Installed new ink cartridges and print is so vague can hardly make out what it is printing. What to do?

Yes, all HP Deskjet printer models feature a 'single cartridge print mode'. Just remove the cartridge you don't wish to print with; the printer will automatically revert into either greyscale printing (if color cartridge remains installed) or black only printing (if the black cartridge remains installed). However, if the installed ink cartridge is electrically damaged/defective the printer will display an alert message; it will need to be replaced with a new cartridge.

For more information on the use of refilled ink cartridges or advanced HP printer problem diagnosis please visit Inkjet411:
http://www.inkjet411.com

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.

Why isn't any ink coming out of a new ink cartridge that has just been installed?

The ink cartridge may have a plastic tag covering the print head, which should be removed before the cartridge is installed. If the tag has been removed and the problem persists, there may be air bubbles blocking the print head. In this case, you can try using the print head cleaning function of your printer or leave the ink cartridge in your printer for about an hour to allow the air bubbles to rise to the top of the ink cartridge.



What should be done if the ink cartridge doesn't print or some of the colors don't print?

The nozzle may be clogged with dried ink. The print head should be blotted with a damp lint-free cloth to remove the dried ink. If this does not work, try soaking the ink cartridge in water for a few minutes. To soak the ink cartridge, place it in a Styrofoam cup and fill the cup with water until the ink cartridge is halfway immersed in water. If the ink cartridge does not print after this is done, try soaking the ink cartridge overnight.

Hope it helped...

I have installed all new cartridges. "Ink is out" comes up when I try to print. It is properly installed and is the second set of ink cartridge this has happened with. The "On" and 'Ink" lights do not stop flashing. The printer does not see the new cartridges.

That's a neat trick. The 4100 is a printer that uses one BLACK toner cartridge. It doesn't print in color. And it doesn't use ink.

Try resetting and cleaning the printhead

Well if you already installed a new black ink cartridge and still wont print, then try cleaning your printer head. It can be that the some ink was hardened and got stuck preventing you to print a black color.

have you installed the cartridge correctly??? make sure you did

try to print a few pages, to get the ink going.

try test pages, try the aligning procedures as well.

do you have the canon print management software installed? it's located in the maintenance tab on that software.

www.canon.com has that by model number

1. On your PC, go to Start, Programs (Windows XP: All Programs), Lexmark series.
2. Select the Solution Center.
3. When the Solution Center appears, click on the Maintenance button.
4. Select the option to Install a new print cartridge. The carrier should slide over at this point and allow you to insert and/or remove cartridges.
5. Make sure the correct cartridges are installed inside the printer first, then inform the software which cartridges have been installed. Note: This applies also to installation of a single cartridge.
6. Print the Print Alignment page to ensure the print quality is satisfactory.
7. Close the Solution Center.