Solved: HP Photosmart C6180 Magenta Inks Not Printing - HP Support Community

jonmehl · ‎05-27-2009

error message : None

problem description : Magenta inks are not printing EXCEPT on the page that prints after Print Cartridge Alignment is performed. At the bottom of that page, the Yellow, Cyan, and Magenta bars print perfectly, as does the color mix shown in the colorful bird printed below the bars.

The self Test Diagnostic Page prints with NO Light Magenta or Magenta bars under Print Quality Pattern. Ink status and level for both Magentas shows as OK and 100%

troubleshooting : I have run repeated Head Cleaning cycles and Print Cartridge Alignment cycles with no change in the output. The page that prints after cleaning has NO magenta bars or lines. The page that prints after Alignment looks fine. Via email suppoprt I was directed to perform a "semi-full reset" and a "NVM reset"--neither of these had any effect. The magenta inks were replaced, but the problem persists.

setting changes : The printer had not been used for several months.

jonmehl · ‎02-07-2010

My printer started working. It had been unplugged and sitting for several months. I turned it on to try the suggestions from HP (below) and found that it was working--I didn't have to do anything! Anyway, I hope this may help some of you with similar problems:

Hi,

Thank you for contacting HP Total Care.

I am Vivian from HP Total care for All-in-One products and this reply is in regards to the issue related to HP Photosmart C6180 All-in-One Printer.

From your mail I understand that you have a HP Photosmart C6180 All-in-One Printer. Presently you are experiencing an issue that the printer prints in magenta only on the alignment page, and not even on the test page.

I realize the importance of the issue and will give you appropriate information. I need your cooperation and appreciate your efforts in resolving the issue.

Firstly I would like to thank you for proving the link, I will take it as a feedback and forward it to the concerned department. However it is not a known issue, because in that case HP will take immediate action and make sure that the defective cartridges do not reach the market.

I request you to try the following troubleshooting steps. I assure you that these steps would resolve the issue.

I request you to check if you are facing the same issue with copy function also. If the printer copies fine in magenta color do not perform any of the given steps and please get back to us for further assistance. However if you are facing the same issue with copy as well please proceed with the steps provided.

Step One: Cleaning the copper contacts.

1)      Take a lint free cloth or a cotton ball, damp it with normal water.
2)      Clean the copper contacts on the cartridge thoroughly.
3)      You have the same type of copper contacts on the printer also, if you are able to reach them clean the copper contacts on the printer also.
4)      Reseat the cartridge back in their place.
5)      When the printer is ON, unplug the power cord from the printer.
6)      Press and hold the power button for about 30 seconds.
7)      Re plug the power cord back into the printer and switch ON the printer.

If the issue persists please proceed with the next step.

Step Two: Perform a power drain on the printer.

1)      Remove the power cord from the product
2)      Press and hold power button for about a minute (While the power cord is not connected to the printer).
3)      Release the button.
4)      Connect the power cord to the product
5)      Use the On button to turn on the product.

Connect the printer back to the computer and check; if the issue persists please proceed with the next step.

Step Three: Reset the printer back to factory defaults.

1)      Use the On button to turn on the product.
2)      Remove the power cord from the product
3)      Press and hold the # and 6 buttons.
4)      While holding the buttons down, connect the power cord to the product
5)      Continue to hold the buttons down for about 30 seconds.
6)      Use the On button to turn on the product.
7)      If these steps do not resolve the issue, it will be a hardware issue with the printer in that case I would suggest you to take the printer to the nearest Authorized Service provider for service.

Please follow these steps and get back to us with the results, if you need further assistance, please reply to this message and we will be happy to assist you further.

We look forward to hear from you.

For information on keeping your HP and Compaq products up and running, please visit our Web site at:

http://www.hp.com/go/totalcare

ALSO:

If the printer is making color copy and you are getting magenta color on the copy it is evident that the printer is working fine, it is a software issue. I request you to try the following steps according to your convenience and get back to us with the results.

Step One: Resetting the printing system

To use the Reset Printing System feature, follow these steps:

1. In the Finder, choose Utilities from the Go menu.
2. Open Printer Setup Utility.
3. From the Printer Setup Utility menu, choose Reset Printing System.
4. Click Reset.

Step Two: Verify/Repair Disk Permissions

Click on Go tab from the menu bar at the top.
Select Utilities tab.
Click on Disk utility.
Once the disk utility pops up, select the Hard Drive and click on Verify Permissions tab.

This may take some time to complete as the Mac will try to verify all the permissions for the hard drive.
Now click on Repair Disk Permission tab.

This may take some time to complete as the Mac will try to Repair all the permissions for the hard drive.
Once the Verify Disk Permission is complete, restart the Mac

Step Three: Add the printer again

1.      Click on the apple button on the left hand top.
2.      Click on system preferences, system preferences window will open.
3.      Click on printer and fax icon.
4.      Click on add symbol on the left hand bottom.
5.      You will see your Printer in the list, select it and click on the ADD button on the right hand side.

Please perform the following steps and get back to us with the results, for further assistance kindly revert back to us, we will be glad to help you.
For information on keeping your HP and Compaq products up and running, please visit our Web site
at:
http://www.hp.com/go/totalcare

View solution in original post

wesley0620 · ‎05-28-2009

I have the same problem. I've written to HP about this but did not get any reply.

TJ5309 · ‎05-29-2009

I have had the same problem with an HP 2800 inkjet. I have read that the printer reads the current date from the print job sent from your PC and compares it to the date encoded inside the ink cartridge. When the cartridge gets too old the printer stops it from printing. This is to prevent anyone from refilling their cartridges. I reset the date on my PC back a year, sent another print job which worked fine, reset the date back to the current date and now the cartridge works fine. For how long I don't know. All the cartridges in our printer are genuine HP, not refilled, they were just old.

jonmehl · ‎05-29-2009

Thanks for the post--that may come in handy some time. However, my magenta inks are newly installed, and they don't print even from an internal check (except after align) or copy--in other words, without any connection to a computer. Performing the resets I did should have cleared up any date issues, and in any case the ink levels and status are recognized as OK by the printer.

mssturgeon · ‎10-12-2009

I am having this exact same problem with the same printer (C6180). Alignment prints magenta. Nothing else does.

Can we get some support here HP?

davey_j · ‎11-02-2009

i'm having the almost the same problem with my C7280. Magenta will not print at all, even with an alignment. Light Magenta will print with an alignment, but nothing else. Light Magenta was replaced today, but Magenta is only a week or two old. I really don't want to take this in for a repair. I hope to see a response from HP soon.

Bob_Headrick · ‎11-02-2009

davey_j wrote: [snip]

I hope to see a response from HP soon.

mssturgeon wrote: [snip]

Can we get some support here HP?

Please be aware that this is a user to user support forum, it is not a direct link to HP Support personnel. If you need to contact HP Support please call or email as described here.

Bob Headrick, HP Expert
I am not an employee of HP, I am a volunteer posting here on my own time.
If your problem is solved please click the "Accept as Solution" button
If my answer was helpful please click "Yes" to the "Was this post helpful" question.

markjodi · ‎01-25-2010

Same problem - new cartridges as well BUT if I make a COPY, magenta works just fine and looks OK. Tried setting the date back on compuer as suggested but still not Magenta. Won't print magenta from memory card either - only works using "Copy".....

jonmehl · ‎01-25-2010

I just emailed HP again--I hope I get an answer other than "take it be repaired." I am very handy with printers and computers and can take them apart and put them back together--and have them work 😉

If they will just tell me what to do, I think I could manage.

I will post here again if I get an answer that works.

I'm hoping to have this solved before my 1 year anniversary here.

jonmehl · ‎01-25-2010

Any ideas to fix this? It's a whacko problem. It doesn't seem to be mechanical, because the printer CAN print magenta, but it won't print magenta. If its firmware, can this be updated? If it's a bad circuit board or chip, then we're all scr**ed. Thanks HP. I used and rebuilt/repaired Epson printers for 15 years--only ever had mechanical problems, not electronic.

HP Photosmart C6180 Magenta Inks Not Printing

Create an account on the HP Community to personalize your profile and ask a question