PC Tech Again: Slow My Printer Down!

Factual Questions
1
      • I have a Lexmark Z42 printer with a printing problem: after it runs across printing one pass, it backs up over the wet ink, smearing it. Is there any software that can prevent this from happening? Ideally what I need is some sort of software that will make it hold after a printing pass for a second or two, and then return to print again. That will greatly slow down the output speed, but provide a large boost in quality at this point…
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2

Sounds like you may be using a somewhat incompatible paper that can’t absorb the ink quickly enough, or perhaps the printer is set for “Photo” or “High Quality” and is putting down more ink than the paper can absorb?

3

This problem cannot be inherent in the design of the printer. Are you sure it is the print head itself that is smearing the paper? If it is, then either you have a paper feed problem or the print head is not seated correctly.

4

I had a similar program with an HP printer, and the cause of it was dust collecting on the print head. The dust would get saturated with ink and make a line when the head reversed. There was cleaning software that supposedly fixed it, but I found that using a Q-tip in clean water could do the job well enough. Remove the head, and clean it and the carriage that moves it back and forth. Try to avoid touching the head itself, but remove all extra ink from around it.

Once the dust was cleaned, the problem went away.