How do I align the cartridges after installation of new caartridge?

You could try to remove and reinstall your color cartridge again.Do a Clean Cartridges cycle.Then do an Align Cartridges cycle.

Follow the instructions below to install the print cartridges for the first time. Installing print cartridges Step one: Install the print cartridges Follow these steps to install the cartridges.

1. Open the cartridge door. The carriage moves to the far right side of the product. Figure 1: Open the cartridge door
2. Remove the new cartridge from its packaging and, being careful to touch onlythe black plastic, gently remove the plastic tape by using the pink pull tab. Figure 2: Remove tape from cartridge 1 - Copper-colored contacts 2 - Plastic tape with pink pull tab (must be removed before installing) 3 - Ink nozzles under tape CAUTION: Do not touch the cartridge ink nozzles or copper contacts. Touching these parts will result in clogs, ink failure, and bad electrical connections.Do not remove the copper strips. They are required electrical contacts. Figure 3: Do not touch the ink nozzles or copper contacts.
3. Slide each new cartridge forward into the empty slot. Then gently push theupper part of the cartridge forward until it clicks into place.
   • Insert the tri-color cartridge into the left slot.
   • Insert the black cartridge into the right slot.
   Figure 4: Insert the cartridge
4. Close the cartridge door.

Step two: : Align the print cartridge The product prompts you to align cartridges every time you install a cartridge. You can also align the cartridges at any time from the control panel, or byusing the software you install with the product. Aligning the cartridgesensures high quality output.

1. Make sure you have letter or A4 unused plain white paper loaded in the input tray.
2. Press OK. The product prints an alignment page.
3. Place the alignment page print-side down on the scanner glass.
4. Press OK to scan the alignment page. When the scan finishes, the alignment is complete.

NOTE: If you have colored paper loaded in the input tray when you align the cartridges, the alignment will fail. Load unused plain white paper into the inputtray, and then try the alignment again.

First make sure you are placing the right
color cartridge into the right slot.
Most Printers are touchy about the
installation of ink cartridges. If the
instructions say to press the cartridge
into the slot until you hear a loud click,
that's what they mean. If at first you
don't succeed, remove the cartridge and
reinsert it into the slot again and press
on it hard till it clicks.
Then your printer should work properly.
Hope this is of some help. Bud

What that means is you should load the ink cartridges that come with your printer. If they are not in the box, you should ask for it from your supplier. If this was bought from someone who removed the cartridges, then you can just buy the cartridges from any computer store. Make sure you buy the ones that fit your model.

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1. On your computer, go to "Start," "Programs," "Lexmark Series." Click "Lexmark Control Program."
   
2. Step 2 Select the "Cartridges" tab. Click "Change Cartridges." The Change Cartridges screen appears, displaying the animated instructions for installing or changing cartridges. When you have finished viewing the animation, click the "Finished" button.
   
3. Step 3 Remove the tape covering the print head of the new print cartridge. Insert the new print cartridge as shown in the animation.
   
4. Step 4 When the "Choose Cartridges" screen appears, select the cartridge(s) you installed in your printer from the list boxes. Click the appropriate box to reset the ink levels to full. Click "OK."
   
5. Step 5 The Automatic Alignment screen appears. Click "Align" to align the print cartridges for best print quality. The printer prints a page with a bi-directional alignment pattern. On the printed test page, locate the number that comes closest to forming a straight line under the bi-directional alignment pattern. Enter that number as the bi-directional alignment setting in the Alignment Cartridge dialog box. Click "OK."
   

Microsoft Windows 95/98/Me:
(Applies to all printers)

1. Click Start, Programs, Lexmark Series.
   
2. Click Lexmark Control Panel.
   
3. Click Print Cartridge installation.
   
4. Depending on which cartridges you are using and which printer model you have, select Install Color Cartridge or Install Black Cartridge or Install Photo Cartridge.
   
5. Carefully remove the tape covering the printhead of the print cartridge. Important: Be sure to remove all of the tape. Do not touch the copper area on the back of the cartridge.
   
6. Insert the print cartridge into the print cartridge carrier.
   
7. Push the cartridge back until it clicks into place.
   
   
   
   • If the print cartridge moves loosely in the carrier, it is not locked into place. Repeat step 7.
   
   
8. Click the appropriate Cartridge Installed option in the printer software.
   
   
   
   • If you choose to install a new print cartridge, you will be prompted to align your print cartridges. The printer will print a page with a bi-directional alignment pattern. Follow these steps to align the cartridges:
     
     
     
     1. On the printed test page, locate the number under the Bi-directional Alignment pattern that comes closest to forming a straight line.
        
     2. Enter the number as the Bi-directional Alignment setting in the Alignment Cartridge screen.
        
     3. Click OK.
   
   
9. Close the front cover of the printer.

tomdoncaster, Make sure the black cartridge is seated correctly by removing and reinserting it. If that doesn't take care of the problem the next step is to try a differant or new black cartridge. Even new cartridges can be bad because of shelf life.

if the cartridge is not locking correctly, go back where you bought it and ask for another one, this may not be the correct.

check the carriage it rides in for dog hairs...strong light...water and soft toothbrush

Step one: Complete the alignment process If you have already installed new print cartridges, follow these steps to complete the alignment process.

1. After installing a new print cartridge, wait at least 20 seconds for the print cartridge alignment process to start.
2. Wait for the print cartridge alignment process to fully complete.
3. Make sure that the alignment page has printed on plain, white paper that has no other printing on it. If you need to create a new alignment page, load the tray with letter or A4 unused plain white paper and turn the product off and on again to create the page.

If an alignment page does not print when the product is turned on or off, the issue is resolved. If an alignment page continues to print when the product is turned on or off, you should replace the cartridges with new HP cartridges. Continue to Step two: Remove the print cartridges. Step two: Remove the print cartridges Follow the steps below to remove the cartridges. NOTE: When you remove and install the same print cartridge, the unit will not align the print cartridge as the unit remembers the alignment values for that print cartridge.

1. Press the Power button to turn the product on. The Power button is lit when the unit is on. Figure 1: Power button lit
2. Make sure that the paper tray is down, and letter or A4 unused plain white paper is loaded in the paper tray.
3. Lower the access door until it stops. Make sure that the print carriage moves to the right side. Figure 2: Lower the access door
4. Wait until the print carriage is idle and silent, and then using your thumb, lightly press down on a print cartridge to release it. Figure 3: Print carriage
   • If replacing the tri-color print cartridge, remove the print cartridge from the slot on the left.
   • If replacing the black or photo print cartridge, remove the print cartridge from the slot on the right.
   Figure 4: Proper position of the print cartridges 1 - Tri-color print cartridge 2 - Black or Photo print cartridge
5. Pull the print cartridge toward you and out of its slot.

Step three: Install the new print cartridge

1. Remove the new print cartridge from its packaging and, being careful to touch only the black plastic, gently remove the plastic tape by using the pink pull tab. Figure 5: Remove the tape 1 - Copper-colored contacts 2 - Plastic tape with pink pull tab (must be removed before installing) 3 - Ink nozzles under tape CAUTION: Do not touch the copper-colored contacts or ink nozzles. Touching these parts can result in clogs, ink failure, and bad electrical connections.
2. Slide the new print cartridge forward into the empty slot. Then gently push on the upper part of the print cartridge forward until it clicks into the socket.
   • If you are installing the tri-color print cartridge, slide it into the left slot.
   • If you are installing a black or photo print cartridge, slide it into the right slot.
   Figure 6: Print cartridge locations 1 - Print cartridge slot for the tri-color print cartridge 2 - Print cartridge slot for the black and photo print cartridges
3. Close the print cartridge access door. Figure 7: Closing the print cartridge door
4. If you installed a new print cartridge, the print cartridge alignment process starts after about 20 seconds.
5. The unit aligns the print cartridges. Recycle or discard the print cartridge alignment sheet.

If you have completed all the steps listed above and are still experiencing a problem, service the product. Cause The product aligns the print cartridges every time at cartridge installation or replacement to ensure the highest-quality prints. The alignment page continues to print when the product is turned on or off, or when a print job is started, for any of the reasons below.

• The automatic alignment process is not complete.
• The ink cartridges are not properly installed.
• One of the ink cartridges is defective.
• One of the ink cartridges is low or out of ink. Black and all three colors must be available.
• Protective tape on a new ink cartridge has not been removed.
• Contacts on the ink cartridge are not meeting the contacts in the carriage correctly.
• Cartridge is remanufactured or refilled. Refilled or remanufactured ink cartridges may have been damaged during the refilling process or have clogged ink nozzles.
• The product needs to be serviced.