I have a HP Deskjet 722C. I just installed Windows 2000, and now the printer prints horizontal smudges, often in color even if the source is black and white text (as in a Word doc). Text files, like emails, are perhaps the only things to print ok.
What’s going on, and how do I correct? The HP website does not directly provide support for this model, but it does say the drivers SHOULD be on the Windows 2000 disk. When I try to install, the Install wizard asks me for the path (once I insert the Windows 2000 disk). But, what is the path to the drivers?
Can anyone help me either (a) find the path to drivers so that I can direct the Install Wizard - AND/OR - (b) help me find out what else may be going on here!!!
Horizontal smudges sound a lot more like a dirty or defective cartridge than a driver issue (though I suppose anything is possible) . Remove and gently wipe the bottom of both cartridges with a tissue lightly soaked in rubbing alcohol.
Overall given the age and non-existent support for the 722C under 2000 and the fact that you can get better new HP printers than the 722 for less $ 80.00 on sale, which is about the price of a pair of new cartridges, you might really be better off simply getting a new printer.
Printers often have a self test mode that can be invoked without even being connected to a computer. Usually you can get it going by holding down several of the front panel buttons while powering up the printer. Check your Deskjet manual to be sure get the right buttons.
That’ll usually tell you if you have a cartridge problem or a software problem.
Printers often have a self test mode that can be invoked without even being connected to a computer. Usually you can get it going by holding down several of the front panel buttons while powering up the printer. Check your Deskjet manual to be sure get the right buttons.
That’ll usually tell you if you have a cartridge problem or a software problem.
I think it’s a driver issue, not just a dirty cartridge. Color ink shouldn’t be coming out of the cartridge at all if you’re printing a monochrome page.
I just dug up my ancient Deskjet 850c and it works under Win 2000. I found that I have to turn the printer on before the PC so Windows can detect the printer, but that was the only problem I encountered. I didn’t get asked for a Windows CD-ROM though, so I don’t know the path. You can try all the directories that have .CAB files, trying the likely directories first (like “drivers”).
It’s not the cartridges because the printer tests, of which there are two ways to test the printer, works fine and clean. Also, someone stated that there should be no color when printing in B&W…good point!
The only other thing might be the fact that the printer is daisy chained to the scanner. I fooled with that once…will have to retry. Usually, the printer will stop in mid-print when there’s some doubt caused by sharing the port without a “A/B” box.