20 Most Recent Alps MD 1000 Thermal Printer - Page 2 Questions & Answers

hello, no the machine will not function with just one cartridge, it must have all 4 colors, black, cyan, magenta, yellow. once the machine fully detects these cartridges, it will then go online, ready for printing. at this time send just windows test page only, to test for communication. if this does not work then there is problem.

How comfortable are you with tinkering with the printer? The cover can be taken off by removing two screws on the bottom. It takes a little pulling and twisting to remove the cover. You have to be very careful. Once the cover is off, you should be able to loop the belt around the pulley.

Check the cartridge carrier for bent pins. Clean the bar code reader on the carrier with a cotton swab and alcohol. This sensor locates the position of the cartridges.

When you moved, did you secure the print head and remove the ink cartrdiges? A Changer Error message is bad. Check the changer for any broken or bent parts.

It sounds like the print head is failing.

There are two self tests you can try to test the printer. With only the black cartridge and on sheet of paper. Disconnect the printer from the computer and unplug it. Plug it back in and do the following:

Press and hold the power button. At the same time, press and hold the Ready/Insert button. Release the power button, but keep holding the Ready/Insert button. After 4 seconds, release and press the button again and release. It should print a one page diagnostic test.

The second self print test using all 4 cartridges. Turn the printer on, press and hold the Ready/Insert button for a few seconds and release the button. The test will use all 4 inks.

Join the Yahoo Group for Alps printers. There is a lot of information there. Have you cleaned the print head? Refer to the Users Guide for how to do it. Lines in the printer output can indicate a bad printer head.

All ALPS printers make noise when they are turned on. The error light is not normal. Do you have cartridges in the printer? there are two kinds: ones with gray plastic cassettes and ones with dark blue plastic cassettes. For the 1000, you want the gray ones. Are the cartridges installed correctly? Side B should be facing up.

Go to the ALPS Yahoo Group. They have an extensive file section with drivers. Windows will use the default plug and play driver for the printer. The MS version is very limited. You should rename the MS driver to something else like "MS Alps Driver" and then install the ALPS driver you find at the Yahoo Group. These will give you full functionality.

good luck

Hello,

There isn't any Vista and Windows 7 drivers for this printer. The manufacturer still hasn't produced any. This is really sad because I have the same printer and I have to stick with XP just to be able to use it.

- HotRatchet

Join the Alps mailing list at YahooGroups. The drivers are in the files section.

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Alps/

first of all you can remove your color cartage 

and check this cartage to simple page 

which color is appers
after that refill the cartage from the serge 
3ml 
3 color in the cartage and every color every point you can refil 

I am wondering if you have uninstalled all previous drivers .. I know in some instances the Alps Yahoo Groups suggest you un-install all drivers, so the program looks at it as a brand new install driver.

Try this.

Remove the 4 screws holding the main feed tray. Then GENTLY pry the tabs on both edges of the printer. They are really tight! The fit is great but once you break the "seal" so to say the whole cover just pops off.

I don't have an Alps printer, nor have I ever used one, but have you checked the ink to make sure that the colour hasn't run out?

Also, check your word processing program to make sure that the settings aren't set to print in grey only. Every word processing program allows you to change that, and to set the defaults to either grey or colour.

If none of those things work, check your Alps manual. You may have to change the default by hand on the printer.

If you haven't used your printer, especially some tubes of ink for some time, they could be clogged and you might have to run some test files to unclog them. Your printer manual should also tell you how to do that.

Please ignore courtdate & creamgetmonE. Here's why:
creamgetmonE - If you're using the XP driver, you are using something so crippled, it should have been aborted. USE THE ALPS DRIVER!!!!!!!!
courtdate, oiling the carriage rail will not change a thing, apart from gunking up the printer, and ENSURING it will fail sometime in the future.
TO FIX YOUR PROBLEM:
There is a sensor under the anti-curl veil. Clean it.

These printers were discontinued years ago.
There is also a very specific setup, the head voltages supplies by the PSU need to be matched to the head using a specified scanner and software that was only supplied to Alps/Oki service agents.
If you have a faulty PSU, you may as well list it on eBay as a spares machine.

hpc4280 is not printin nothing it does wha is the proces but nothin prin out at oll times ichek if I am out of ink but Idon now how

The spooled files are not getting to the printer, do the following in sequence:

Start checking usb cable, test it by using a different one.

Check that no device close to usb can create an electromagnetic disturbance, a power adapter can do this.

Disconnect printer from power, Computer from power (unplug cables form power outlet) and printer from computer for 10 minutes (this will reset printer and get rid of electrostatic charges on PC usb).
Connect everything back and try.

If none of the above worked disconnect printer from usb,
remove printer from 'installed printers' in Windows (or whatever OS you are using)
Reinstall driver from printer disk (printer must remain unplugged).
Plug back printer only when required from printer software or after driver setup.

If it still does not work it may be a problem with heads, Alps are quite peculiar printers, in this case you will need to find a servicemen in your area.

Regards