Printer response problems

Problemsolving
   

Printer response problems


The following table lists common printer response problems and suggested solutions for resolving them.

Printer response problems

No display message

Cause
Solution
The printer on/off button is in the off position. Verify that the printer is on. Fans may run while the printer is in Standby mode (off).
The printer memory DIMMs (available on the HP Color LaserJet 3700 series printer only) are defective or installed incorrectly. Verify that the printer memory DIMMs are correctly installed and are not defective.
The power cord is not firmly plugged into both the printer and the power receptacle. Turn off the printer and then disconnect and reconnect the power cord. Turn the printer back on.
The line voltage is incorrect for the printer power configuration. Connect the printer to a proper voltage source, as specified on the Power Rating Label on the back of the printer.
The power cord is damaged or excessively worn. Replace the power cord.
The power source receptacle is not working correctly. Connect the printer to a different power receptacle.


Control panel display is hard to read

Cause
Solution
The contrast is too high or too low for the office environment. Adjust the contrast on the control panel display. See Display brightness.


Printer is on, but nothing prints

Cause
Solution
The printer Ready indicator light is not lit. Press Stop to return the printer to the Ready state.
The top cover is not closed properly. Close the top cover firmly.
The Data indicator light is flashing. The printer is probably still receiving data. Wait for the Data indicator to stop flashing.
REPLACE <COLOR> CARTRIDGE appears on the printer display. Replace the print cartridge specified on the printer display.
A printer message other than Ready appears on the printer control panel. See Control panel messages.
The parallel port may have a DOS timeout error. Add a MODE command to the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. See the DOS manual for additional information.
The PS (PostScript Emulation) personality is not selected. Select PS or AUTO for the printer language. See Changing printer control panel configuration settings.
The correct driver is not selected in the software application or printer driver. Select the driver for PostScript Emulation for this printer in the software application or printer driver.
The printer is not properly configured. See Changing printer control panel configuration settings.
The computer port is not configured or is not working properly. Run another peripheral connected to this port to verify that the port is working properly.
The printer has not been correctly named for the network or for a Macintosh. For Macintosh, use the appropriate utility to name the printer on the network. From the Chooser, select the AppleTalk zone and the printer.


Printer is on but is not receiving data

Cause
Solution
The printer Ready indicator light is not lit. Press Stop to return the printer to the Ready state.
The front door is not closed properly. Close the front door firmly.
A printer message other than Ready appears on the printer control panel. See Control panel messages.
The interface cable is not correct for this configuration. Select the correct interface cable for your configuration. See Parallel configuration (HP Color LaserJet 3700 series printer only) or Enhanced I/O (EIO) configuration (HP Color LaserJet 3700 series printer only).
The interface cable is not securely connected to both the printer and the computer. Disconnect and reconnect the interface cable.
The printer is not configured correctly. See Changing printer control panel configuration settings for configuration information.
The interface configurations shown on the printer configuration page do not match the configurations on the host computer. Configure the printer to match the computer configuration.
The computer is not working properly. Try using an application that you know works properly to check the computer, or, if connected via the parallel port, in DOS, type Dir>Prn at the DOS command prompt.
The computer port that the printer is connected to is not configured or is not working properly. Run another peripheral connected to this port to verify that the port is working properly.
The printer has not been correctly named for the network or Macintosh. For Macintosh, use the appropriate utility to name the printer on the network. From the Chooser, select the AppleTalk zone and the printer.


Unable to select the printer from the computer

Cause
Solution
If you are using a switch box, the printer may not be selected for the computer. Select the correct printer through the switch box.
The printer’s Ready indicator light is not lit. Press Stop to return the printer to the Ready state.
A printer message other than Ready appears on the printer control panel. See Control panel messages.
The correct printer driver is not installed in the computer. Install the correct printer driver.
The correct printer and port are not selected on the computer. Select the correct printer and port.
The network is not configured properly for this printer. Use the network software to verify the printer’s network configuration, or consult with the network administrator.
The power source receptacle is not working correctly. Connect the printer to a different power receptacle.


A message appears that 2-sided printing is not available for the type and size selected

Cause
Solution
The paper requested is not supported for automatic 2-sided printing. Make sure manual 2-sided printing is enabled. See Gaining access to printer driver settings.




HP 3550 3700 Printer response problems