I have printed VERY few pages and replaced the original print cartridges ONCE. The replacement was a while (7 months) ago, since then the printer has been idle., but they should be full.
Now printer will not print anything…not even a smudge. I have run and run and run diagnostics, updated drivers, cleaned “print heads”…not a FUCKING dot of ink comes out.
Two+ part question…does the ink dry up once print cartridge is opened? Is the Print cartridge the print head?..or is the print head a separate part? If so, is the print head replaceable? or serviceable?
The print head is indeed part of the ink cartridge. And yes, it can dry up once opened, but I’m not so sure 7 months is long enough. But possibly. Does it actually go through the motions of printing, just nothing gets printed? Or does give you errors?
Edit: pull the cartridge out and physically clean the head with a paper towel. That’s usually where it gets dried out and gunked up.
This printer uses ink tanks and a separate printhead.
Check for the obvious goofs - are all of the ink cartridges seated properly and their vents are open?
Yes, ink cartridges can dry out. Worse, the internal plumbing that moves ink from the tank to the printhead can clog. It’s really important to print at least one full-color page every week or two. I’ve lost count of how many inkjet printers I’ve seen scrapped because they were not used enough and became fatally clogged.
Let me say it again:** It’s really important to print at least one full-color page every week or two.** Doesn’t need to be an 8x10 photo - just something that will use all four colors to keep the ink moving.
Your printer may or may not have a user-removable printhead. You may be able to pop it out and clean it with warm water and/or isopropyl alcohol. At this price level, I’d be surprised if it’s possible. Otherwise, it’s a cheap HP printer, good for about one year or one package of paper, whichever comes first.
About two years ago, I trashed my last inkjet printer and bought a Canon all-in-one color laser. They cost a bit more upfront, but you can ignore them for months at a time and nothing will clog or dry out. I ran it for a year on the “starter” toner that it came with before needing to replace any of the cartridges.
Ink Jet printers are great if you use them every day or two. You let them sit for months at a time, and you’ll go through a lot of cartridges. They dry out. They may still have ink in them, but the ink jet ports dry up and the cartridge has to be replaced. Replace your cartridges and you will be OK.
This is why I use laser printers. Yeah, more expensive, but the toner cartridge does not dry out. It will be good a year from now. Yeah, they cost more than the ink jets, but you don’t have to keep replacing the cartridge when it doesn’t work.
I will probably just get a B&W laser…
If I need Color I can go elsewhere. I just need b&w for letters, invoices, employees reviews AND SHIT I NEED TO SAVE…I Can print color elsewhere.
Lately I’ve been saving stuff in the form of PDFs. Article I want to read later? Print to PDF in Google Chrome. Receipt I may need? Scan to PDF. Very little stuff needs to exist in paper form.
It’s a reference to a scene from the movie Office Space. IMDb claims the scene was not scripted, which makes me feel better because the character should not have been that stupid, but I’m more than comfortable believing the actor was.
I have an HP Laserjet (that sometimes works) that does the PC LOAD LETTER thing and predates the movie but a few years. Got the joke, to say the least.
