OTish: Any freeware progs to 'maintain' printers?

  • Thread starter Thread starter John Latter
  • Start date Start date
J

John Latter

Hi,

I bought a new printer a few weeks ago but I'm using it hardly at all
at the moment. Then I began wondering if I should print a page or two
every week 'to keep the ink flowing'.

In other words, I dunno nuffink 'bout printers & would appreciate any
advice.

If it is a good idea to regularly print pages, are there any freeware
programs/test files which will do this in an economical manner?

Regards,

--

John Latter

Model of an Internal Evolutionary Mechanism (based on an extension to homeostasis) linking Stationary-Phase Mutations to the Baldwin Effect.
http://members.aol.com/jorolat/TEM.html

'Where Darwin meets Lamarck?' Discussion Egroup
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/evomech
 
John said:
If it is a good idea to regularly print pages, are there any freeware
programs/test files which will do this in an economical manner?
Click to expand...

Shouldn't bother if I were you, mine sits there for weeks until I use
it. I'm sure your printer comes with a built-in test page for
printing, most do. RTFM :)

KeithS
 
Hi,

I bought a new printer a few weeks ago but I'm using it hardly at all
at the moment. Then I began wondering if I should print a page or two
every week 'to keep the ink flowing'.

In other words, I dunno nuffink 'bout printers & would appreciate any
advice.

If it is a good idea to regularly print pages, are there any freeware
programs/test files which will do this in an economical manner?

Regards,

--

John Latter


Yes, John...print something out every 3 or 4 days at the very least. Perhaps
you could keep a small file on hand with a small jpeg and some text and just
do a quick print of that . Deskjet printers can have the ink jet nozzles dry
up over a short period of time due to lack of use.
No freeware or payware program is needed, just a 5k or so file with a colour
graphic and some black text.
If the printer software came with a 'toolbox' you should run its testpage
thing monthly as well as the calibration thing.

nocando
 
If you right click on the printer's entry in the control panel \ printers
section, and select 'properties', you should then be able to click on "print
a test page". Of course, you have to *remember* to do so. You could set up a
recurring appointment in Outlook for example to provoke you to do that from
time to time...




John Latter said:
Hi,

I bought a new printer a few weeks ago but I'm using it hardly at all
at the moment. Then I began wondering if I should print a page or two
every week 'to keep the ink flowing'.

In other words, I dunno nuffink 'bout printers & would appreciate any
advice.

If it is a good idea to regularly print pages, are there any freeware
programs/test files which will do this in an economical manner?

Regards,

--

John Latter

Model of an Internal Evolutionary Mechanism (based on an extension to
Click to expand...
homeostasis) linking Stationary-Phase Mutations to the Baldwin Effect.
 
Hi,

I bought a new printer a few weeks ago but I'm using it hardly at all
at the moment. Then I began wondering if I should print a page or two
every week 'to keep the ink flowing'.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice Keith, Nocando, and Kerry!

I haven't got Outlook but I do have a program which'll remind me to
print a test page every week.

Regards,

--

John Latter

Model of an Internal Evolutionary Mechanism (based on an extension to homeostasis) linking Stationary-Phase Mutations to the Baldwin Effect.
http://members.aol.com/jorolat/TEM.html

'Where Darwin meets Lamarck?' Discussion Egroup
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/evomech
 
Be aware that inkjets often "park" the print heads on a pad that caps the nozzles when the printer is turned off. This prevents, or at least slows down the process of the ink drying out and the head nozzles getting clogged. When you turn the printer off always use the printer's own power button - don't turn it off from a power strip. Also, when you're getting ready to use the printer after a significant period of inactivity (perhaps a week or longer) I suggest you print a test page or a "nozzle check" to make sure the black and color inks are all flowing properly. If they're not you can clean the heads before printing your real job. I've made the mistake of printing photos on expensive glossy paper only to discover that the heads needed cleaning - very frustrating! <g>
 
John Latter said:
Hi,

I bought a new printer a few weeks ago but I'm using it hardly at all
at the moment. Then I began wondering if I should print a page or two
every week 'to keep the ink flowing'.
Click to expand...
<snip>

I have a Brother MFC 3100c inkjet with a large black and three color cartridges.
If I don't print a test page every 4-5 days, the printer won't print well, and I have to clean the heads, even
though the heads are automatically parked and are supposedly capped.

What make/model is your printer?

- Dugie
 
Be aware that inkjets often "park" the print heads on a pad that caps the nozzles when the printer is turned off.
This prevents, or at least slows down the process of the ink drying out and the head nozzles getting clogged.
When you turn the printer off always use the printer's own power button - don't turn it off from a power strip.
Also, when you're getting ready to use the printer after a significant period of inactivity (perhaps a week or longer)
I suggest you print a test page or a "nozzle check" to make sure the black and color inks are all flowing properly.
If they're not you can clean the heads before printing your real job. I've made the mistake of printing photos on
expensive glossy paper only to discover that the heads needed cleaning - very frustrating! <g>
Click to expand...
Thanks for the advice Swingman, the manual says to use the printers
on/off button because it saves on ink, but I think I'll print the test
page every time I use the printer anyway - its only some text with the
windows logo.

John

--

John Latter

Model of an Internal Evolutionary Mechanism (based on an extension to homeostasis) linking Stationary-Phase Mutations to the Baldwin Effect.
http://members.aol.com/jorolat/TEM.html

'Where Darwin meets Lamarck?' Discussion Egroup
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/evomech
 
<snip>

I have a Brother MFC 3100c inkjet with a large black and three color cartridges.
If I don't print a test page every 4-5 days, the printer won't print well, and I have to clean the heads, even
though the heads are automatically parked and are supposedly capped.

What make/model is your printer?

- Dugie
Click to expand...

Hi Dugie,

My printer's a Canon MP360 'All-in-one'. I've had it about six weeks
and have only printed a few pages on 3 seperate occasions so I might
get by on a test print once a week (I hope!)

--

John Latter

Model of an Internal Evolutionary Mechanism (based on an extension to homeostasis) linking Stationary-Phase Mutations to the Baldwin Effect.
http://members.aol.com/jorolat/TEM.html

'Where Darwin meets Lamarck?' Discussion Egroup
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/evomech
 
John Latter caused an illegal operation in module
Hi,

I bought a new printer a few weeks ago but I'm using it hardly at all
at the moment. Then I began wondering if I should print a page or two
every week 'to keep the ink flowing'.

In other words, I dunno nuffink 'bout printers & would appreciate any
advice.
Click to expand...

You don't generally need this. My Epson 480 printer has sit here for 2 months
or so without printing anything. But printing a small page of text every week
is unlikely to cause a problem. My printer comes with a test program that does
exactly this to do a "self test".

[]s
 
On Fri, 30 Jul 2004 11:43:20 +0100 in article
Hi,

I bought a new printer a few weeks ago but I'm using it hardly at all
at the moment. Then I began wondering if I should print a page or two
every week 'to keep the ink flowing'.
Click to expand...

Yes. It is recommended that you print 1 or 2 pages per week to keep the nozzles
from drying and clogging. Just do it every Monday or something. Go to Control
Panel, Printers, choose a printer, and print a test page.


--
Freezone Freeware: 1200+ applications
http://chuckr.freeshell.org (zip file of file list only)
http://freezone.darksoft.co.nz
http://home.att.net/~chuckr30/index.html (zip file of file list only)
http://chuckr.bravepages.com
 
On Fri, 30 Jul 2004 11:43:20 +0100 in article


Yes. It is recommended that you print 1 or 2 pages per week to keep the nozzles
from drying and clogging. Just do it every Monday or something. Go to Control
Panel, Printers, choose a printer, and print a test page.
Click to expand...

Thanks A Man! With the other feedback that this thread generated I've
decided to print the test page every week - 'cept I've chosen Fridays
(me and Mondays don't get on so well)

--

John Latter

Model of an Internal Evolutionary Mechanism (based on an extension to homeostasis) linking Stationary-Phase Mutations to the Baldwin Effect.
http://members.aol.com/jorolat/TEM.html

'Where Darwin meets Lamarck?' Discussion Egroup
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/evomech
 
Thanks A Man! With the other feedback that this thread generated I've
decided to print the test page every week - 'cept I've chosen Fridays
(me and Mondays don't get on so well)
Click to expand...

FYI, printer manufacturers strongly recommend doing the test print at the start of the week, with Monday being the
preferred day. It has something to do with the CPU's internal clock cycle and the printer's internal sync chip.

- Dugie
 
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