HOW CAN I STOP DRY CLICKING NOISE STARTED ON SWITCH ON AND PRINT. EVERYTHING WORKS PERFECTLY. ALWAYS USE ORIGINAL INK CARTRIDGES, I HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY PRIOR TO THIS NOISE STARTING.

this one is one of my favourite hate printers... but, no you cannot disabel this function easy, you can "fool" this printer by following that procedure:

1. switch off your printer, wait few sec, switch it on
2. on your computer go to "start"
3. select "control panel"
4. select "printer and faxes"
5. right click on your "kodak easyshare 5300"
6. select "properties"
7. click on tab "services"
8. select "service this device"
9. click on tab "estimated ink level" - it shows estimated ink level after restart

you can use refill (very easy to do by yourself and about 1/3 cost of original replacements). and yes, you are right, cartridges do tend to dry out. i would suggest printing at least one page per week to prevent dry out of the cartridge.

as this particular printer will not work without both cartridges present. i would suggest to insert one empty cartrdge in colour slot and keep it there. on full cartridge use any sticky tape to prevent nozzle from drying, cover breather hole on the top of cartridge as well. when you need to print, remove tape from breathing hole first and then from the nozzle. this way you will prevent or at least slow down your cartridge evaporation ratio.

hey payne


here is a copy of your problem.

Issue The printer is working, but colors in the printed output are missing, faded, or dull in comparison to the original. Solution Step one: Check the paper Verify that the paper type is appropriate for the project. If the paper is too fibrous, the ink applied by the printer might not fully cover the print surface. Step two: Check the print settings

1. In the software application you are trying to print from, click File and then click Print . The Print dialog box opens.
2. Verify that your printer is selected and then click Properties . The printer Properties dialog box opens.
3. Click the Printing Shortcuts tab.
4. In the What do you want to do? menu, select a task. The What do you want to do? menu lists most printing needs, but you might need to modify some of the options. Options on the Printing Shortcuts tab include:
   • Print quality: If you are unhappy with the quality of your printouts, try increasing the print quality. To print more quickly, try decreasing the print quality.
   • Paper type: If one of the options matches your paper type exactly, choose it rather than Automatic.
   • Paper size: Make sure this matches your paper.
   Additional options: click the Basics tab, then click Advanced Features . The Advanced Features window opens.
   • Ink volume: Adjusts the amount of ink printed on a page. For lighter images (less ink), drag the slider to the left. For darker images (more ink), drag the slider to the right. The lighter the ink volume, the faster the printout will dry.
   • Dry time: Provides extra drying time for slow-drying printouts. Drag the slider to the left for less drying time, or to the right for more drying time. The printer will hold onto the printout until the dry time has elapsed.

Step three: Check the ink levels NOTE: If you have installed a refilled or remanufactured print cartridge, or a cartridge that has been used in another printer, the ink level indicator will be inaccurate or unavailable.

1. Open the Printer Toolbox .
   1. Open HP Solution Center .
   2. Click Settings .
   3. Click Print Settings .
   4. Click Printer Toolbox .
   NOTE: You can also open the Printer Toolbox from the Print Properties dialog box. In the Print Properties dialog box, click the Services tab and then click Service this device .
2. Click the Estimated Ink Levels tab. Figure 1: Estimated ink levels - both cartridges low

If the steps above have not resolved the issue, print and evaluate a self-test page to determine if the cartridges or printer is causing the problem.

1. Load the input tray with unused plain white paper.
2. Press and hold the Cancel ( ) button and then press the Start Copy Color ( ) button.
3. Release both buttons. The self-test page prints.

Step five: Note which cartridges printed which areas of the self-test page You must identify which cartridge printed which part of the self-test page, so that if you find defects on the page, you will know which cartridge is the problem. However, you can install different combinations of print cartridges in your printer, and different cartridge combinations print different self-test page patterns. Your self-test page may not look exactly like the picture below, but the right and left cartridges will print in the same areas of the page no matter which cartridges are installed. Step six: Look for defects In general, if the printer and print cartridges are working properly, the patterns (which look like grids of lines) should contain few or no missing lines. None of the colors should be missing and the colors of the blocks at the bottom of the page should match the labels below each block. Also, there should be no streaks of ink on the report. Missing lines or streaked bars If a pattern shows more than a few missing lines, or a bar is streaked, that print cartridge is not functioning properly. Figure 4: The magenta pattern shows missing lines and the bar is streaked

You can always do it thru the utility.
click on start, click on printer n faxes
You will see your epson icon with a check mark, double click on that icon, click on printer tab, then slect printing preferences, printing preferences utility will come up. click on tab, Click on the Maintenance Tab as shown below, then select ink replacement icon. I have a red bullit on it for you to see. Follow thru to changing cartridges. It will move the ink station to the proper stop.

If you find this helpful pls rate me.

Thanks and Good Luck.

Remove the ink and check to make sure that you removed the sticky tape tab from the bottom of each cartridge. If you have then check the carriage where the ink sits for any dry or caked on ink. You can wash this away with alcohol and a cotton swab. Finally check the number on the old ink and make sure that it matches the number on the new ink. Just because the ink fits in the printer does not mean it will work. If everything is good, force the alignment through the printer properties in Windows.

Have you tried a cleaning cycle? If not, try one (right click the little printer icon in the bottom right corner of the screen and select head clean). Now run a nozzle check (right click the little printer icon in the bottom right corner of the screen and select nozzle check). Is there any sign of ink on the paper. Try up to three cleaning cycles. If ink is now flowing, but not yet perfectly, don't carry out any more cleaning cycles. Just leave the printer for 24 hours (to allow any air in the print head to disperse). Then repeat the cleaning cycle/wait process. It may take a while to restore a perfect nozzle check print.

If you have already done lots of head cleans with no result, are you sure you have good ink cartridges properly installed? The printer determines the amount of ink left in the cartridge by counting the number of ink "shots" when printing, head cleaning etc. This information is stored in the "chip" on the cartridge. Thus, it is not an actual measurement of the ink left, but an estimate calculated by subtracting the total shots from the original full ink quantity. This estimate can sometimes be grossly in error, usually due to a cartridge replacement not being carried out correctly. To eliminate this possibility, buy a new set of compatible cartridges on E-Bay - they're very cheap. You can always re-use the old ones later if it turns out they DO have ink in them.

If none of the above works, then you may have blocked print head nozzles. You can try soaking the print heads for 24 hours (or more), as follows. Turn the printer on, and as soon as the print head moves out of its parking position, pull the power cord out of the back, or turn the printer off at the mains. You may now carefully move the print head by hand over to the left hand side out of the way. Look inside the print head parking area on the right and you will see a small rubber cup that comes up to cover the print nozzles when the head is parked (to stop it drying out). Use a syringe or dropper to fill this cup with head cleaning fluid or distilled water. DO NOT USE TAP WATER. Carefully push the print head by hand fully into its parking position so that the cup full of fluid comes up over the print head. Do not turn the printer on at any stage in this process. Leave this for at least 24 hours, then turn the printer on and try a head clean/nozzle check again. If you get any black ink on the nozzle check, then there is hope! Repeat the process until you get a full black nozzle check. If nothing, repeat the process once more.

If still nothing, post a new comment detailing what you have done and the results.

This "banding" is caused by uneven ink flow through the print nozzles.

Have you tried a cleaning cycle? If not, try one (right click the little printer icon in the bottom right corner of the screen and select head clean). Now run a nozzle check (right click the little printer icon in the bottom right corner of the screen and select nozzle check). Is there any sign of ink on the paper. Try up to three
cleaning cycles. If ink is now flowing, but not yet perfectly, don't carry out any more cleaning cycles. Just leave the printer for 24 hours (to allow any air in the print head to disperse). Then repeat the cleaning cycle/wait process. It may take a while to restore a perfect nozzle check print.

If you have already done lots of head cleans with no perfect results, are you sure you have good ink cartridges properly installed? The printer determines the amount of ink left in the cartridge by counting the number of ink "shots" when printing, head cleaning etc. This information is stored in the "chip" on the cartridge. Thus, it is not an actual measurement of the ink left, but an estimate calculated by subtracting the total shots from the original full ink quantity. This estimate can sometimes be grossly in error, usually due to a cartridge replacement not being carried out correctly. To eliminate this possibility, buy a new set of compatibles on E-Bay - they're very cheap. You can always re-use the old ones later if it turns out they DO have ink in them.

If none of the above works, then you may have blocked print head nozzles. You can try soaking the print heads for 24 hours (or more), as follows. Turn the printer on, and as soon as the print head moves out of its parking position, pull the power cord out of the back, or turn the printer off at the mains. You may now carefully move the print head by hand over to the left hand side out of the way. Look inside the print head parking area on the right and you will see a small rubber cup that comes up to cover the print nozzles when the head is parked (to stop it drying out). Use a syringe or dropper to fill this cup with head cleaning fluid or distilled water. DO NOT USE TAP WATER. Carefully push the print head by hand fully into its parking position so that the cup full of fluid
comes up over the print head. Do not turn the printer on at any stage in this process. Leave this for at least 24 hours, then turn the printer on and try a head clean/nozzle check again. If you get any black ink on the nozzle check, then there is hope! Repeat the process until you get a full black nozzle check. If nothing, repeat the process once more.

If still nothing, post a new comment detailing what you have done and the results.

Have you tried a cleaning cycle? If not, try one (right click the little printer icon in the bottom right corner of the screen and select head clean). Now run a nozzle check (right click the little printer icon in the bottom right corner of the screen and select nozzle check). Is there any sign of ink on the paper? Try up to three cleaning cycles. If ink is now flowing, but not yet perfectly, don't carry out any more cleaning cycles. Just leave the printer for 24 hours (to allow any air in the print head to disperse). Then repeat the cleaning cycle/wait process. It may take a while to restore a perfect nozzle check print.

If you have already done lots of head cleans with no result, are you sure you have good ink cartridges properly installed? The printer determines the amount of ink left in the cartridge by counting the number of ink "shots" when printing, head cleaning etc. This information is stored in the "chip" on the cartridge. Thus, it is not an actual measurement of the ink left, but an estimate calculated by subtracting the total shots from the original full ink quantity. This estimate can sometimes be grossly in error, usually due to a cartridge replacement not being carried out correctly. To eliminate this possibility, buy a new set of compatibles on E-Bay - they're very cheap. You can always re-use the old ones later if it turns out they DO have ink in them.

If none of the above works, then you may have blocked print head nozzles. You can try soaking the print heads for 24 hours (or more), as follows. Turn the printer on, and as soon as the print head moves out of its parking position, pull the power cord out of the back, or turn the printer off at the mains. You may now carefully move the print head by hand over to the left hand side out of the way. Look inside the print head parking area on the right and you will see a small rubber cup that comes up to cover the print nozzles when the head is parked (to stop it drying out). Use a syringe or dropper to fill this cup with head cleaning fluid or distilled water. DO NOT USE TAP WATER. Carefully push the print head by hand fully into its parking position so that the cup full of fluid comes up over the print head. Do not turn the printer on at any stage in this process. Leave this for at least 24 hours, then turn the printer on and try a head clean/nozzle check again. If you get any black ink on the nozzle check, then there is hope! Repeat the process until you get a full black nozzle check. If nothing, repeat the process once more.

If still nothing, post a new comment detailing what you have done and the results.

In a confused situation like this, it is very easy for the computer to mis-report the amount of ink left in the cartridges. The reason for this is that the printer determines the amount of ink left in the cartridge by counting the number of ink "shots" when printing, head cleaning etc. This information is stored in the "chip" on the cartridge. Thus, it is not an actual measurement of the ink left, but an estimate calculated by subtracting the total shots from the original full ink quantity. This estimate can sometimes be grossly in error, usually due to a cartridge replacement not being carried out correctly etc. The best way out of this situation is always to start from a known position i.e. that you have a set of full cartridges. So, get a complete new set; save the old ones - you can use them later when you know where you are.

Install a new set properly, such that an ink charging cycle takes place, Now run a nozzle check (right click the little printer icon in the bottom right corner of the screen and select nozzle check). Is there any sign of ink on the paper. If not, try up to three cleaning cycles. If ink is now flowing, but not yet perfectly, don't carry out any more cleaning cycles. Just leave the printer for 24 hours (to allow any air in the print head to disperse). Then repeat the cleaning cycle/wait process. It may take a while to restore a perfect nozzle check print.

If this fails to work, you can try soaking the print heads for 24 hours (or more), as follows. Turn the printer on, and as soon as the print head moves out of its parking position, pull the power cord out of the back, or turn the printer off at the mains. You may now carefully move the print head by hand over to the left hand side out of the way. Look inside the print head parking area on the right and you will see a small rubber cup that comes up to cover the print nozzles when the head is parked (to stop it drying out). Use a syringe or dropper to fill this cup with head cleaning fluid or distilled water. DO NOT USE TAP WATER. Carefully push the print head by hand fully into its parking position so that the cup full of fluid comes up over the print head. Do not turn the printer on at any stage in this process. Leave this for at least 24 hours, then turn the printer on and try a head clean/nozzle check again. If nothing, repeat the process once more. If still nothing, post a new comment detailing what you have done and the results.

Regarding your old cartridges, buy a chip resetter on e-bay (currently one for sale at £3.25). Reset all your old cartridges to "full". Tape up the outlet nozzles and save the cartridges When cartridge change time comes, use the old cartridges. If they work - fine, use them until the ink disappears, then chuck them away.

I solved this problem but probably not what the printer manufacturer would recommend! The reason you are just getting grey is that the black ink cartridge is either empty or dried out from non use and only the color cartridge is working. I had the same problem after being away for 5 months. I put the printer cartridge in a bowl of warm water to disolve the dried out ink on the print pad. I dried off the cartridge with a soft cloth and then it worked perfectly.

Hi,

We've encountered several problems like this and we end-up replacing the printer head especially separate printer head technology from ink-cartridge(s). Cleaning well do in most cases and original ink cartridges is always better:) and cleaning of nozzle should be done three times only for it may consume whole ink cartridge half empty. For the ink-cartridge with printer head builted-in the problem with missing color most likely on the contacts between the cartridge and tray. Please wipe the contact points gently with dry cloth or cotton buds. Try to check if the contact points were not rotten or corroded with dried inks. Have a nice day.

Best regards,
Rosener Guyano