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‎09-22-2014 08:24 AM

HP Recommended

I have the same problem.  From day 1.  Brand new HP 2540 a couple months ago so there should not be any "dirty" sensors.  Did the whole alignment thing and everything else you are suppose to do.  I am now to the point where I have to make sure I don't leave any paper in the printer so it can give me the error message and I can cancel it.  It was burning through a LOT of ink, color as well as black and white.  I am unemployed so I can not affort the expensive cartridges.  I don't print much BECAUSE I am unemployed.  Just resumes and information I need in hard copy for jobs, so buring through these cartridges because of the test page is unexceptable.

 

When I first bought the unit the cable was missing.  The tech support person was very nice and arranged to have one sent to me.  Since I am looking for a job, I have to be frugle and I have the least expensive internet which is too slow for the printer to recognise.  The cable they sent me from California was the shortest USB cable I have ever seen.  It wasn't long enough to connect my printer to the computer without removing the printer from it's shelf.  My home is small, so no there is no other configuration that works for my computer and printer.  It isn't very easy to manipulate paper in the printer due to the location either, so this is another reason having to continnualy remove and reload the paper beause of the continual alignment test page printing is a problem.  A friend had an extra cable and was kind enough to loan it to me until I am employed and can buy my own.

 

I will NOT buy another HP printer again.

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‎09-22-2014 09:37 AM

HP Recommended
@CJNCJN wrote:

I have the same problem.  From day 1.  Brand new HP 2540 a couple months ago so there should not be any "dirty" sensors.  Did the whole alignment thing and everything else you are suppose to do.  I am now to the point where I have to make sure I don't leave any paper in the printer so it can give me the error message and I can cancel it.  [snip]

 

I will NOT buy another HP printer again.

The alignment must be completed or the page will be printed at every power on.  Once the alignment is completed successfully the page will not print again until you change a cartridge. 

 

As for the USB cable, USB cables are generally not included with printers from any manufacturer. I buy mine at the Dollar store for $1, they are standard commodity items.

 

The following described how to complete the alignment process:

 

  1. Wait about 30 seconds for the alignment page to automatically print.
    The alignment page prints automatically after 30 seconds
    Image: The alignment page prints automatically after 30 seconds
     

 

Step three: Align the cartridges
 

 

  1. Lift the scanner lid.
  2. Place the alignment page with the print side down on the right-front corner of the scanner glass. See the engraved guide next to the scanner glass for help loading the alignment page.
    Place the alignment page on the scanner glass
    Image: Place the alignment page on the scanner glass
  3. Close the scanner lid.
  4. Press the Start Copy Black button () or the Start Copy Color button () on the front panel of the printer. The printer aligns the cartridges.

 


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.


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‎09-22-2014 12:24 PM

HP Recommended

I followed your instructions to the letter but all it does when I hit the black copy button is print another alignment page.

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‎09-22-2014 01:07 PM

HP Recommended

I resolved the problem. For the first time in my life I didn't buy an HP printer. I bought a Canon. Allignment page? Garbage. It's all about selling more ink. Well you shot yourself in the foot.  Oh and thanks for sending all those forum questions to me that I had to sift through to find MY QUESTION. 

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‎09-22-2014 02:58 PM

HP Recommended
@mb20 wrote:

I followed your instructions to the letter but all it does when I hit the black copy button is print another alignment page.

The directions I gave weere to a different user, likely with a different printer.  What is your printer model?  


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.


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‎09-22-2014 03:08 PM

HP Recommended
@WCMencken wrote:

I resolved the problem. For the first time in my life I didn't buy an HP printer. I bought a Canon. Allignment page? Garbage. It's all about selling more ink. Well you shot yourself in the foot.  Oh and thanks for sending all those forum questions to me that I had to sift through to find MY QUESTION. 

The alignment page has nothing to do with selling ink - it is designed to improve the print quality by setting the proper black to color alignment, and depending on the model setting the proper operating energy and temperature for the cartridges.  Skipping the alignment process is as likely to use more ink as it is to use less....

 

As to getting forum questions sent to you, you are generally subscribed to responses in any thread you post in.  You can manage your subscriptions by clicking on your username after loggin in to the forum, then click "My Account" in the upper right.  From here you can change your subscription preferences.

 

 


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.


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‎09-22-2014 06:42 PM

HP Recommended

As I wrote in my initial posting, I did the whole alignment thing,...everything you described....a couple times,...still repringing the test paper every time it switches on.  The need to run through the whole process has been stated numberous times throughout this thread.  Removing all paper from the feed is the only way I can stop wasting so much paper and ink.

 

You know, back when printers weren't so "smart" I never had a problem with alighnment and I certainly did not waste all this ink. 

 

Not sure where you are getting USB cables for a dollar, can't get them for a dollar where I live.  Heck you can't even buy a bottle of water for a dollar anymore.

 

Thanks anyhow.  It's nice of you to volunteer to try and help us.

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‎09-22-2014 06:51 PM

HP Recommended

The alignment page has nothing to do with selling ink - it is designed to improve the print quality by setting the proper black to color alignment, and depending on the model setting the proper operating energy and temperature for the cartridges.  

Actually, I believe that was sarcasm...  However to that end, any function that wastes ink the way this alignment malfunction does will be directly correlated to the need to "buy more ink".  So even though he's being sarcastic, the end result is the same,...need more ink.  Based on my line of work I can tell you that it would not be benieth marketing to support such a thing. In fact, it wouldn't be very far fetched at all.

 

Also, the tech support guy I talked to when I purchased the unit and found that there was no UBS cable told me that there was suppose to have been one with my model.  He surmised that I had one which had been returned  or previously opened and the cable had been ermoved.

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‎09-22-2014 08:32 PM

HP Recommended
@CJNCJN wrote:

As I wrote in my initial posting, I did the whole alignment thing,...everything you described....a couple times,...still repringing the test paper every time it switches on.  [snip]

This does bring up another possibility  - are you using an external switch to turn off power to the printer?  The printer should always be plugged into a live (powered) outlet.  If you use an outlet switch or similar to turn off the power to the printer it is possible the printer will "forget" about the alignment.  I do know that turning off the printer from an external switch will use more ink, as the printer loses track of how long it has been since the last print job.  This will cause a more extensive servicing routine to be run.


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.


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‎09-22-2014 09:09 PM

HP Recommended

Ahhhhh, now I think you have something.  As a matter of fact yes.  I have a switch on the wall that cuts off power to my computer, the printer and a table lamp.  I can't reach the outlet and I don't want the computer adapter on the power cord to draw power when not in use.  Same for the printer.  However, if this is the case, it reenforces my decision not to buy another HP printer.  My old printer did not have this problem, so if I am forced to draw more power to avoid this waste of ink and paper, I will replace the printer with a different brand as soon as I am employed.  I am away on an interview now but will give the idea of leaving the switch on a try when I get back home.

 

Thanks I'll let you know if that worked.

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