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The HP Community is where owners of HP products, like you, volunteer to help each other find solutions.
Archived This topic has been archived. Information and links in this thread may no longer be available or relevant. If you have a question create a new topic by clicking here and select the appropriate board.
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Does anyone have a youtube URL address for the young woman who explains how to override the problem in which the printer refuses to print in black ink only.   It has something to do with toothpicks. Thanks.

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I've had the same problem. If HP plans is to force consumption of ink, there is a easier fix that will get their attention. Don't buy HP ink.
I've ordered 3rd party replacement ink. If it works, I wont be buying HP ink anymore and I'll keep the printer that I like.
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I have uploaded a video on youtube on how to force your printer to print black ink only.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwV0XJKpP0s

 

It does require that the cartirdges be present (but should not require ink levels)

 

Hope this helps

 

Please let me know

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Add me to the list of people who think HP are extremely stupid and greedy to add this printing obstruction. Does anyone believe the fake story of this being for "printer functionality" reasons? It's just ridiculous. There have been color printers for 20 years working fine printing in black even when there is no color ink.

 

I would have expected this kind of greedy, dishonest behavior from a company like Apple, but not HP.

 

So here's another person who will not buy any HP products in the future, and also tell everyone else not to do so either!

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I too will be switching to a different brand of printers at the next opportunity.  HP's explanation for disabling black printing when a color cartridge is depleted is a design choice.  Seems to be driven by economic factors (increased profit) rather than technological necessity.  If this country had a meaningful antitrust policy, HP would be under investigation for anti-competitive behavior.

 

In my case, there was a design defect, not just customer abuse.  When the yellow cartridge ran out, I checked the supply levels. Both cyan and magenta reported 25% remaining.  When I replaced the yellow, the printer told me that cyan was also depleted, but magenta had 25% remaining.  When I replaced cyan, it told me that magenta was depleted.  So, 3 trips to the store and nearly $100 in cartridges.  Had I known from the start, I would have thrown the printer away and got one that actually worked.

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Have you looked at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwV0XJKpP0s to see how to disable printing in color

This way you only use color when needed and default is black and white

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Solution for Printing Black ink or all colors

1. Go to Setup

2. Scroll to Tools

3. Click on Clean Printhead

4. Follow screen messages

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Blondie 890, I am not sure how "following screen directions" will change whenther the Officejet Pro 8600 will block all print jobs, even black only, when a color cartridge "runs out"  of ink.  The screen directions are simply to print a test page after cleaning, which I did.  If one color cartridge is "out of ink", the printer will not print in black ink only.  (A setting in printer preferences, under the advanced tab, grayscale printing, black ink only on the pull-down menu.)

 

What action by me under print head cleaning will result in successful black ink only printing with an empty color cartridge?

 

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I'm having the similar issue.  Came to office tonight to print a B&W document for a morning meeting.  Got a message on the printer saying in effect that my "Yellow is depleted, press ok to print in B&W."  I thought I had a spare yellow so I started to change the cartridge.  Unfortunately, I did not.  When I went back to re-print (hopefully in B&W) with all my PC/Printer settings set to "Black Ink Only" - I get the error that I must change the Yellow before I can print again.

 

Very pissed.

 

1.  If I can't print without changing the Yellow then why did I get the option in the first place? (only to lose the option if I try to change the cartridge);

 

AND

 

2.  The User Guide that was installed with the printer management software that came with the printer says:

 

Print with one or more depleted cartridges

The printer can operate with one or more depleted cartridges. However, printing with depleted cartridges slows the printer and affects the quality of printed documents. If the black cartridge is depleted, blacks are not as dark. If a color cartridge is depleted, output is in grayscale. When possible, replace the depleted cartridge.  (my emphasis added).

 

So the printer says I can.  The User Guide says I can.  But reality and HP support says I can't.

 

Nice one HP.  Not you guys give a crap about my opinion, but when I head out to the office supply store tomorrow, it won't be for ink......

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