HP 870CSE with printing problems

  • Thread starter Thread starter n9ejs
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n9ejs

I useWindows 2000 Professional edition and have an HP DeskJet 870CSe
that has started to give printing problems, after working very well
for a long time.
It prints out pdf formatted documents fine, but when I try to print
from my various word processing programs (WordPerfect 9 for Windows,
MS Office Professional 2003), it will either print the upper or lower
portion of lines, or not at all.
I had a technician come and service the printer, including installing
new print cartridge. When he finished, the test page printed out
o.k. I failed to ask him to try a print-out from one of my word
processing programs before he left. He now tells me it sounds like a
software problem.
I'm not technical. Help would be appreciated!
 
n9ejs said:
I useWindows 2000 Professional edition and have an HP DeskJet 870CSe
that has started to give printing problems, after working very well
for a long time.
It prints out pdf formatted documents fine, but when I try to print
from my various word processing programs (WordPerfect 9 for Windows,
MS Office Professional 2003), it will either print the upper or lower
portion of lines, or not at all.
I had a technician come and service the printer, including installing
new print cartridge. When he finished, the test page printed out
o.k. I failed to ask him to try a print-out from one of my word
processing programs before he left.
Click to expand...

Try printing a nozzle diagnostic page as follows: Turn on the printer.
Now press and hold the power button and press the formfeed button five
times, then release the power button. This will print a nozzle diagnostic
page. The nozzle diagnostic should be relatively rectangular. If well
defined gaps are missing from the nozzle diagnostic try cleaning the
contacts on the cartridge and printer as shown at:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=bpa02060.
If the center section is missing with randomly distributed gaps try cleaning
the spittoon in the cleaning station as shown in:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=bpa02019.
This can be a messy procedure, be sure to put down some newspaper of similar
to catch spills and *do not* drop the sludge on your carpet.

Given the age of the DeskJet 870 and the fact that the cartridge has been
recently changed I would suspect the spittoon as the most likely issue.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, MS MVP Printing/Imaging
 
Try printing a nozzle diagnostic page as follows: Turn on the printer.
Now press and hold the power button and press the formfeed button five
times, then release the power button. This will print a nozzle diagnostic
page. The nozzle diagnostic should be relatively rectangular. If well
defined gaps are missing from the nozzle diagnostic try cleaning the
contacts on the cartridge and printer as shown at:http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectI....
If the center section is missing with randomly distributed gaps try cleaning
the spittoon in the cleaning station as shown in:http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectI....
This can be a messy procedure, be sure to put down some newspaper of similar
to catch spills and *do not* drop the sludge on your carpet.

Given the age of the DeskJet 870 and the fact that the cartridge has been
recently changed I would suspect the spittoon as the most likely issue.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, MS MVP Printing/Imaging
Click to expand...

I never knew it was called a spittoon until now, but they sure get
messy. I have found many HP printers discarded for that reason or
additionally because the ink absorption mat is overflowing.
If the printer has the control board on top I pop that out to gain
better access to the area. I mechanically remove big chunks with long
nosed pliers and a screwdriver. I like to hose the ares with Castrol
Super Clean, which is an ink solvent. When I'm done cleaning, I pull
out that old mat and replace it in sections from the top. Always keep
something under the printer after this service as they tend to drip
for some time.
I doubt that any of this is the OP's problem though because he said it
prints fine on PDF documents.
 
I doubt that any of this is the OP's problem though because he said it
prints fine on PDF documents.
Click to expand...

Adobe may interpret the text as graphics, causing it to print with the color
cartridge rather than the black cartridge. When printing with the black
cartridge the printhead tends to take a single pass over the page if
possible. If a portion of the printhead is blocked you will see the results
the OP saw. Printing in "Best" mode will typically default to multiple
passes, as will printing in graphics mode.

Printing the nozzle diagnostic pattern can indicate the actual cause of the
problem.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, MS MVP Printing/imaging
 
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