Auto head align Fails screen says "change H

From Canon Help Files.

Automatic Print Head alignment failed
Possible causes are as follows:
A4 or Letter-sized paper is not loaded on the Auto Sheet Feeder.
Press the RESUME/CANCEL button on the printer to clear the error, then load one sheet of A4 or Letter-sized paper in the Auto Sheet Feeder.
Automatic print head alignment cannot be performed using paper from the Cassette. For automatic print head alignment, always load paper in the Auto Sheet Feeder.

Print Head nozzles are clogged.
Press the RESUME/CANCEL button on the printer to clear the error, and then print out the nozzle check pattern to examine the print head condition.

For information on how to print a nozzle check pattern, see "Printing the Nozzle Check Pattern."

The Paper Output Slot has been exposed to a strong light source preventing correct Print Head alignment.
Press the RESUME/CANCEL button to clear the error and move the printer to a darker location.
After carrying out the above measures, if the problem continues after aligning the Print Head again, press the RESUME/CANCEL button to clear the error, and then perform manual print head alignment. For details on manual print head alignment, see "Manual Print Head Alignment."

Wife cleaned bathroom shelf dropping the Arcitec. One of 3 heads was not aligned properly, when I tried to re-seat it, this head came apart. To put it back together takes some finesse and patience. Take a coil of stamps, or some other small opening to rest the outer plastic shell head, then insert the metal screen which has notches (2 small, 1 large) and fit it in the plastic shell head. Next put the metal blade assembly on the screen. Next align this on the metal (thin) pivot. When the outer plastic head, and the metal pivot are aligned (small peg holes), you can place the thin inner plastic piece on and gently press your sub assembly and the backing plastic together, It will snap together and hold. Don't FORCE it, the holes must be aligned on the outer plastic, the metal pivot frame, with blades resting on the screen. It does snap together. Work with fairly bright light to see what you are doing. If this fails, invest in a new head assembly for about 15% of the cost of the whole razor.

Hello. To do a head alignment follow the steps below.

1. Click Start - Control Panel - printers and faxes
2. RIGHT CLICK on the canon printer and select printing preferences
3. Select Maintenance from the top right tab (see image below)
4. Select print head alignment and follow the steps on screen.

I hope this helps, If so please rate this answer below. Thank You for supporting the FixYa Community
Regards GM

Most all-in-ones require you to scan an alignment sheet after changing the ink. Make sure the printer is on. Press Menu then use the up and down arrows to navigate to Maintenance. Click OK. Navigate to Auto Head Align and press OK. Select Yes and press OK. Load a sheet of Letter or A4 sized plain white paper in the rear tray, follow the on-screen directions. Open the output tray gently and the output tray extension. Press OK. When the page prints out, do not touch the printed sections. You should see a set of broken lines on the page, among other printing. The first section of columns will have 2 black, 1 blue and 3 black. The next row has 4 columns (blue and pink (to my eye)); the final row is 3 blue and 3 pink. If this prints okay, then select Yes and press OK. Next place the printed page face down on the glass of the scanner unit so that the black triangle at the top left of the page is in the left back corner of the glass. (The triangle is an alignment mark and lines up with the alignment mark on the edge of the scanner unit.) Close the document cover and press OK. The sheet will be scanned and the print heads will be adjusted. Do not open the document cover or move the sheet until the unit has completed the adjustment. Afterwards you can discard the sheet.

If the unit fails to adjust the print head, it will indicate this in the LCD screen. In that case, try manually adjusting the print head from the Canon Toolbox on your computer. If you can't get the printhead to align properly manually, the unit may need service.

For pictures, see the manual or support for the all-in-one here: http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/printers_multifunction/photo_all_in_one_inkjet_printers/pixma_mp490#ServiceAndSupport . If you use the Support option, search for align print head.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells

Auto tracking, or 'digital tracking' as it is sometimes known, is generally governed by the CTL (the linear control track head), located toward the right-hand side of the main head cylinder drum, along with a combination of the guide posts/rollers, the capstan speed as the tape travels in the deck, and of course the drum balance since this rotates the fastest. Usually this is pre-aligned to factory standard, but as parts wear down, the alignment changes - hence your 'tracking query'.

Presuming you have a video picture from your tapes on the TV screen, you can bet the tracking is controlled electro-mechanically (as above). One of the first parts on the mech to wear out is the rubber pinch roller - when it becomes glazed or shiny, tapes can be chewed and/or the 'control track' drifts during playback - more so than when recording.

Nevertheless, it is usually a simple workshop repair involving inexpensive part replacement/alignment on the mechanism including a new pinch roller and cleaning of the entire tape path. The only 'cost' would be labour on top of the parts. The option here is that you can submit your unit to a workshop/service centre for a quote on repair/parts costs first, then decide if you want the tracking fixed - up to you. I hope you have no other really serious issue with this combo unit - SONY is a premium brand - trusted and reliable. I assume the DVD section works fine.

Remember; bad tracking is not always a mechnical mis-alignment - it can also be the quality/age/condition of the tapes a person uses as well, even if that person doesn't 'thrash' tapes on a daily basis. From memory, the SLV-D380P is one of SONY's better DVD/VCR combos.

Try do a auto head alignment in case the printer is off center. Go to your main menu of your printer then setting - maintenance - auto align head. This should fix your problem if not try a manual head align this will print a piece of paper out and you can scan it through.

Hello,

It sounds like the print head on your printer is either clogged or not working.

You get faint print from your computer because the computer will use your color inks to get gray. When you copy, it only tries to use black and the black isn't printing at all.

Check your user's manual and it should show you how to clean the print head. Otherwise replace the print heads and you should be fine.

Thanks,

Pat

#1 of 2

Carryout a Manual Print Head Alignment If Possible.

Manual Print Head Alignment

If the results of Automatic Print Head Alignment are not satisfactory, follow the procedure below to perform Manual Print
Head Alignment.


1 Make sure that the machine is turned on, and then load three sheets of A4 or Letter-sized plain paper in the Auto Sheet Feeder or the Cassette.

Important. You cannot print the print head alignment pattern if paper of size other than A4 or Letter is loaded. Be sure to use A4 or Letter-sized plain paper.

2 Open the Paper Output Tray, and then open the Output Tray Extension.
(1) Put your finger in the rounded indent of the Paper Output Tray and open it gently.
(2) Open the Output Tray Extension.
3 Press the Paper Feed Switch to select the paper source where you have loaded paper.
4 Select Settings on the HOME screen.
5 Select Maintenance, then press the OK button.
The Maintenance screen is displayed.
6 Select Manual head align, then press the OK button.
The confirmation screen is displayed.

Note. If you select Head alignment print, the machine exits the process after printing the current head position adjustment values.

7 Select Yes, then press the OK button.
8 When the Print Head alignment pattern is printed, select Yes, then press the OK button.
9 Look at the printout. From the patterns, select the most even, least irregular patterns for each column and input their numbers. Press the OK button.
(1) Select a column to input the pattern number.
(2) Use the or button to input the number of the pattern.
(3) Repeat the steps (1) and (2) until you finish inputting all pattern numbers, press the OK button.

try these websites www.autozone.com and www.alldatadiy.com if all fails stop by your local library and get your hands on a Haynes auto repair manual for your car.

Experienced the same problem a few months back with my new MP600 .. had to take it to an authorised repair centre where they replaced the print head .. all good since

Daniel
Sydney