Printer will not print in black and it is a new cartridge.

nO IT WILL REJECT THAT AND NOT PRINT.

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

You need to take it a couple steps further after your test print. Sounds like your print heads need cleaning or your cartridge may need aligning. It’s best to do this each time you install a new cartridge. for more information….... http://en.kioskea.net/forum/affich-40171-printer-not-printing-black

it prints fine using the new hp 15 black ink cartridge. But when I print with the new color 17 cartridge, it comes out with uneven 'cross lines' of color, like sliced sideways.

1. Take out the black cartridge once you've determined that you are completely out of black ink. You'll have to rely on the dark hues from the color cartridge to print in black.
2. Adjust the printer software settings. Once you take out the black cartridge, your printer's software will typically warn you that you are missing a cartridge. Follow the instructions for your printer to allow the printer to print without the black cartridge. Then set the printer to print in black and white, not color. This overrides the black cartridge and allows the printer to access the dark hues of the color cartridge.
3. Print a test page to ensure that your printer now prints black using the color cartridge.
4. Print your documents. Bear in mind that your documents may not appear as black as normal. Still, they should be dark enough to pass for black, depending on how much color ink you have and the strength grade of the ink.

Do this, press and hold the "Stop" button on the printer for 10 seconds that should clear the fault set by the empty ink cartridge.

Apparently, if you hold the "resume button" (the one next to the power button) for about five seconds after you get the message saying to replace the color ink cartridge the machine starts printing. I did this after I went to "maintenance" under "preferences" and changed ink to "black only." At first that alone did not work, but after trying the resume button for 5 secs it worked okay.

Yes, this printer has fixed printheads and must have ink in each color to prevent damage to the printheads. Even when printing black only each color is spit in the servicing area to keep the printhead unclogged.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, Microsoft MVP Printing/Imaging

you need to print only in black if that is all the ink you have, and also you need to remove the color cartridge as it still registers in the printer as able to be used, although it is empty or near so. Did you remove the tape over the print head fron the new ink cartridge? Do a print head alignment, or use the toolbox icon to tell the printer that you just replaced the cartridge. Some HP models chip the ink cartridges so even a refill wont register as a full tank and the printer wont print. chip needs to be reset (difficult) or just replaced with a new cartridge.

Make sure the printer settings are set properly to print in color on the PC. Even if there is a color cartridge, if the PC only tells it to print black ink it's not going to use the color cartridge.