R
R. Seed
Hi, I've just read a bit on the typical problems with these printers (wish
I had read this before I purchased one), but I still have some questions
re: my most recent problems w. this printer. First of all, I only have the
installation disks for win 98/95/3.1. I can't find any equiv downloadable
software that would allow me to diagnose on a win 2000 machine. I've
already got the drivers in (came with win 2000) and the printer was
working ok for the past few months. I also have it running on dos 6.1 on
another pc, though I don't remember loading the drivers, but it too was
working ok, except for having to press the paper/resume button alot.
Now the error messages I get are either (on win 2000) "printer not connected"
or "out of paper" on the dos pc. The paper feed will usually make its
typical initial shifting sound, like it's getting ready to do something,
then the upper light will keep flashing, while the lower one stays on and
nothing happens. Holding the upper button down (self test?) while the
machine is on doesn't produce anything either.
The machine isn't out of paper or poorly connected, and reading about the
cartridge problems on the ngroups, I refilled/tried 2 different B&W
cartridges (used a couple of times), cleaned the copper contact strips w.
alcohol, and looked at the colour cartridge (which I think is almost
empty, despite hardly being used for the past 2 years). Though, how can
you tell the colour cartridge is truly empty, since you can't see into it
like you can with the B&W ones?
I also cleaned the mylar strip gently, and the carriage is moving well
across the rod. I have the lever in the separate paper position, and
though I don't have another machine to test the bi-comm cable with (or the
software), since I'm getting 2 different error messages on 2 different
machines, I don't think it's the cables.
If if turns out that it's only the colour cartridge causing this whole mess
(and I find that amazing, if it is), is it possible to refill (and I'd
have to buy another refill kit, just for this larger, largely unused
cartridge) it with B&W ink to save money? Is is worth buying a new set of
colour and B&W cartridges to keep this machine going (if that's where the
problem is) knowing that someday re-refilling these aren't going to work
anymore and you'll have to do the same thing over again? New B&W cartridges
are expensive up here (Ontario, Canada), and colour ones are even worse.
Or could it be that the machine has a more serious problem like a bad
logic board, or damaged serial port? It's strange the way the machine just
quit like this. Though, the B&W cartridge was almost empty just before all
this happened (and it's been empty before and fine after refilling)
nothing I've done, short of buying new cartridges, has made any
difference. I can't use the HP software that came with the machine to
diagnose it on either of my current pc's, and I can't find any software to
download for use with them either.
Any ideas or help would be most welcome.
Thanks
--
I had read this before I purchased one), but I still have some questions
re: my most recent problems w. this printer. First of all, I only have the
installation disks for win 98/95/3.1. I can't find any equiv downloadable
software that would allow me to diagnose on a win 2000 machine. I've
already got the drivers in (came with win 2000) and the printer was
working ok for the past few months. I also have it running on dos 6.1 on
another pc, though I don't remember loading the drivers, but it too was
working ok, except for having to press the paper/resume button alot.
Now the error messages I get are either (on win 2000) "printer not connected"
or "out of paper" on the dos pc. The paper feed will usually make its
typical initial shifting sound, like it's getting ready to do something,
then the upper light will keep flashing, while the lower one stays on and
nothing happens. Holding the upper button down (self test?) while the
machine is on doesn't produce anything either.
The machine isn't out of paper or poorly connected, and reading about the
cartridge problems on the ngroups, I refilled/tried 2 different B&W
cartridges (used a couple of times), cleaned the copper contact strips w.
alcohol, and looked at the colour cartridge (which I think is almost
empty, despite hardly being used for the past 2 years). Though, how can
you tell the colour cartridge is truly empty, since you can't see into it
like you can with the B&W ones?
I also cleaned the mylar strip gently, and the carriage is moving well
across the rod. I have the lever in the separate paper position, and
though I don't have another machine to test the bi-comm cable with (or the
software), since I'm getting 2 different error messages on 2 different
machines, I don't think it's the cables.
If if turns out that it's only the colour cartridge causing this whole mess
(and I find that amazing, if it is), is it possible to refill (and I'd
have to buy another refill kit, just for this larger, largely unused
cartridge) it with B&W ink to save money? Is is worth buying a new set of
colour and B&W cartridges to keep this machine going (if that's where the
problem is) knowing that someday re-refilling these aren't going to work
anymore and you'll have to do the same thing over again? New B&W cartridges
are expensive up here (Ontario, Canada), and colour ones are even worse.
Or could it be that the machine has a more serious problem like a bad
logic board, or damaged serial port? It's strange the way the machine just
quit like this. Though, the B&W cartridge was almost empty just before all
this happened (and it's been empty before and fine after refilling)
nothing I've done, short of buying new cartridges, has made any
difference. I can't use the HP software that came with the machine to
diagnose it on either of my current pc's, and I can't find any software to
download for use with them either.
Any ideas or help would be most welcome.
Thanks
--