Photostat 8250 won't print in black if a color ink cartridge is empty.

[Bob_Headrick]

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rg811 wrote:

I have a different model but the same problem.Another thing I find fascinating is that I am somehow able to use color ink even when setting the printer to use black ink only. I am aware that gray scale uses multi color inks.But I purposely set the printer to use BLACK INK ONLY( under  print "features") and yet somehow low and behold I just ran out of magenta???  [snip]

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Printers with separate ink supplies and permanent or semi-permanent printheads require ink to service the printheads to keep them from being clogged.  This is the case for HP and every other inkjet manufacturer.  See here for information on how ink is used.

[Ray75]

Printer won't print unless both black and colour cartridges installed

[bone2424]

WORST PRODUCT EVER....I have the 8500 and had the 8250 one and had to return it twice. Jammed all of the time and said it was out of paper when it wasn't. This one kind of does the same in regards to "out of paper" or "paper jam" for no apparant reason. It is constantly "checking for devices" and takes forever to print mulitple pages because something always goes wrong and there is no good reason. And if the **bleep** thing dings one more time saying "replace blah blah blah" I will throw it out the window. Every time I use it I feel that way. Stupidest product EVER to not allow you to print just black ink. You spend enough money on the printer and cartridges for a product that gives horrible service in return. I will NEVER buy from HP again unless they listen and solve these issues. I am a small business owner, and when I spend 4 hours on printing issues just to print 2 pages for work, it is horrible and frustrating...not acceptable from such a reputable company!

[pigbitinmad]

I am so angry right now.  That is why I am taking the time to inform everyone that this printer {Content Removed}

It ran out of ink after like 10 friggin pages and when I FINALLY GOT AROUND TO REPLACING THE INK THE STUPID THING IS NOW RUINED!!!!!!!!  How can that be when it wouldn;t even work when just one stupid color ink was empty.  How could I have ruined the print head.  I used this thing a total of six months and hardly printed anything before it is ruined.  NOW I HAVE TO THROW IT OUT.  THIS AFTER I SPENT LIKE $60 ON TONER CARTRIDGES THAT ARE NOW USELESS.

{Content Removed}

[wizwych]

Im also having the same issues as everyone else 5 colour slots and a massive black cartridge that becomes useless if any of the others are empty and as with everyone else i just use mine for text documents my ink slots are nt empty but one has expired and i havent even used that colour yet. Rendering the Printer useless. So now i have to go and buy an ink cartridge that hasnt expired when my other is already full.

[sarahruthven]

It's disappointing to spend money on a printer expecting it to serve all of my printing needs only to realize that it is barely functional.  After the first 10 pages of poor quality printouts it stopped working completely. I stupidly spent more money on 5 cartridges at the advice of HP customer support. I got another couple pages (test pages) and a few months later I can't even print a two page text document because my magenta is out. 

At this point I've learned my lesson.  I wouldn't be so upset if HP made any attempts to rectify the many issues with this product that didn't involve selling more overpriced ink cartridges or another printer.  If there is no possible work-around, there should be a recall because this product is terrible.  If HP reps are going to reply to these posts, they could at least be a little apologetic. Its called customer service.  I'm done with HP for good.  Gotta go, I'm off to Kinkos.

[jmilman]

you are a hero: i just removed the empty color print cartridge and threw it away. my deskjet started up to print in b&w like a champ. but i will never ever buy another hp product for the rest of my life. they are bums to require this and then never tell you how to fix it.

[Bob_Headrick]

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jmilman wrote:
you are a hero: i just removed the empty color print cartridge and threw it away. my deskjet started up to print in b&w like a champ. but i will never ever buy another hp product for the rest of my life. they are bums to require this and then never tell you how to fix it.

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It is not clear who you are addressing or what printer model you have.  Most recent Deskjet models (the units that are not all-in-ones) with a black and a color cartridge will happily print with an empty cartridge or one cartridge removed.  This is likely documented in your user documentation as "ink backup mode" or "reserve mode".  What model do you have?  With the specific model I may be able to  give you a pointer to the appropriate documentation.

Printers with individual ink tanks and seperate printheads (from HP or any other manufacturer) should not be operated with empty cartrdiges to prevent damage the printheads.

[jmilman]

bob- thanks for your reply. my deskjet is f4180. i have faced this no color ink left problem for many years. i dont read instruction books. i expect on screen instructions. hp refused to answer several emails on the subject. so i bought a color cartridge years ago, never used it, and it finally dried up. never again, thanks to you. all the best, jeff

[Bob_Headrick]

For the F4100 series printers ink backup mode is described in page 67 of the manual here.