# Printer help! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 31, 2003, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-help/165579 "2003-03-31T23:27:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kansas\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kansas\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kansas_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-help/165579/1 "2003-03-31T23:27:23Z")
My Canon BJC 600 printer is having a weird problem. When I attempt to print something, the paper is fed through as if it was printing, but the printer head never moves over the paper. The paper is fed through and pauses on each “line” temporarily **as if** the paper was being printed on. But, it never prints of course. I have done a printer cleaning and all that jazz. But nothing helps. What is the problem here? ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-help/165579/2 "2003-04-01T00:06:22Z")
I had a problem with my printer today and the HP website had some very detailed instructions (complete with photos). I found that a lever arm was mis-positioned; after I re-positioned it the thing works fine. Does Canon have something similar on their web site? It suspicioulsy sounds to me as tho the band which pulls the head back and forth is broken. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-help/165579/3 "2003-04-01T00:15:52Z")
I had a problem with my printer today and the HP website had some very detailed instructions (complete with photos). I found that a lever arm was mis-positioned; after I re-positioned it the thing works fine. Does Canon have something similar on their web site? It suspiciously sounds to me as tho the band which pulls the head back and forth is broken. I hope not ! ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-help/165579/4 "2003-04-01T00:19:42Z")
undoubtedly also the Queen of Double Posts :smack: ---
**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:** [April 1, 2003, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-help/165579/5 "2003-04-01T00:29:38Z")
Could also be the servomotor that moves the head, or the connections to it. In any case, it does sound more like a mechanical failure than a software or firmware lockup, but just to be sure, try unplugging it for an hour or so and then try again. ---
**Author:** ![Kansas\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kansas\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kansas_Man)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-help/165579/6 "2003-04-01T00:43:28Z")
I should have mentioned that the head moves back and forth fine during the printer warm up phase. It just doesn’t want to move during the printing phase. As for shutting it down for an hour. It’s been shut down for about a year! I only reinstalled it because my new Canon S300 is also broken! Now I can’t remember if I bought the new printer because of this same old problem or if the problem has returned. Aargh! ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2003, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printer-help/165579/7 "2003-04-01T15:37:43Z")
Canon BJC 600? Wow, that’s one old printer. I used to have one. Try another cable. I have to put in new printer cables sometimes. Also try the printer self test when its not connected to the computer, which is listed in the manual, if that works, then iits probably the cable.