PRINTER PROBLEMS
If you are experiencing problems with your printer, PCTechBytes can help. We provide tutorials for the major brands, such as HP, Lexmark, Canon and others. Typical printer problems fall into a couple of different categories: Improper setup, driver issues, communication problems and hardware failure. We can help you work through and eliminate possible problems. We can also help you get better quailty and effeciency from your printer with a few easy tweaks.
Ink Cartridge Effeciency
Getting the most our of your print cartridge is important, especially in an age where we do so much photo and color print jobs. This can get expensive, especially when the color always seems to run out on the yellow and you need to replace the tri-color ink cartridge before the other colors run out. Learn how to extend the life of your print cartridges by adjusting the settings.
General Printer Troubleshooting Tips
If you're getting a Ink cartridge error:
If this is a new cartridge, open the front cover and remove all cartridges. Be sure the protective film has been removed from the cartridge prior to installation. Inspect the contacts on the new cartridge for damage. Replace the cartridges in the correct place, close the front cover and power the printer down and then up again.
Printer Streaks
If your printer is producing a streaked image, you will need to clean the printer heads. To do this, go to Printers in the Control Panel, then right click your Printer then select Properties. A menu with the various settings will appear. You need to select Clean Printer Cartridges. The printer will run in cleaning mode.
Printer Does Not Print Jobs
When you click Print and nothing happens, you may be sending jobs to a printer that is not connected to your computer. For example, if another printer was previously installed, and you install a new printer, the old printer might still be setup as the Default Printer. Go into the Control Panel, then Printers and make sure the new printer is set to Default.
Printer Jams Frequently
If your printer jams frequently, you may be loading too much paper. This can also occur if you've had jams in the past and have a piece of debris still stuck in the printer. Use a flashlight to examine the entire mechanism to ensure no paper is still inside. This can also happen if an internal gear is damaged. You will often notice one side being fed faster than the other. This could me the printer is physically damaged and needs to be replaced or repaired.