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FAQs - Quick Fixes & Printer Troubleshooting

This guide is designed to help you understand your printer’s error codes, failure symptoms and provide quick fixes for the user. With this guide, you may be able to avoid a service call and solve the problem with an easy remedy. At the very least, you can gain an understanding of what type of printer failure you are experiencing and what to expect.

Common Printer Problems
Understanding Error Codes
Configuration Pages & Menu Maps
Toner Cartridge Order Numbers

Common Printer Problems
My Printer is making grinding or rubbing noises when printing and I get an occasional 13.1 jam. Your pickup rollers are probably bald. This problem is typically corrected with new pickup rollers.

My printouts contain a line down the page, what causes this? The toner cartridge or fusing assembly usually causes this. First, change the toner cartridge if you have one in stock. If that does not correct the problem, call in for service.

Recently, my print characters have a fuzzy ‘halo’ around them? Every year when winter rolls around we receive a lot of phone calls with these types of problems. The cause is actually a lack of humidity in the area of the printer. The friction of the paper moving through the printer and the rotating drum of the toner cartridge creates an excessive static charge drawing out more toner than what is needed. This creates a ‘halo’ effect around each character of your printout. This happens during cold weather in predominately dry office settings. Adjusting the printer density settings can result in a much “cleaner” look.

My printer hangs at “Processing Job”. Large or graphically complex print jobs can be the culprit of long processing times. Increasing printer memory will shorten these processing times.

My documents are faded and printing too light. Typically the toner cartridge is a fault here. If there is a ‘Toner Low’ message on the printer’s display – replace the cartridge. If there is not a ‘Toner Low’ message you may want to shake the cartridge to evenly distribute the toner inside. Use caution while doing this to ensure that no toner spills out onto you! Also, you may want to check that ‘economode’ is turned off and the density settings are up.

When I try to print nothing comes out of my printer. Make sure you have the correct printer selected. Within the application you are printing from, click on the ‘File’ menu and select ‘Print’. An applet will appear displaying all the printers installed. Make sure the printer you want to is highlighted. You can also print a configuration page directly from the printer. Typically, if you can print a config page then there is a problem with the printer communicating with the network.

How do I re-install my printer driver? Your printer driver should be located on your operating system in your printer’s folder. Select Add Printer and follow instructions. If your driver is not located in the OS go to www.hp.com and select software & driver downloads and follow instructions.

How do I flash my printer’s firmware and why? Newer printers allow the firmware to be flashed and upgraded to the latest version. Firmware is basically your printer’s operating system and free upgrades are available at Hewlett Packard’s website. Upgrading your firmware reduces communication errors. To flash the firmware, go to www.hp.com and select software & driver downloads and follow instructions.    
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Understanding Error Codes:

Hewlett Packard has a sophisticated error code system, which accurately describes what type of failure your printer is experiencing.

Error 13 Paper Jam. This code describes where in the printer the paper is jamming. The locations are designated 13.1 through 13.6. Quick Fixes include checking to make sure the paper cassette trays and paper are installed correctly and the paper alignment guides in the paper tray are properly seated for the correct paper size. If you do find stuck paper, please remove it as gently as possible so that he paper sensors are not damaged. If paper jams are a chronic problem call for service.

Error 14 No EP cartridge. Check that the toner cartridge is installed and fully seated.

Error 16 Toner low. Toner cartridge is low on toner. Try gently rocking the cartridge to redistribute the toner. This may buy you a few hundred extra pages. Plan on replacing toner cartridge soon.

Error 18 MIO Not Ready. The printer is not connected to a LAN or the JetDirect Card is defective or not seated correctly.

Error 20 Memory Overflow. Print job has exceeded the memory capacity of the printer. Simplify the print job or install additional memory. Other memory error codes are 21, 24, 25 & 53.

Error 41.3. There is a paper multi feed or the wrong paper size is being used. Check the paper size and make sure it matches what the printer is configured for.

Error 49. Communication Error . See Error 79

Error 50. This can be the mother of all quick fixes. The definition of this error is that the fusing assembly is not getting to the correct temperature. This may be solved by turning the printer off for a minimum of 10 min. and then turning back on. If the message clears, you have just saved yourself a service call. If the error persists call for service.

Error 51 & 52. Laser Scanner Malfunction. Call for service. 

Error 57. Improper Motor Function or Failure. In some instances simply replacing the toner cartridge may clear this error.

Error 79, 80 & 49. These are communication errors. Try deleting the jobs in the print que and turning printer off to clear the print buffer. It may just be a corrupt job. If these errors reappear with certain jobs try upgrading the firmware on the printer. Newer printers can be flashed via Hewlett Packard’s website. Go to www.hp.com and select software & driver downloads and follow instructions. If these steps fail to clear these errors call for service.

NOTE: For lower end printers, which do not have LCD control panels, light codes are used to describe printer errors. Often, in these cases, a technician is needed to perform a secondary light code analysis to determine the error.    
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Configuration Pages & Menu Maps

Configuration Pages, Menu Maps and Event Logs are valuable tools for the user in diagnosing printer problems. They convey the current settings of your printer, how to change them and the thirty most recent error codes.

Printing a Configuration Page for a HP 4000, 4100, 5000, 5100, 8000, 8100:
Press the Menu key until Information Menu is displayed
Press the Item key until Print Configuration is displayed
Press the Select Key

Printing a Menu Map for a HP 4000, 4100, 5000, 5100, 8000, 8100:
Press the Menu key until Information Menu is displayed
Press the Item key until Print Menu Map is displayed
Press the Select Key

Printing an Event Log for a HP 4000, 4100, 5000, 5100, 8000, 8100:
Press the Menu key until Information Menu is displayed
Press the Item key until Print Event Log is displayed
Press the Select key.

Printing a Configuration Page for a HP 4200, 4300, 4600, 5500, 9000:
Press ‘Check Mark’ button
Scroll to Information and press the ‘Check Mark’ button.
Scroll to Print Configuration and press the ‘Check Mark’ button.

Printing a Menu Map for a HP 4200, 4300, 4600, 5500, 9000:
Press ‘Check Mark’ button
Scroll to Information and press the ‘Check Mark’ button.
Scroll to Print Menu Map and press the ‘Check Mark’ button.    
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Don't know what toner cartridge your printer uses?
Here's a list of common printers along with their toner order number.

HP LASERJET MODEL CARTRIDGE #
HP 3SI/4SI 92291A
HP 1020 Q2612A
HP 1100 C4092A
HP 1150 Q2624A
HP 1200 C7115A
HP 1300 Q2613A
HP 1320 Q5949X
HP 2015 Q7553X
HP 2100/2200 C4096A
HP 2300 Q2610A
HP 24xx Q6511X
HP P3005 Q7551A
HP 3050 Q2612A
HP 4/5 92298X High Yield
HP 4/5 92298A
HP 4V C3900A
HP 4L 92274A
HP 4000/4050 C4127A
HP 4000/4050 C4127X High Yield
HP 4100 C8061X High Yield
HP 4100 C8061A
HP 4200 Q1338A
HP 4240 Q5942A
HP 4250/4350 Q5942X High Yield
HP 4300 Q1339A
HP 4345 Q5945A
HP 5000/5100 C4129A
HP 5000/5100 C4129X High Yield
HP 5200 Q7516A
HP 5SI HIGH YLD C3909X
HP 5SI C3909A
HP 8000 C3909X High Yield
HP 8000 C3909A
HP 8100/8150 C4182A
HP 8100/8150 C4182X High Yield
HP 9000 C8543A
HP 9000 C8543X
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HP COLOR LASERJET MODEL CARTRIDGE #
HP COLOR 3500/3550  TRANS. KIT Q3658A
HP COLOR 3500/3550  BLACK Q2670A
HP COLOR 3500/3550  CYAN Q2671A
HP COLOR 3500/3550  YELLOW Q2672A
HP COLOR 3500/3550  MAGENTA Q2673A
HP COLOR 3600  BLACK Q6470A
HP COLOR 3600  CYAN Q6471A
HP COLOR 3600  YELLOW Q6472A
HP COLOR 3600  MAGENTA Q6473A
HP COLOR 3700  TRANSFER KIT Q3658A
HP COLOR 3700  BLACK Q2670A
HP COLOR 3700  CYAN Q2671A
HP COLOR 3700  YELLOW Q2672A
HP COLOR 3700  MAGENTA Q2673A
HP COLOR 4500  TRANSFER KIT C4196A
HP COLOR 4500  DRUM KIT C4195A
HP COLOR 4500  CYAN C4192A
HP COLOR 4500 BLACK C4191A
HP COLOR 4500 MAGENTA C4193A
HP COLOR 4500 YELLOW C4194A
HP COLOR 4600 TRANSFER KIT C9724A
HP COLOR 4600/4610 BLACK C9720A
HP COLOR 4600/4610 CYAN C9721A
HP COLOR 4600/4610 YELLOW C9722A
HP COLOR 4600/4610 MAGENTA C9723A
HP COLOR 4700  TRANSFER KIT Q7504A
HP COLOR 4700  BLACK Q5950A
HP COLOR 4700  CYAN Q5951A
HP COLOR 4700  YELLOW Q5952A
HP COLOR 4700  MAGENTA Q5953A
HP COLOR 5500 TRANSFER KIT C9734A
HP COLOR 5500 BLACK C9730A
HP COLOR 5500 CYAN C9731A
HP COLOR 5500 YELLOW C9732A
HP COLOR 5500 MAGENTA C9733A
HP COLOR 8500 BLACK C4149A
HP COLOR 8500 CYAN C4150A
HP COLOR 8500 MAGENTA C4151A
HP COLOR 8500 YELLOW C4152A
HP COLOR 8500 TRANSFER KIT C4154A
HP COLOR 8500 DRUM KIT C4153A
HP COLOR 9500 TRANSFER KIT C8555A
HP COLOR 9500 BLACK TONER C8550A
HP COLOR 9500 BLACK DRUM C8560A
HP COLOR 9500 CYAN TONER C8551A
HP COLOR 9500 CYAN DRUM C8561A
HP COLOR 9500 YELLOW TONER C8552A
HP COLOR 9500 YELLOW DRUM C8562A
HP COLOR 9500 MAGENTA TONER C8553A
HP COLOR 9500 MAGENTA DRUM C8563A
NON HP TONER CARTRIDGE #
BROTHER BR 900 PRINT CART. PC91
BROTHER BR 1170 PRINT CART. PC201
BROTHER PPF-2800 COMP. BT2800
BROTHER PPF4750 DRUM DR400
CANON LC8500/9000   FX4 FX4
CANON LC3170 TONER  FX6 1559A002AA
CANON IMG.RUNNER 5000/6000 GPR-4 4234A003AA
LEXMARK E 322 08A0477
LEXMARK X342 X340H21G
LEXMARK OPTRA T610 12A5745
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