b&w printed text turns red-brown half-way down the page...

[DonC]

...when printing dense text (e.g., Excel spreadsheet pages) on a new Photosmart C4480 using OS 10.3.9 from my eMac. I can't find a "HP Printer Toolbox" (see previous post), or I might try cleaning the cartridge heads, something I've never had to do in my life.

[Comptronic]

Check out the link below.  Let me know if this works and was your problem.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01004653&tmp_task=solveCategory&lc=en&dlc=en&cc...

[DonC]

The paper type in the Excel print dialog was preset to photo paper (I didn't do it, I swear). Changing it to HP inkjet paper seems to have cured the problem, after brief experimentation. Changing color to "grayscale" ("b&w only" isn't one of my options) and quality to "best", other suggestions, don't seem to be necessary.

My other problem hasn't been replied to yet. I have no "HP Printer Toolbox" in my Utilities folder, my HP folder, or anywhere else the Finder can find it. I have tried loading the latest software from the HP website, but the Toolbox doesn't show up. Without it, I can find no simple way to check ink levels or get a procedure to clean cartridge heads. My OS (10.3.9) is old but is suppoed to be printer-compatible. Is there any way to get a pdf printout of the appropriate "Toolbox" files?

[Comptronic]

The Printer Toolbox can also be opened from the Print Properties dialog box. In the Print Properties dialog box, select Printing Preferences , click the Features tab, and then click Printer Services .

Did you try it this way?

[DonC]

I print most often from Office 2004. None of the Office 2004 print menus have any of the tabs you mention: "Print Properties", "Printing Prferences", "Features", "Printer Services" -- none are there by those names, altho most of the choices you mention can be found, if by other names. Are you looking at a Windows machine, by any chance? I'm running OS 10.3.9 on an eMac. My printer is a new Photosmart C4480. I'd appreciate some device-specific advice.

I do have one "HP Printer Toolbox" application on my hard drive. It's an old OS 9 program, and is (literally) empty -- it contains no printers.

Your help is appreciated.

[Comptronic]

I apologize.  You are correct.  I am looking at a Windows machine.  I'll look into the Mac version and get back to you. 

[Comptronic]

After surfing the net for a little while, I found several different things.

1. Are you using Adobe Flash Player at all?  If so, I heard that you should update to the latest version.  Believe it or not, it has something to do with your printer.
2. Do you still have the CD for the HP Solution Center?  Did you try to delete and uninstall everything and start fresh?
3. I found a link that has a list of Compatible Software and Drivers.

Hopefully one of these will work.

[DonC]

Double-checking the "Printing Preferences" (which strangely have no name on the Mac) before printing a file has to-date solved the major problem I was having with print quality. The biggest remaining problem is the lack of an HP Printer Toolbox.

The latest Adobe Flash Player (v.10) is incompatible with OS 10.3.9, so I don't have it,  just its predecessor. How could this be related to my lack of a Printer Toolbox? Does the Toolbox have to access the web every time it's used?

Th Software and Drivers set I downloaded before contacting you was found on the exact page you suggest -- the only Photosmart set listed for OS 10.3.9. I didn't uninstall the software/drivers that came with the printer first. IIRC this step wasn't recommended -- and remember, this is a Mac, not a PC.

I seem to be up against a compatibility problem. Could you plese check this out with a Mac person? I bought this printer model specifically because its literature said it was compatible with OS 10.3.9, and I can't upgrade the OS on my otherwise-perfect eMac because of its processor.

Best regards,

Don

[DonC]

My problem has just turned from irritating to serious. The paper preference on all of my Excel files has reverted to photo paper.  The inkjet paper option is grayed out. So I cannot print any Excel files without the original problem (red-brown printout) returning.

Please find a Mac expert that can tell me what is going on. The software that came with the printer is version 9.6. The program on the web, which I downloaded, is version 9.7.1, which should be better, right? But perhaps version 9.7.1 is "less compatible" with my OS, 10.3.9, than version 9.6.

I'm ready to "uninstall" all the HP software (there's a program for that, even tho Macs shouldn't need it) and reinstall. But which version should I install? I could really use some expert advice.

Don