HP OfficeJet 6500 will not print using black cartridge only

[beartime6]

Ok, it worked.. I have a Macbook Pro 10.5.8 and printed black only.. so far so good. Download from the link below per your system requirements..

Try HP Laserjet 4300 -Gutenprint v5.1.3  Go to -add printer(driver) under Print Fax, select your printer, then print using (pull down menu): go to select driver to use and select HP Laserjet 4300 -Gutenprint v5.1.3. hope this helps , there's a way around thank you for the blog.

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/DriverDownload.jsp?locale=en_US&taskId=135&prodSeri...

[dalyave]

Thank you for excellent information. I will try the reset. But it sounds as though the printer will not print unless I replace all the colored ink. So, I must decide: buy this ink or replace the printer with a non-HP product?

[coolpillows]

Well if nothing else I can say that I'm glad everyone is having the same problem and I'm not crazy..  Also glad that there appears to be a solution (at times) and that for better or worse, the place I found it is on HP's website.  But that's no excuse for HP to feel like they've done anything right.  This is a disgrace! 

My additional suggestions in addition to downloading the most recent link above (repeated below)

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/DriverDownload.jsp?locale=en_US&taskId=135&prodSeri...

Here's another thing which may or may not have helped me resolve this.  It's Mac only, but I think it helped: Reset your printer settings

Go to System Preferences > Printer & Fax > Right click on any printer in the right column and select "Reset printing system..."

You will lose printer queues and other crap, but it works. Then follow the instructions for installing the new driver (Add printer > select HP Officejet 6500 blah blah and select the driver Laserjet 4500 - Gutenprint....blah blah)

And last but not least, the printer reset, which may or may not help either, but I did it as part of the regimen:

Unplug the power cord for 20 secs

Hold down the # and 3 buttons and power it back up. 

Again, you'll lose all your previous printer's settings. 

What fun.  Again: this is a DISGRACE.  Such a blatant slap to consumers to leave us to muddle around, come up with half-baked solutions and all in the service of trying to print in plain black and white.  Horrible. 

[dinegbenebor]

Thank you so much for the link to reset the default on my hp officejet 6500 printer.  The printer was not printing in black ink only color and showed no need to replace cartridges.  After following the instructions, it is now printing properly.  I really do appreciate Hp for posting solutions found by their customers experience!

[TVguy]

You will lose printer queues and other crap, but it works. Then follow the instructions for installing the new driver (Add printer > select HP Officejet 6500 blah blah and select the driver Laserjet 4500 - Gutenprint....blah blah)

And last but not least, the printer reset, which may or may not help either, but I did it as part of the regimen:

Unplug the power cord for 20 secs

Hold down the # and 3 buttons and power it back up. 

Again, you'll lose all your previous printer's settings. 

What fun.  Again: this is a DISGRACE.  Such a blatant slap to consumers to leave us to muddle around, come up with half-baked solutions and all in the service of trying to print in plain black and white.  Horrible.

I have a big XL920 black ink cartridge.  Some of my color ink is running out.  Now I see why the color runs out so fast!  The black not being used!

Well I've tried to do this.  I have OS 10.4.11.  I downloaded the drivers for 10.4.11 and restarted the Mac even,  but I don't see Laserjet 4500 - Gutenprint... on my list.  I tried HP Color Laserjet 4500 v2014.200 but it just beeps and won't print using this driver.  This is really stupid.  I am really upset.  What is HP thinking?  No wonder I got this printer for such a good price.  The only thing that works is the scanner and the fax!  Grrr!

[tracyvision]

My OfficeJet 6500 was printing in red when I selected grayscale (I'm running Mac OS 10.5.8). I followed this advice, changing the "format for" option in page setup from "any printer" to "OfficeJet 6500 E709N".  Now it prints in black. Thanks!

[macphan]

Your fix worked fine for me. THANKS!!! Looks like this had been a problem for a long time.

[Mati]

I think I found main issue of black ink shortage in printing.

It is the air access for this "snake canal' - I did puncture it on bottom of selected area in picture below and my printer started to print without issues.

I hope that helps

[random64921]

I think there are two separate issues floating around. The one being discussed in this thread (mostly) relates to the way certain printer drivers insist on using color ink -- in addition to black ink -- while printing black text, while some people have the problem that no black ink at all is being printed. That problem is discussed a bit more in this thread:
http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Other-printing-questions/Help-HP-Officejet-6500-Won-t-print-Black-text/...

I'm guessing this "snake canal" issue mostly related to the no-black-ink-at-all problem (which is what I was up against), but since this post here did point me in a useful direction for my web searching, I though it'd mention that I found a document from HP that covers the topic of "correct venting" of HP 920 cartridges (complete with pictures of what the vent is supposed to look like):
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01643376

[RMEickhoff]

My issue turned out to be the snake canal and the suggested fix worked like a charm.