Wireless printer users often face printer slow problems.  To make sure that your wireless printer works at a decent speed, use a unique channel number in your router.  Besides, place your printer close to your Wi-Fi router.  Keep gadgets like cordless phones, security alarms away from your wireless router.  These gadgets create electrical interference and cause your printer to function slowly.

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How to Choose a New Desktop Color Laser Printer

This is my first time here in the states.  I can't tell you how impressed I am with the stores, restaurants and cities that I have visited over the past five months.  I can tell you that we have none of the conveniences that many Americans take for granted.  For instance, I have been using a desktop inkjet printer for almost 5 years now.  The cost per print, let alone if the ink cartridge dries up, is just outrageous.  I spend almost $200 every month to have the "joy" or "privilege" of receiving documents out of my computer.  

Now thanks to my old boss I am going home with a brand new desktop color laser printer.  There were many laser printers to choose from and the initial price points run from a low of $150 to a high in the neighborhood of $3,500.  What differentiates these color laser printers is the total cost of ownership. (initial price, copies per duty cycle and expected duty cycle for a set of ink or toner) What you will find, in almost all cases, is that the desktop color laser printer near the bottom end of the price range has a much higher total cost of ownership than the printer that enters near the top of the price scale.  I don't mind paying for quality if I can save money (buying multiple printers, ink, etc.) over the long haul so I chose the Hewlett Packard CP4025dn because I wanted a medium to high duty cycle with the lowest cost of ownership.  Using a total cost of ownership tool I was able to compare all of the top name brand desktop color printers on the full range of total cost of ownership.

Desktop Color Laser Printer Reviews, Coupon Codes, Etc.

The website I visited even had the latest desktop color printer reviews, both laser and ink, feedback from industry experts on each name brand model and coupon codes that helped me save 10 percent on my color laser printer.  I want to say goodbye to my current printer and hello to my new desktop color laser printer, you will make my life so much better and my documents so much more fun to print.  I want to be nice about pitching the old one in the trash.  More than likely I will just kick it to the curb without another thought.   Color laser printer technology improvements and price drops have got to be some of the most important, impactful improvements in the technology industry over the past five years.  Do your own comparison of total cost of ownership between a desktop inkjet printer and a laser that prints color and I think your eyes will be opened.  Desktop color laser printing technology will win hands down.  The total cost of ownership for a desktop color laser printer is on average 50-60% cheaper than that old inkjet.

Total Cost of Ownership for the Color Laser Printer

Total cost of ownership consists of multiple factors that should be taken into consideration; initial cost, ink or toner cartridges costs, whether you can use refilled or re-manufactured cartridges or whether you are stuck with the Original Equipment Manufactured (OEM) ones and finally the number of prints per cycle.  The number of prints per cycle is the number of pages you get for each set of ink or toner.  What did I find?  Well, you can imagine my surprise when I started looking at desktop color laser printers in today's market and found that some of the new breed of desktop color laser printer had an initial price point that would seem to keep it from consideration, but after closer review the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) on the high-end gave those desktop color laser printers a lower TCO than the lower-end or the current breed of desktop inkjet printers.  When all TCO factors were tabulated, the medium to high-end desktop color printer of the laser variety was actually much cheaper over the expected life span of that printer.  Add a service contract onto the end of the manufacturer's base warranty and the TCO number decreased even more substantially.  There is a never-ending supply of TCO information and comparisons of TCO between the desktop color laser printer and inkjet printers on the Internet.  I can tell you that what helped me the most was looking at Total Cost of Ownership tools and running the numbers to find the most reasonable desktop color laser printer that also offered the lowest cost toner cartridges, duplex printing and all of the network connections I wanted. (HP CP4025dn) Happy shopping and happy printing.

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Copier Printers - 3 Tips To Have High Quality Documents

If you work in a place where presentations, brochures and manuals are frequently used, copier printers are essential in making your work easier, and save you a lot of money while you're at it.

If you add up the expenses that you incur from printing your brochures outside the office, this will be quite a hefty amount. You will be able to save hundreds of dollars if you have your own in-house printing station. You don't need to have a printing press in your office - copier printers can do the job just as nicely.

Copier printers today have multiple features to help you customize your documents. They can print practically any size you want, in any color. You can make them add page numbers, or print every other page.

Copier printers have totally customizable features, so your options are endless. But you need to remember a few things to make sure that your copier printer produces the best possible copies.

1. When designing a document on your copier printer, make sure you adjust the setting according to your specifications, then wait and see if the first copy is exactly what you want. Afterwards, you can allow the machine do its job and print the copies that you need.

2. Before starting to print, check the toner in the copier printer. If there is not enough toner, your documents will not look very professional. You might even have to reprint copies if they look faded, and this will be a waste of time and money.

3. Also check that you have enough paper in your copier printer. Running out of paper is not as bad as running out of toner, and you can remedy it quickly, but it will still be inconvenient and will waste some of your time.

If you follow these tips, you can be sure that your copier printers will produce the high quality documents that you need.

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Office Printers Buying Guide

Are you planning to buy a printer? Well, the selection of the right one is not as easy as it seems; there are many types of printers available with different specifications depending on different printing needs. This article will discuss various technical aspects and other factors to consider while buying a printer.

Evaluate your printing needs: Every organization has different needs for printing.  Before buying a printer, you should analyze your needs and answer some questions - Do you need a printer just to print text, graphics printing or both?  Need to print documents in large or small volumes?  What is the priority - the quality or quantity?  Do you need a printer that is shared by a working group or do you need one for home users?  Need a color printer or black and white printer?  What is your budget?  Once you are well versed with their needs, next door, you must upgrade the technical aspects of a printer.

Printer types: The market is packed with various types of bar code printers, such as printers, scanners and Med-matrix printers, label printers, laser printers and ink jet printers.  The latter company is the multifunction printer.  For printing text documents, inkjet printers and dot matrix printers are an appropriate option.  For printing graphics and images, color laser printers make the best choice.  Printing large number of documents that directly affect the speed and cost of printing.  Again, if you need to print large volumes, but the quality is not a problem - for example, retail stores that need money to print the notes, etc. - dot matrix printers are the best option.  However, if you're looking for then, the quality of laser printers are adequate.  Multifunction printers or All-In-One printers can print, scan and fax too.  They are very cheap and suitable for any office

Resolution: The quality and clarity of printing depends on the resolution of the printer.  Top of the dpi (dots per inch) for the best printing quality.  A monochrome laser printer, which normally has a resolution of 600 by 600 dpi to 1200 by 1200 dpi while a color printer has a low range of resolution 1200 by 600 dpi to 2400 by 1200 dpi.  High-end laser printers to give you the best resolution is that between 2400 by 1200 dpi to 2400 by 2400 dpi.  If your work requires professional ultra bright, clear printing of text and graphics, you should opt for a high resolution printer.

Speed: The speed of a printer is measured by the number of printed pages per minute (ppm).  Inkjet and laser printers have three levels of quality, that is, the project settings, normal and best.  Print speed is on the decrease with the increase in the level of quality.  A reasonably priced ink-jet printer has a speed of approximately 28 ppm for black text and about 20 ppm for color graphics.  A typical color laser printer in the other party has a speed of between 6-20 ppm for black text and 12 ppm for color graphics.

Paper Handling: In general all printers have the ability to print on standard paper, with letter and legal sizes.  Most printers have personal input and output paper trays for paper handling facility.  Paper-handling capabilities of inkjet printers is lower than laser printers.  Purchase of inkjet printers by reloading the paper tray with more frequency than in a laser printer.  High-end printers have a better paper handling and have an available option for both sides printing and printing on tabloid-sized papers too.  If your need for printing is above average, to buy printers that have high capacity for handling paper and verify that the printer should print without bending or folding the sheet.

Report: High-capacity memory helps to increase the speed of the printer and it is very beneficial to the needs of printing graphics.  If you are planning to change your printer with a printer of high memory, review your current printer for memory expansion.  Some printers have the option to upgrade the memory.  It is advisable to buy everything in one printer with large memory capacity and greater functionality.

Connectivity and compatibility: Buy a printer that is compatible with your system.  Also check that the printer has software that matches your network if you plan to install a printer from working.  Buy printers that have a USB port so that they can be easily connected.  USB 2.0 connectivity provides faster than USB 1.1 port.  To fulfill their needs for network printing, it is necessary to have an Ethernet port.

Compare prices: Review and compare prices before buying a printer.  Calculate the gross expenditure, which includes cost of the printer, the cost of packing and shipping cost.  Often dealers add hidden fees to the cost of the printer after you place the order. Compare the cost with other vendors before making the final agreement.  To meet their printing needs in its budget, buy multifunction printer that meet their need for a scanner, fax and printer.

Buy online: for the safety of the printer shopping online, be sure to ask everything regarding mode of payment services, technical support, warranties, guarantees, shipping policy, private and the policy of return policy .  Buy only reliable printers distributors to make sure you are buying genuine high-quality printers and not the duplicate ones.

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