My HP LaserJet 6L won't print.

I visited the HP website to download any recent drivers. According to the site, operating system Microsoft Windows XP comes with the driver for this printer. When I click on "Automaticly check if driver needs updating," I get an error message that reads, "HP Instant Support - Driver Check
Your system appears to be blocking popup windows.

HP Instant Support - Driver Check needs to launch
a popup window to run. Your system appears to be
blocking that. Please watch your browser for prompts
asking for permission or configure your system to
allow popups from our site.


This occurs even after I turn off the pop up blocker and after I add the HP to allow pop ups from that site. I have used both Internet Explorer 7 and Foxfire. I have disconnected the printer and removed all printers from the settings.

After I delete and then add the printer back, it still does not print.

I purchased another HP LaserJet printer. (A used one from someone on Ebay) Still does not print. The printing stays in cue saying "printing" while it blinks rapidly. I have to keep canceling print so it will stop blinking.



Forgot to add that what the symptoms were before the printer stopped working completely. First, I could not print from any source unless I closed all the windows except the page I was trying to print. When it finally decided to print, it would print one small area of the document in huge letters that it was taking up the entire paper just to print that very small area. After it would finish printing in that manner, I would resend my document and it would then print normal. Eventually, that didn't work either. Now it won't print at all not even a test page after I add the printer as a new printer.

Try the PCL6 "universal print driver" here: Product search results (http://h20180.www2.hp.com/apps/Lookup?h_lang=en&h_cc=us&cc=us&h_page=hpcom&lang=en&h_client=S-A-R163-1&h_pagetype=s-002&h_query=universal+print+driver&submit.x=0&submit.y=0)

Ok, the Universal print driver is downloading right now. Hope it works.

Thank you

OK. Well the universal driver finished downloading. I restarted my computer but there is no change in the printing. The test page sits in que and blinks. I have to go over to the printer properties to cancel the print to make it stop blinking. I also have to click on refresh.

Also, my old LaserJet 6L used to make a lot of noise when it was first turned on. The same noise that it would make when it was printing. But the recently acquired used printer makes no sound at all. Only the top orange light comes on. That is how I know it is getting power to it. Are other printers this way also? They make noise when the power first comes on?

Thanks again.

The manual is located here:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/bpl03394/bpl03394.pdf

Can you print the test page from the front panel (Section 4-1)? That will eliminate any and all driver issues.


There are some blinking error conditions described in the manual, but it depends on wich light is blinking. One error suggests than manual feed is enabled.

You may also try resetting the printer to default conditions. Again in the manual.

Some of the new printers may not make any noise because they are in power save mode immediately. Only when a job is started to they do a self test. I'm not sure if my HP P2015 makes any noise at all, but a Laserjet 4 and HP 4050 definitely do. I'll have to check later. Usually the printer preforms a self test. Manual feed seems a good possibility since you don't have any error lights.

I've seen the 4050 choke on PDF documents when not printed in Postscript or if the physical memory was too small.

The Universal printer driver is very obscure on HP's website, but it has solved a lot of printing problems, namely pages with Excel. What's cool about it is that you can define virtual printers that have certain characteristics. You could have a virtual printer named simplex, duplex, envelopes and balance sheet for instance or, I believe, set up them as tasks within the printer. It works very differently. I have one for simplex (one sided, duplex and 2 per page/duplex as printers.

I don't think it's a drivers issue. I would start by deleting the printer from the printers folder, then reinstalling it using the builot in driver. Also how much RAM do you have?

The test page will not print. Not when I use the add printer wizard, not from the properties of the printer and not from the front panel.

Have deleted all printers. I have disconnected and reconnected the printer
Several times using different cables including different power cable and using different outlets. I then connect the printer back and use the Add printer wizard repeatedly.


How do I find the amount of RAM on the printer? Don't know how to find the Ram in my printer.

I didn't ask for printer RAM, I asked about your system RAM. The printer has about 16Mg.

I don't know where to find the system RAM. How do I check to see how much I have and how much do I need to have to be able to print?

Is system RAM something that gets used up eventually so that my printer stops working?

Do I need to buy more RAM once it gets used up?

What version of Windows. Usually you can right click on My Computer and select Properties to find out system RAM. If you are low on RAM it could affect printing.

It says:

Enpower
AMD Athlon (tm) 64 processor
3500+
2.20 GHz, 480 MB of RAM
Physical Address Extension

After I downloaded the universal driver from the HP website, does the computer automatically install it?

And what version of Windows. 480M of RAM would be light for XP.

And yes just downloading isn't enough, you have to install.

No. The initial executable will create a directory with the program Install.exe in it and you need to run that.

It may not work for non-networked printers. Hopefully search will work for you. If the printer is shared, then that's another possibility, because it puts it on the network. I've only used it for networked printers.

Add printer from the Printers and Faxes Control panel has the 6L listed, so why don't you try that first and write down the location when it finds the printer. This is the location you nned to specify for the Universal printer driver.

Did the test page print manually?

I'm using Windows XP

I have attempted to install the HPUPD41PCL532universal driver.exe application but I get a WinZip self extractor window. I don't know what that means. So I went back to the HP website to download the universal driver, but this time I clicked on run instead of download. It is currently running.

I had to search for the file using "search"

No, the test page did not print manually either. I get no responds at all from the recently acquired printer. The former printer does respond but then all the lights come on and it stops.

I'm waiting for the universal driver to finish running.

Turn the printer on then off.

Do this:

Printing a Self-Test Page
A self-test page can be useful in identifying your printer's configuration
And to ensure that your printer is working properly.
To print a self-test page:
1 Make sure that the Ready light is on and all other lights are off. If
Necessary, wake up the printer by briefly pressing and releasing the
Front Panel button.
2 Now briefly press and release the Front Panel button again. The Data
Light will come on and the Ready light will blink. Please wait for a
Self-test page to print.
If the self-test page does not print, try the following:
1 Ensure that paper is loaded in the printer.

Is the Ready or Data light blinking?

For your other printer, it appears that all the lights on signifies a hardware problem with the printer.

Ok, the HPUPD41PCL532universal driver.exe application has finished running (as opposed to installing). It also prompted me with a WinZip window. I clicked on the unzip button. Then I sent a document to the printer. The printer icon together with all the opened window icons are flashing but nothing is printing.

Is it possible that I don't have enough RAM? How do I clear out some of the RAM? I have removed all cookies and I think all temporary files. Not sure how to double check that.

Keepitsimple

The front panel button is completely unresponsive when I push on the Front Panel button . Unlike my former printer. The newly acquired printer doesn't make a sound. Only the orange 'ON" light is on no matter how often I press the Front Panel Button.

The WinZip window is fine. Downloading the printer driver is a mult-step process.
1. Download the file from HP's website
2. Run that file after it downloads
3. A Win Zip window appears
4. Accept the default location or chose another
5. Navigate to that location
6. Double click on install.exe

ZIP files are compressed archives which is the standard compressed archive in Windows.

Is the orange light the "Ready light"?

Briefly really means "very quickly". Like less than 1 second.

Yes, the orange light is the "Ready light"

No matter how I touch the ready button there is no responds.

I don't know if I'm doing the installing/running correctly. I only found two files with the .exe on them. I clicked on them and this is what I get:

HPUPD41PCL532(2).EXE-253CA55F.pf
But it says, Windows cannot open this file

To open this file, Windows needs to know what program created it. Windows can go online to look it up automatically, or you can manually select from a list of programs on your computer.

What do you want to do?

Use the Web service to find the appropriate program
Select the program from a list


The other one is

Spupdsvc.exe.ref

To open this file, Windows needs to know what program created it. Windows can go online to look it up automatically, or you can manually select from a list of programs on your computer.

What do you want to do?
Use the Web service to find the appropriate program
Select the program from a list

I suppose that since the printer doesn't make noise when powered up and it won't print a test page, the printer might be broken:

I used the original link that I gave you (I used Firefox not IE).

You have chosen to open HPUPD41PCL6.exe
I saved the file to the desktop
Once the download is complete
Open
Get warning it is an executable
Unzip to flolder
c:\HP-UPD4-1-PCL6-32

Unzip
71 files unzipped successfully
Close

Navigate to Start/My Computer C:\HP-UPD4-1-PCL6-32

Look for Install.exe (run that program). I didn't.

The C:\HP-UPD4-1-PCL6-32 directory should contain:

C:\HP-UPD4_1-PCL6-32>ls -l
Total 20777
Drwx------+ 3 normal None 0 Sep 26 19:25 Drivers
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 286720 May 2 11:16 Hpzc3212.dll
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 1212416 Mar 29 18:03 Install.dll
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 102400 Jun 19 23:07 Install.exe
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 302159 Jul 10 11:41 P6i2zhcn.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 344064 Mar 28 10:04 hpbicoin.dll
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 16288 Jul 10 05:13 hpfxbulk.sys
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 23968 Jul 10 05:13 hpfxgen.sys
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 117155 Jul 20 19:50 hpmews01.cat
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 526 May 9 21:11 hpmews01.dat
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 188416 May 10 11:19 hpmews01.dll
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 5858 Jun 27 03:33 hpmews01.inf
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 1001 Jul 11 13:35 hpmprein.config
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 372736 May 2 11:16 hpmprein.dll
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 115804 Jul 20 19:49 hppfaxnd.cat
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 1451 Jul 9 17:46 hppfaxnd.inf
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 115802 Jul 20 19:49 hppscnd.cat
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 1445 Jul 9 17:46 hppscnd.inf
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 86016 Mar 29 18:02 hpu4coin.dll
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 15960 May 24 18:21 hpu4pd30.cf_
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 8727735 Jul 11 17:13 hpu4pdpc.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 203642 Jul 20 19:50 hpu4pdpc.cat
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 34103 Jul 10 10:56 hpu4pdpc.inf
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 49152 Mar 29 18:03 hpu4prop.bin
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 116255 Jul 20 19:50 hpzid413.cat
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 140862 May 31 14:26 hpzid413.inf
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 116704 Jul 20 19:50 hpzid4vp.cat
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 33474 May 31 14:24 hpzid4vp.inf
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 118508 Jul 20 19:50 hpzipa13.cat
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 125938 May 31 14:26 hpzipa13.inf
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 1001 Jul 11 13:35 hpzipa13.inf.config
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 116255 Jul 20 19:50 hpzipr13.cat
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 61786 May 31 14:26 hpzipr13.inf
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 116255 Jul 20 19:50 hpzist13.cat
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 6062 May 31 14:26 hpzist13.inf
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 118959 Jul 20 19:50 hpzius13.cat
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 179288 May 31 14:26 hpzius13.inf
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 5435 Jul 11 13:35 hpzius13.inf.config
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 302967 Jul 10 11:41 p6i2arww.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 302845 Jul 10 11:41 p6i2caww.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 303849 Jul 10 11:41 p6i2csww.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 302695 Jul 10 11:41 p6i2daww.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 303569 Jul 10 11:41 p6i2deww.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 303541 Jul 10 11:41 p6i2elww.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 303435 Jul 10 11:41 p6i2enww.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 302845 Jul 10 11:42 p6i2esww.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 302867 Jul 10 11:41 p6i2fiww.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 304585 Jul 10 11:41 p6i2frww.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 302621 Jul 10 11:41 p6i2heww.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 303953 Jul 10 11:41 p6i2huww.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 304303 Jul 10 11:42 p6i2itww.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 302781 Jul 10 11:42 p6i2jaww.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 301793 Jul 10 11:42 p6i2koww.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 303635 Jul 10 11:41 p6i2nlww.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 302909 Jul 10 11:42 p6i2noww.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 304057 Jul 10 11:42 p6i2plww.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 304097 Jul 10 11:42 p6i2ptww.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 303187 Jul 10 11:42 p6i2ruww.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 303435 Jul 10 11:42 p6i2skww.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 302733 Jul 10 11:42 p6i2svww.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 303435 Jul 10 11:42 p6i2thww.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 303549 Jul 10 11:42 p6i2trww.cab
-rwx------+ 1 normal None 300553 Jul 10 11:41 p6i2zhtw.cab
C:\HP-UPD4_1-PCL6-32>

By all means don't ask how I did that and just look at the names.

Hello keepitsimple


Thanks for all that information you sent me. From looking at it, it looks like I downloaded the wrong universal driver. I should have downloaded the 6L not 5L universal driver.

It's downloading right now. Hopefully, this will work.

Thanks again.




Haven't heard back from Scott.

Are you still there scott? Do I have enough RAM to run the printer? Thanks

I would bump up the RAM to at least 1G

Scott, can not having enough Ram break a printer?

No, not having enough RAM will not break a printer. 480 MB for XP is a little low. Adding more will definitely give you a general XP performance boost.

The printer has RAM in it too. I'd suggest re-seating the RAM in the printer, see manual. This involves taking it out and putting it back in again. That RAM will cause slow printing and the inability to image certain pages. Make sure the pages your using to test are very simple and consist of a few characters.

Since it's a parallel printer, make sure the printer cable is a Bi-directional cable.

Does the Data Light blink for even a short time when you try to send it something?

Keepitsimple
The printer makes absolutely no sounds whatsoever. The only good thing so far is that with the universal driver, the printer icon no longer blinks continuously (which was causing all the icons of the other windows to blink continuously also)

Yes, the document I'm using to use as a test page only has a couple of sentences. But HP has their own test page programmed anyway. The HP test page contains graphics too.

I guess I have to resort to re-setting the RAM in the printer. I need to take my dog for a walk now so it will be a while before I start taking the printer apart to reset it.

Thanks for all the great help so far.

Not enough RAM won't break a printer, but it could cause printing problems.

Keepitsimple

I'm beginning to think the problem is the printer itself. According to the manual, the amber light is the error light. And that is the only light that comes on. No other light comes on.

The bottom green light is the ready light. Have not seen this light come on at all.

The center light is the data light and that is also suppose to be green and I have not seen that light come on either.

Neither printer seems to have a Ram card. Looks like there is an empty cartridge space in there.

Just hope the Ebay seller didn't sell me a piece of junk. I have written to him. I'll see what he has to say.

I heard from the seller he told me he was able to print a test page using Microsoft Windows XP. I don't know if printers can get damaged in transit.

I think this page will shed some light: All Laser Service - HP 5L/6L 3100 (http://www.all-laser.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/error5L.html)

To me it's Paper out, door open or no cartridge.

So, open every single door and close them. Reseat the print cartridge.

Pull out the paper tray and look above where the tray was. There is usually a piece of plastic that hangs above the tray and pivots easily which detects paper. See if it's not hung up. Make sure that the paper tray is at least 1/2 full.

Try to select manual feed. If it's paper out, the light may go away.

KeppItsimple

I think you are right. The seller told me it took him about 15 minutes to get a test page to print. He had to put 50 to 100 pages in the paper tray because it was not sensing the paper there.

The ink cartridge gets really stuck and it is hard to take out. I manged to figure out that if I stick my finger in there and push up on a white plastic thingy I can take out the ink cartridge.

I put enough paper in the paper tray that it almost looks completely full.


The yellow error light still on. No change in the lights.

Try this:

To Reset the Printer:
Press and hold the Front Panel button until the three indicator lights
Begin to blink in succession (about 5 seconds), then let go of the button.
After resetting, the Ready light will remain lit if no printer errors are
Found.

The reset button is the doing anything.

I think it is the senser connected to the ink cartridge. It is not working properly. It makes the cartridge jam. I cannot take the ink cartridge out without sticking my fingers in there to push up the little plastic lever. I got a tiny glimpse of the green light when I was fussing with that little plastic lever. I cannot seem to get the green light to come on again.


The problem is that when I close the door, the plastic lever does what ever it feels like. Maybe I can try tape. LOL Some people use duct tape for everything.

I stuck a piece of tape on the little white thingy and it has allowed me to get a couple of glimses of the green light. So that is definitely a problem.

The reset instructions to sent me work, but the yellow light continues to remain on.

HOOORAY SUCCESS AT LAST!!



THE PIECE OF TAPE DID THE TRICK. MAYBE IT WILL EVENTUALLY TRAIN THAT LITTLE PLASTIC THINGY AND I CAN TAKE THE PIECE OF TAPE OFF.


The ready green light at the bottom came right on as soon as I unplugged and then replugged the electrical cord.


Word document did not work though so I changed the default printer back to so that it would use the driver that came with Microsoft XP operating system.

It would not print using the Universal driver.

THANKS FOR YOUR EXCELLENT ATTENTION TO DETAIL, KEEPITSIMPLESTUPID.


KEEPING IT SIMPLE THIS TIME DID THE TRICK. JUST LOOK AT THE OBVIOUS. Lol






It printed a test page right off.

I found the service manual here:

http://www.feedroller.com/Store/Service%20Manual/LASERJET%205L,%206L%20Service%20Manual.pdf

On page 5-17 there is a picture. Make sure PS203 is clean. The priinter uses photosensors. They could have gotten dirty if the toner was in the printer when shipped.

Was the printer shipped with the cartridge in it?

Yes, the printer cartridge was in it when it was shipped. Maybe the printer cartridge's weight made that white plastic sensor crooked. Maybe over time, it will get straight again..

It looks like that little white plastic thingy is the sensor for both the ink cartridge and "open" or "closed" door.

You are really good at looking things up on the internet. I will read through the service manual.

Thanks again for all the great help and your persistence and your patience.

Thanks. This was an amazing thread. It was like troubleshooting with someone else's eyes.
I never liked pictures and apparently neither do you. If we had realized much earlier in the game that the light was an error rather than ready we would have had the problem licked long ago.

How about a rating on at least one post?

BTW, this is the kind of stuff I am good at, but unfortunamely I have been diagnosed with a "thinging obsession" and "consider high levels of detail"which aparently isn't good.

Your printer is about 10 years old, so I hope you got it for a good price. I got the HP P2015n new for $250. Duplex, PCL6 and Postscript level 3, USB and Ethernet. I'm waiting for the $150 rebate. I got the $100 rebate back already.

I want to thank you for your complements.

KISS

I'm brand new to this site so I have to learn how to do the rating stuff.

Is it possible to rate each thread?

I've been coming to this site for years and could never even take a look at old answers.

I didn't even realize I was already signed up until I tried to sign up about 4 weeks ago.

I bought this recent printer used from someone at Ebay for about $25 together with shipping. I bought it because it's just like the one that broke. The one that broke was always on orange light. I've had that one for several years. Now that I know that the colors have meaning, I notice that to me the orange light mean it was ready.

This printer's orange light always stays on if there is no paper in the paper tray. Since these printers have a defect in that you can only use one sheet of paper at a time, I never keep any paper in the paper tray. So the orange light is always staring at me. After many years of the orange light staring at me, to me it is normal (the ready light).


After you posted information about the manual and learned that the lights had meaning, I realized the orange light was an error light and not a ready light. HOORAY FOR YOU!!

I have never seen a manual for this printer. I learn from intuition. I think machines talk to us. We just have to learn to listen and understand what they are saying to us.

I learned how to use the printer and how to do a test page, etc without reading a manual. Sort of how kids learn nowadays.

THANKS FOR TEACHING ME HOW TO USE AND READ A MANUAL. I DOWNLOADED IT INTO MY COMPUTER.

YOUR ATTENTION TO DETAIL IS WHAT HELPED ME!!

OK. Now I'm going to go figure out how to do the ratings part. THANKS A MILLION!

I had no clue I had the opportunity to rate the answers at this site.

It looks like it won't let me go back and rate each of the threads.

It says, you must spread some reputation around

You can rate each post.

There is a paper path switch on this printer. There may not be a defect at all.

There were links to two manuals. The service and owners.

Since attempting to fix this current printer, I learned that they have a defect--they have a tendency to feed more than one sheet at a time. My former printer did that and this one does the same thing. You cannot put more than one sheet of paper in the paper tray because it will feed both of them through EVERY TIME. A stack of paper does me no good anyway because I normally print on both sides of the paper. It looks like free kits were available at one time to fix this defect. I think they are still available but not free. I think it is the rollers that is the problem.



I have had trouble looking at the second manual. I will have to keep trying. They have an icon that allows it to be copied directly to the hard drive but it seems like it's either stuck or it's too slow. I don't know which. I'm going to go try it again and just leave my computer on to see if it will download it to my computer.

I am going to keep going back to see if I can rate each of the threads. Thanks for letting me know I can do this.

Paper has a curl and might even be labeled "print this side first". Look carefully on the wrapper. So, it matters.

Static and humidity can affect paper performance too.

There might be a part called a "paper separator". I didn't re-read the service manual.

Stacks are still OK, because there is something called manual duplexing where you check the right options and print on side A odd pages and then the driver tells you to insert the stack in the paper tray upside down and the driver prints side B the even pages.

If your loading the .pdf document within your browser after it loads Adobe has an option to "Save a copy". Not having enough real memory in your computer could compromise the ability to load the document.

This entire discussion is a thread. Each comment is a post. You may only be able to comment once per poster per thread and that's why your being told to spread it around.

After having such a difficult time downloading the service manual, I finally had success.

I just tried it again and this time it only took a split second to copy to my desktop.

Oh, manual duplexing. Never heard of it. Wow, I have been working myself to death printing one page at a time so I can turn the paper over. LOL

The service manual is coming in handy as the printer is making a bit too much noise when the paper is rolling through. I will have to learn how to clean them.

Thanks again for all of your help. I have learned so much.

I think because I am new here, the system doesn't allow me to rate each of the threads. I will keep trying.

Now that this website lets me come here, I will be around more often.

Thanks again. Have a good night.

See this thread about duplexing. It gets off on the wrong foot too:

https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/word-processing/printing-even-odd-pages-only-132540.html?highlight=printing+even+odd+pages

Just on the paper handling, you can get replacement pickup rollers and separation pads. That's what you need to get the paper feeding through properly again. You can try cleaning them off as they can get dry and full of paper dust.

Thanks KeepItSimple and StuMegu

It looks like I didn't get anymore messages in my e-mail box notifying me that I had more messages here.

Unfortunately, I'm not good at mechanical things. I'm good at taking them apart but then I can't put them back together again.

I've lived with a defective printer for a lot of years, I guess I can live with one for a few more days.

But if there is a printer you guys can recommend that doesn't need to be repaired that I can use duplexing on, please let me know.

I think it's time to get a printer that can I can do duplexing on. I've lived with a defective printer for too long. I only spent $25 on this current printer maybe I can donate it to someone.

Duplexing is not going to be cheap. If you can get an HP 1320 or 2105, both are lasers with buillt in duplexing. You can also add a duplexing adapter ($80) to several of HP's inkjet printers.

And you still need more RAM

In my experience, the printers that sell for the cheapest price are usually expensive to run. How much you spend on a printer should be determined by the amount of printing you are going to do as a more expensive printer can save money in the operating costs.

I recently bought a Kyocera laser printer for around £600 that, due to high usage, will be cheaper to run than a £100 laser printer. Always look at the consumables cost and how many copies you get from them.

As for a printer that doesn't need to be repaired, your best option is to buy one new and get a warranty. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. If you get any second hand devices they are likely to break down sooner and you have much less or no warranty on the unit.

Dana,

I cannot think of any reason why the HP won't work with XP. I've run dozens of HP Drivers on my XP system without any major problems.

If you would be kind enough to give me a couple of days, I'll weed through the previous posts and see I can up with any thing.

Don

Recommendation HP P2015dn:

pcRUSH.com - Product Specification for Item# 86546 (http://www.pcrush.com/prodspec.asp?ln=1&itemno=86546&refid=1058)

This is the same printer I got for essentially the same price. Still waiting for one of the rebates. The "d" means duplex. The "n" means network. It's USB and Ethernet.
Postscript level 3 and PCL 6.

Shipping? And maybe $20 for extra printer RAM. Printer cartridges come in a 3K pages and 6K pages at ~$80/3000 pages. And, of course, a USB or Ethernet cable.

Pretend your old printer is a hands-on course on how to repair printers. Try to fix it. Learn.

Hello KeepItSimple

Don't you think that's a bit much of a printer for home use?
I guess with that price, it isn't Most places sell those for over $500.

HP has it for the same price with free shipping. I will most likely get one of these. Sounds great!!

I am thinking about taking the broken printer apart and removing the sensor. The newly acquired printer's sensor maybe warped.


Keep your fingers crossed that I can manage to put it back together again once I take it apart.

The newly acquired printer is way too unreliable. That piece of tape is not keeping the sensor in place permanently. It is just a guessing game trying to get it in just the right position each time I want to print something.

THANKS FOR THE EXCELLENT RECOMMENDATION!!

(P.S. the software here will not let me rate any of your answers, sorry )

I made a mistake. PCRush.com has the best price for the HP 2015DN. It's $100.00 more at hp.com.

I cannot find any warranty information on the printer. Do you know if HP offers any warranty on it?

1 year. All you need to know:
Search HP US - Search results for 'p2015dn' (http://search.hp.com/query.html?lang=en&submit.x=6&submit.y=11&qt=p2015dn&la=en&cc=us)

Dana,

The price in this instance is driven by the additional cost of the paper handling features.

I still suggest that you hold off a bit, just to give me a chance here. I'd like a shot at the HP Problem you are having.

First off, I'd like to know your how the printer is connected to the PC? Second, does the printer run a stand-alone print test? From the Printer's Properties screen, can you print the test page?

Please do a Start >> Run >> MS DOS. From the command prompt type "Echo LPT1 This is a test. 0x0A 0x0BPage One0x0C" ,<enter>

No Quotes. "0xZZ" means Hexicidemal. So from the keyboard you would type <ALT> 10 This is the Line return command. The x0B = <ALT> 11 = Line Feed and the 0x0C = <ALT>12 = the Page Eject Command.

Lpt1 is the address of the printer and I'm assuming the printer is connected via the parallel port for this test. If your printer is connected differently, get a parallel cable and plug the printer to the parallel port this way we can also isolate the ports as the source of the problem.

donf:

Let me re-gurgitate this thread for you a bit. The printer is a parallel port only printer. It's 10 years old. She duplexes extensively and wasn't aware of manual duplexing. She has another broken one just like it with other unidentified problems. She thought the error light was the ready light and never had a manual.

It has a physical problem with a sensor. Ether cartridge installed or door closed. I don't know which. She has to tape it in place to operate the printer. This likely occurred because the printer was shipped from an eBay seller with the cartridge installed.Maybe Dana can identify the p/n in the service manual.

It also has a physical problem with page separation, so she at least needs the sensor or actuator, page pickup roller and the page separation gizmo to fix it.

This thread meanders a lot.

KISS

donf:

Let me regurgitate this thread for you a bit. The printer is a parallel port only printer. It's 10 years old. She duplexes extensively and wasn't aware of manual duplexing. She has another broken one just like it with other unidentified problems. She thought the error light was the ready light and never had a manual.

It has a physical problem with a sensor. Ether cartridge installed or door closed. I don't know which. She has to tape it in place to operate the printer. This likely occurred because the printer was shipped from an ebay seller with the cartridge installed.Maybe Dana can identify the p/n in the service manual.

It also has a physical problem with page separation, so she at least needs the sensor or actuator, page pickup roller and the page separation gizmo to fix it.

This thread meanders a lot.

KISS

KISS - Good afternoon - How are things along your coastline today? Thanks for the distillation of this thread.

We can cheat around the reporting of the error by putting a parallel break-out box on the line and then crippling the PE line from communicating to the PC but that would only be a band aid until newer parts could be ordered.

For a 10 year old printer, I would also agree with you to replace the printer. The upside would be a better code build on the newer printer. Factory tested parts in the box and better than average packing.

As to manual over automatic, automatic works for me. As to her question about printers, I'd suggest Lexmark's mid-range lasers. But I'm extremely biased towards Lexmark.

Currently, I have an old 2455 laser with automatic duplexing, hard drive, flash ram and network nic that is on loan to a friend. Two all in one (8350) and one small ink jet in a closet

Don,
Lexmark Retiree

Donf:
Coast is gorgeous. Yesterday I re-built a carb on a snowblower. The diaphram fuel valve was leaking. Then the pull-start broke. I don't fix these. It did start and ran rough until I was fiddleing with the mixture.

Can't do the parallel breakout trick because the printer won't to a self-test at times because of the physical problem.

We generally agree, which is cool. One trouble-shooter to another.

Dana:
Can you identify the part that's broken in the service manual with a page and call-out number? The call-out number is the number in the circle.

You can possibly rob that part from your other printer. The paper separator and pick-up rollers have to be new.

As for taking things apart. HP's instructions are really good. Lay things out on a table and use large pieces of paper or small cups for the screws and components that you remove. It's also useful to poke them into styrofoam as you remove them. Write the page number on the container that hold the screws for that page. If you use the paper method take them out in a st order leaving lots of room between each item. Note if there are screws longer than the others. Re-assemble in reverse.

Laser printers have maintenance issues. 1) Cleaning, 2) Jams 3) pick-up rollers 3)Paper separator and 5) Fuser

These parts do not last forever and must be replaced periodically. You won't know what a warn pick-up roller looks like until you have a new one to compare too. When they are smooth, they are broken.

The upgrade cycle is usually because of one of these reasons:
The printer technology is obsolete.
I don't have a specific port.
I need networking
I need duplexing.
I need posscript or a particular version of PostScript.
I can't get parts.
Maintenance is getting too expensive.
I need to support Mac's and PC's.
It's too slow.

Hello Donf and KeepItSimple,

I am not receiving e-mail notifications so I just barely saw your posts.


I've had my old printer for a very long time. I don't know if it was new or used. My brother installed it for me.

I have never had any problems with my old printer other than I could only put one sheet of paper on the paper tray at a time (same as the newly acquired one).

The main reason I would need duplexing is when I print out healing (Reiki, homeopathy, etc) manuals from the internet. And sometimes I also like to print out manuals for things I buy at garage sales.

I will need to go through and find the part that I suspect is causing the error light to stay on. Sometimes, I think it is a short in the printer. But at the same time the sensor moves and doesn't stay in place. I wonder if the sensor wasn't already warped before it was mailed to me. It seems to have to be in just the proper position or it senses that the door is opened. It is the "door closed" sensor and not the ink cartridge sensor.


The problems I have with taking things apart and then putting them back together again is that oftentimes I can't put the screws back together in the same way. Especially long screws. Sometimes if things don't line up right, they don't work. People who invented computer hardware were smart to make parts fit in one direction only and to push things in instead of using screws. They included children and women in their hardware development.

I will go take a look at the manual now and see if I can locate the sensor that I suspect is causing the problems, and get back to you shortly.

In the service manual the "door open/cartridge sensor" is discussed on page 5-17 Table 5-1 described as No. PS204



First off, I'd like to know your how the printer is connected to the PC? Second, does the printer run a stand-alone print test? From the Printer's Properties screen, can you print the test page?

I don't know what the name of the cable is that is connected between the cable and the printer. I think it is called a data cable. Both ends have heads that have pins that get pushed in. One side to the printer and the other side to the back of the computer tower. The head that goes into the tower also has screws on the end of head. The part that goes into the printer also has clips that are pressed down.

This is what the cable says on it:
AWM E148000 Style 20276 VW-1 80 (degree symbol) c IEEE 1284 compliant LTK AWM I/II A/B 80 (degree symbol) C 30v FT1


Yes, I can print a test page as long as the sensor is in just the right position. The sensor moves when I open the door or when printing or when the ink cartridge is moved.

A test page prints by hitting the button on the door. A test page also prints by using properties on the printer menu

Click on "Question tools" which is in orange just above the question and select "Subscribe to this question". That will fix notificaton.

I looked up the 3 parts that you appear to need on HP's website and the separation pads and pick-up rollers appear to be re-designed. Substitute parts are shown for the original part numbers. At ~$55 without shipping, $250 for a printer should seem more attractive.

Does your computer have any USB ports?

"IEEE 1284 compliant " Bingo!

The IEEE 1284 specification defines several methods of implementing a high speed parallel port.

HP choose to use the "EPP" method. EPP stands for Enhanced Parallel Port. With this method, the parallel port takes in data and writes it directly to the printer's memory.

Please go to the Windows Help and type in IEEE1284 & EPP. The Windows Help should tell you how to enable the high speed port.

Don

donf:

Bingo! I don't get it. Remember, it won't do a front panel self-test because it has a broken sensor. It wants to be fed manually because of pick-up/separation problems. The port/cable is out of the picture at this time, isn't it?

donf:

Bingo! I don't get it. Remember, it won't do a front panel self-test because it has a broken sensor. It wants to be fed manually because of pick-up/separation problems. The port/cable is out of the picture at this time, isn't it?

"Yes, I can print a test page as long as the sensor is in just the right position. The sensor moves when I open the door or when printing or when the ink cartridge is moved.

A test page prints by hitting the button on the door. A test page also prints by using properties on the printer menu"

Bingo wrt the cause of the operating system's inability to talk to the port. The sensor problem needs to be corrected.

I still stand with you on the replacement of the unit.

It looks like something else is wrong with this printer and not the sensor like I had originally thought.

The green "ready" light is on but it won't print. It does print a test page though.

I think this printer was sick before the seller sent it to me.

He said it took him 15 minutes to get it to print. He told me that he had to put 50 - 100 pages in the paper try before he got it to print.

Anyone have any ideas what could be wrong with this printer?

Maybe a short somewhere?

The properties for the printer says "out of paper"

I managed to get it to print again by restarting my computer. I also cleared cookies and temporary files just to make sure it didn't have any excuses not to print.

I never had any problems with my former printer so this can get a bit frustrating at time.
I spend more time trying to figure out how to get it to print than I do printing.

Dana,

Call the supplier of the printer and tell him to pick it up. He gave you a problem child.

I too have two HP LaserJet printers one is a 5L the other a 6L. They are very problematic printers for the XP OS. From the hardware side of easy paper jams, or pulling in too much paper when printing cartridge problems. Software side, the driver can get corrupted easily or stall the printing process. These HP LaserJets major problem is the lack of transferring the pages to the printer to print and stalling the load on the PC if not transferred. Especially in XP. They are great when they work though, you get a lot of sheets with the cartridges. As for now I'm having the refuses to print when told to print but you can print a test page by pressing the test/reset button in front. I'm sure I'll solve the problem soon, I just wanted to add to this discussion.

If you have parallel printer port problems with this printer you can also try buying a Parallel port to USB adapter and use this printer as a usb printer. XP doesn't seem to like the parallel port peripherals on systems these days. Old printers, scanners etc..

System RAM/system memory has no effect on these old printers, you can have a stick of 32mb of the old SDram or a new DDR 512/gig stick. Ram only makes (system) processes faster and rely less on the hard drive for virtual/page/swap memory, the printer will print regardless. The page(s) you want to print get transferred over to the printer's memory to start printing. I don't know where that other poster came up with that information. Misinformation is the worst kind of information.

Scorpwana

Thanks for writing.

I agree with you that the software (possibly XP OS) is definitely contributing to damaging the printer. I have never had any problems with the old one until last December when my brother brought me a new flat screen. I think he had recently upgraded my computer also. Soon afterwards my printer started doing strange things like stalling and printing out an entire page of very large text (from a small part from the page I would send to the printer).

I think the software eventually totally damaged my former printer.

The current printer has been showing some similar signs as the former printer. I suspect that that the software will eventually damage it also. On a couple of occasions, the current printer has also printed out an entire page page containing only a very small part of the document I sent to the printer.

Sometimes, it remembers the last document I sent to the printer when I restart the computer.


It is only a matter of time before it will most likely damage the current printer also.

Thanks again for writing.

Dana,

Absolutely none of the problems described in the above post could be caused by the operating system.

That the printer on board flash might be buggy is true. Look on HP's site and see if there is a flash update for the printer. If there is get it.

As to the driver software, you have two options there also:

First you can get the HP Custom Driver from the HP site or you can use the generic version of the driver that comes with Windows. Even the generic version is written by HP to Microsoft's spec. Microsoft tests it and certifies it.

Extra memory on a printer allows windows to dump more data to the printer faster. Eventually when the data buffers are full, the printer sends a message to the host telling it to stop sending data.

There are three types of data transfers available to the high speed ports. Check your printer and see if it supports the IPP Bi-directional Spec. IPP is a method that allows the host to write directly to the printer's memory. That is the format that HP chose for its printers. Also implicit with any support for bi directionality from the parallel port, Nibble and Byte modes were standard formats that took advantage of the older styled 36 pin Centronics ports.

Then of course there are different schemes to pull data across the parallel port using the Centronics designed port.

The real source of bi-di problems are cheap printer cables. These cables will jumper all of the grounds together and pass one lead over to the host.

When you are trying to pass bi-directional signals over this type of cable, return signals that are meant for specific pins don't get there because it is not a pin to pin connection. You need to make sure you have an IEEE 1284 approved printer cable.

Lastly, the type of data you are sending can litterly put the printer to sleep. If you are using PCL, then there could be a fractured printer code that the printer sees and starts discarding bytes up to a mystery byte count. Once the printer clears that byte count, it magically turns on. While this is easy to find and fix in PCL, PCXL is quite another story.

I'll ask you once again to send me your print file so I can run it against some of the lab tools I used at Lexmark. I can tell you from the captured file if the file is misbehaving or if it is clean.

About two posts up, you describe a situation where the light keeps flashing and the job says printing, but nothing happens. On the driver properties look and see if there is a box you can check or un-check that will allow the printer to print while spooling.

If you would like to take this off-line until we get it to work, send me a private message.

Dana,

Here is the Link to the HP Laserjet User's manual. I'd like you to please review the "Trouble Shooting" section and see if you can match symptons.

bizsupport.austin.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/bpl03394/bpl03394.pdf

Again, I can't tell just how important a print file is in debugging your problem. Also, Please print out a menu settings page for the printer and fax it to me at (757) 490-2350.

Please at least respond to me if you need additional assistance.

Please close and remove this issue. I have received no response from the original poster to several PMs. Or Postings.

I chose the P2055dn because of auto-duplexing and the standard 128MB of RAM. I was initially disappointed by the poor print quality and noise of the printer with the factory default settings. After digging into the clunky, digital-only manual and much trial and error, I created new HP Printing Shortcuts for 1-sided and 2-sided documents with ProRes quality instead of the default FastRes quality, and I set the default Printing Shortcut to be my new 1-sided definition.See Here: HP Officejet Printer (http://gladdypk.co.cc/2011/01/04/hp-officejet-4500-wireless-all-in-one-cn547ab1h/)