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HP Officejet K7100 User Guide - Page 100

Poor print quality and unexpected printouts, Poor quality printouts, Check the print cartridges

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Poor print quality and unexpected printouts This section provides solutions to print quality problems. ● Poor quality printouts ● Meaningless characters print ● Ink is smearing ● Ink is not filling the text or graphics completely ● The print settings may need to be changed ● Output is faded or dull colored ● Colors are printed as black and white ● Wrong colors are printing ● Printout shows bleeding colors ● Colors do not line up properly ● Lines or dots are missing from text or graphics Poor quality printouts Check the print cartridges Replace any clogged print cartridges (see Using the print cartridges on page 19), and try to print again. The printer may be in Ink-backup Printing Mode The printer enters Ink-backup Printing Mode when one of the print cartridges is empty or removed. Replace the missing print cartridge with a new one (see Inserting the print cartridges on page 20). Verify the ink levels of the print cartridges One of the print cartridges may be low on ink. To view the ink levels, print a diagnostics page (see Printing a diagnostics page on page 83). (For Windows, if the Toolbox is installed, you can find inklevel information by clicking the Printer Status tab. For Macintosh, open the ink level panel from HP Inkjet Toolbox.) If the print cartridge is low on ink, replace it (see Inserting the print cartridges on page 20). The print cartridges may need to be cleaned Perform the auto-clean procedure (see Cleaning the print cartridges on page 22). Check the paper quality The paper might be too moist or too rough. Make sure the media used meets HP specifications (see Selecting print media on page 27), and try to print again. 90 Chapter 6 Troubleshooting ENWW

Section	Page
Welcome	11
Special features	12
Using this guide	13
Finding other resources for the product	14
Getting started	15
Understanding the printer parts and functions	16
Front view (trays, cover, and print cartridge cradle)	16
Front view (input tray)	17
Printer lights	17
Back view	18
Configuring the printer (Windows)	19
Direct connection	19
Installing printer software and sharing the printer	19
To install the software before connecting the printer	19
To connect the printer before installing the software	20
To share the printer on a locally shared network	20
Configuring the printer (Mac OS)	22
To install the software for a locally shared network or for a direct connection	22
To share the printer on a locally shared network	23
Uninstalling the printer software	24
Customizing the printer software setup program	26
Installing other software	27
Using print cartridges and accessories	28
Using the print cartridges	29
Supported print cartridges	29
Inserting the print cartridges	30
To install or replace a print cartridge	30
Aligning the print cartridges	31
Cleaning the print cartridges	32
To clean the print cartridges automatically	32
For Windows	32
For Macintosh	33
Maintaining the print cartridges	33
Storing the print cartridges	33
Printing with a single print cartridge	34
Installing the optional automatic two-sided printing accessory (duplex unit)	35
Printing and loading media	36
Selecting print media	37
Tips for selecting and using print media	37
Understanding specifications for supported media	37
Understanding supported media sizes	38
Understanding supported media types	43
Understanding supported media weights and capacities	45
Setting minimum margins	45
Loading media in the input tray	46
Using the automatic paper-type sensor	48
Changing print settings	49
Understanding smart software features	50
Printing digital photographs	51
Enhanced color printing	51
Guidelines for printing photographs	51
Understanding digital photography technologies	52
PhotoREt printing	52
4800 x 1200 optimized dpi	52
Printing Exif Print-enhanced photographs	52
HP Photosmart Essential software	53
Printing borderless	54
Printing in grayscale	56
Printing panoramic photos	57
Printing a document	59
Printing with the front or rear manual feed slot	60
Changing the software settings	60
Loading the front manual feed slot	61
Loading the rear manual feed slot	62
Printing on various media types	63
Printing on custom-sized paper	64
Printing on envelopes	65
Printing on cards and smaller-sized media	66
Printing multiple pages on a single sheet of paper	69
Printing booklets	70
Performing manual booklet printing	70
Performing automatic booklet printing	70
Printing posters	72
Printing banners	73
Printing labels	74
Printing iron-on transfers	75
Printing on both sides (duplexing)	76
Guidelines for printing on both sides of the paper	76
Performing manual duplexing	76
Performing auto-duplexing	77
Advantages of using the duplex unit	78
Cancelling a print job	80
Using the Toolbox	81
Toolbox overview	82
Printer Status tab	83
Information tab	84
HP Instant Support	84
Security and privacy	84
To gain access to HP Instant Support	85
myPrintMileage	85
How Do I...	86
Printer Services tab	87
Using the HP Printer Utility (Macintosh)	88
Viewing the HP Printer Utility panels	88
Troubleshooting	89
Troubleshooting tips and resources	90
General troubleshooting tips	91
Printing a demo page	92
Printing a diagnostics page	93
Resolving printing problems	94
Printer shuts down unexpectedly	94
Check power and power connections	94
Check printer vents	94
All printer lights are blinking	94
A non-recoverable error has occurred.	94
Printer is not responding (nothing prints)	94
Check printer setup	94
Check the print cartridge initialization	94
Check the printer software installation	94
Check cable connections	94
Check printer setup for network environment	95
Check any personal firewall software installed on the computer	95
Printer does not accept a print cartridge	95
Print cartridge does not fit the printer	95
Printer does not recognize the print cartridge	95
Clean the print cartridge contacts	95
The printer is rejecting the pen	96
Printer takes a long time to print	97
Check the system configuration	97
Verify the number of software programs running on the computer	97
Check the printer software settings	97
A large file is printing	97
The printer may be in Ink-backup Printing Mode	97
Blank page printed	98
Check for empty print cartridges	98
The protective tape on the print cartridge nozzle has not been removed.	98
Check media settings	98
Something on the page is missing or incorrect	98
Check margin settings	98
The printer may be in Ink-backup Printing Mode	98
Verify the ink levels of the print cartridges	98
The print cartridges may need to be cleaned	98
Check color print settings	98
Check the print location and length of USB cable	99
Placement of the text or graphics is wrong	99
Check how the media is loaded	99
Check the media size	99
Check margin settings	99
Check the page-orientation setting	99
Check the printer location and length of USB cable	99
Poor print quality and unexpected printouts	100
Poor quality printouts	100
Check the print cartridges	100
The printer may be in Ink-backup Printing Mode	100
Verify the ink levels of the print cartridges	100
The print cartridges may need to be cleaned	100
Check the paper quality	100
Check the type of media loaded in the printer	101
Check rollers in the printer	101
Check the printer location and length of USB cable	101
Meaningless characters print	101
Check the cable connections	101
Check the document file	101
Ink is smearing	101
Check print settings	101
Check the media type	102
Check the margin settings	102
Ink is not filling the text or graphics completely	102
The printer may be in Ink-backup Printing Mode	102
Verify the ink levels of the print cartridges	102
The print cartridges may need to be cleaned	102
Check the media type	102
The print settings may need to be changed	102
Output is faded or dull colored	102
Check the print mode	102
You may not be using the best print cartridge for the project	103
Check the paper type setting	103
Check the print cartridges	103
Colors are printed as black and white	103
Check the print settings	103
The printer is printing in Ink-backup Printing Mode	103
Wrong colors are printing	103
Check the print settings	103
Check the print cartridges	103
Printout shows bleeding colors	103
Check the print settings	103
Check the print cartridges	103
Colors do not line up properly	104
Check the print cartridges	104
Check the graphics placement	104
Lines or dots are missing from text or graphics	104
The printer may be in Ink-backup Printing Mode	104
Verify the ink levels of the print cartridges	104
The print cartridges may need to be cleaned	104
Check the print cartridge contact pads	104
Resolving paper-feed problems	105
Another paper feed problem is occurring	105
Media is not supported for the printer or tray	105
Media is not picked up from input tray	105
Media is not coming out correctly	105
Pages are skewing	105
Multiple pages are being picked up	105
Troubleshooting installation issues	106
Problems printing an alignment page	106
Problems installing software	106
Verify the computer requirements	106
Verify installation preliminaries	106
Reinstall the printer software	106
Clearing jams	107
Tips for avoiding paper jams	109
Resolving photo printing problems	110
Resolving borderless printing problems	111
Resolving banner printing problems	112
Resolving automatic two-sided printing problems	113
Printer lights reference	114
Understanding the printer lights	115
HP supplies and accessories	119
Ordering printing supplies through the Toolbox	120
Accessories	121
Automatic two-sided printing accessory	121
Parallel cable	121
USB cable	121
Supplies	122
Print cartridges	122
HP media	122
Customer support and warranty	123
Obtaining electronic support	124
HP Instant Support	125
HP Telephone Support	126
Before you call	126
Telephone support numbers	126
Hewlett-Packard Limited Warranty Statement	128
Printer specifications and Declaration of Conformity	129
Printer specifications	130
Declaration of Conformity	133
Regulatory information	134
FCC statement	135
Notice to Users in Korea	135
Miscellaneous regulatory information	137
RoHS notices (China only)	137
Toxic and hazardous substance table	137
LEDs classification	137
Regulatory model number	137
Environmental product stewardship program	138
Paper Use	138
Plastics	138
Recycling program	138
HP inkjet supplies recycling program	138
Materials handling	138
Energy consumption - Energy Star	138
Energy consumption - Federal Energy Management Program	139
Disposal of Waste Equipment by Users in Private Households in the European Union	140

Match case Limit results 1 per page

Poor print quality and unexpected printouts

This section provides solutions to print quality problems.

●

Poor

quality

printouts

●

Meaningless

characters

●

Ink

smearing

●

Ink

not

filling

the

text

graphics

completely

●

The

settings

may

need

changed

●

Output

faded

dull

colored

●

Colors

are

printed

black

and

white

●

Wrong

colors

are

printing

●

Printout

shows

bleeding

colors

●

Colors

not

line

properly

●

Lines

dots

are

missing

from

text

graphics

Poor quality printouts

Check the print cartridges

Replace any clogged print cartridges (see

Using

the

cartridges

page

), and try to print

again.

The printer may be in Ink-backup Printing Mode

The printer enters

Ink-backup Printing Mode

when one of the print cartridges is empty or removed.

Replace the missing print cartridge with a new one (see

Inserting

the

cartridges

page

Verify the ink levels of the print cartridges

One of the print cartridges may be low on ink. To view the ink levels, print a diagnostics page (see

Printing

diagnostics

page

). (For Windows, if the Toolbox is installed, you can find ink-

level information by clicking the

Printer Status

tab. For Macintosh, open the ink level panel from

HP Inkjet Toolbox.) If the print cartridge is low on ink, replace it (see

Inserting

the

cartridges

page

The print cartridges may need to be cleaned

Perform the auto-clean procedure (see

Cleaning

the

cartridges

page

Check the paper quality

The paper might be too moist or too rough. Make sure the media used meets HP specifications (see

Selecting

media

page

), and try to print again.

Chapter 6

Troubleshooting

ENWW