# Color printing sucks even though the cartridge isn't empty - help! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 13, 2006, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/color-printing-sucks-even-though-the-cartridge-isnt-empty-help/348241 "2006-03-13T22:52:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/color-printing-sucks-even-though-the-cartridge-isnt-empty-help/348241/1 "2006-03-13T22:52:27Z")
We have an old Lexmark Z45 printer and use “genuine” Lexmark ink cartridges for it. I don’t do a lot of color printing, and I know that the color cartridge is still fairly full (according to the little meter that pops up when I print). However, whenever I try to print something in color, it looks damned crappy. There’s almost no yellow, and it has bad blank horizontal stripes across it. Can I revive the cartridge somehow, or am I SOL? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/color-printing-sucks-even-though-the-cartridge-isnt-empty-help/348241/2 "2006-03-13T22:57:43Z")
> [@Avarie537](#): > > There’s almost no yellow, and it has bad blank horizontal stripes across it. Can I revive the cartridge somehow, or am I SOL? Sounds like possibly clogged print head nozzles. Have you tried running the head cleaning cycle? How you do that varies, but in general there is a utility that comes with the printer for doing this and other troubleshooting functions. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/color-printing-sucks-even-though-the-cartridge-isnt-empty-help/348241/3 "2006-03-13T23:04:14Z")
Here is the Google cached page (no longer on the site or moved for some reason) from Lexmark, detailing the head cleaning process: [http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:MoCPp0eWfbMJ:www.lexmark.com/US/solutions/home/develop/articles/clean\_nozzles.html&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=3](http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:MoCPp0eWfbMJ:www.lexmark.com/US/solutions/home/develop/articles/clean_nozzles.html&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=3) ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/color-printing-sucks-even-though-the-cartridge-isnt-empty-help/348241/4 "2006-03-13T23:19:17Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > Sounds like possibly clogged print head nozzles. Have you tried running the head cleaning cycle? How you do that varies, but in general there is a utility that comes with the printer for doing this and other troubleshooting functions. YAY! Worked like a charm. Thanks bunches. Damned thing still prints for shit, but it looks a whole lot better! ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2006, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/color-printing-sucks-even-though-the-cartridge-isnt-empty-help/348241/5 "2006-03-13T23:27:10Z")
> [@Avarie537](#): > > Damned thing still prints for shit, but it looks a whole lot better! Well, it’s a Lexmark. 😛 I’ve had great luck _knocks on wood_ with HP printers. The only complaint I have is ink prices. The refill kits work pretty well, though. I find I can generally get 4-5 refills before a cart craps out.