HP Officejet Pro 8600 - Now won't print in Black Ink Only!

[Michael--D]

As a past HP service technician I am ashamed to encoutner this problem on an HP printer.  Up until this I was happy to recommend Hp printers, now .

Programming the printer to promote purchasing of HP inks is fine and to be expected.  Doing that in a way that directly inconveniences the user and obviously forces additional sales of cartridges is really bad business. 

- Advantage to HP: customer has to buy another cartridge earlier than they would otherwise.

- Disadvantage to HP: customer experiences being ripped off - which leads directly to a) loss of customer, and b) bad PR from customers reporting theirbad exerience to others .

I put a great review of this printer on our local consumer evaluation website (consumer.org.nz) - the one New Zealanders' check to see what's a good buy here in NZ.  I did that beacuse my initail expereicne of this printer really was great.

Sadly, I have had to replace my review with a far more cautionary one (I hate having to do that but I refuse to mislead fellow consumers)  😞

My training with HP emphasised how fixing the customer's problem was even more important than fixing the technical problem.  We were given the example of being sent to fix a printer for a customer who was desperate because the printer had broken down in the middle of an urgent print run.  If you can't fix the printer immediately, the trainer said, stop and see if the printout cna be diverted to another printer - if you can do that the customer will love you and it won't matter how long it takes to fix the broken printer.

Yet, here I am faced with the directly opposite approach: HP's overzealous (putting it politely) programming is stopping me from getting my printout.

[patkeeble]

just put new black ink in (in date) but it wont print out .

[patkeeble]

changed ink new ink in date why wont it work?

[bdonahue28]

I am facing this same issue. This printer sucks. Such a BS ploy from HP to require people to buy color ink even if they hardly use it. What a POS. I will NEVER buy HP again

[olilynton]

This is an easy issue for HP to correct by updating the firmware.

Why don't you write directly to the HP CEO and tell him what you think and demand he issue a new firmware that enables choosing  and using the blak cartridge only. The more of us that contact him on this issue the more chance HP will do something about it.

The UK CEO can be reached through https://h41268.www4.hp.com/live/index.aspx?qid=12350

Write to him and let him know HP customers are turning away referencing this blog.

Power is in numbers 🙂

[ddm1960]

Just ran into this BS problem tonight while preparing for the day tomorrow.  I am a long time HP printer user and have several machines.  I can't print documents tonight because I am out of yellow ink even though I have 2 full black cartridges.  I will throw away this machine in the morning cartridges and all and never purchase another HP machine.

[olilynton]

We are all pissed about this. Tell HP directly what you think and maybe we can push for the firmware to be rewritten to enable black cartridge only printing. Write to the an HP CEO via

https://h41268.www4.hp.com/live/index.aspx?qid=12350

[ddm1960]

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@ddm1960 wrote:

Just ran into this BS problem tonight while preparing for the day tomorrow.  I am a long time HP printer user and have several machines.  I can't print documents tonight because I am out of yellow ink even though I have 2 full black cartridges.  I will throw away this machine in the morning cartridges and all and never purchase another HP machine.

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So .  final comment.  Went to fedex today to print copies instead of buying ink cartridge.  Trashed my 8600.  Was printing applications for a hiring event for a new business I am opening.  Timing is everything, my manager needs to buy a printer tomorrow.  He is buying a Brother with powdered ink cartridge instead of our stand HP.  Have 6 openings scheduled in next 18 months, non will have HP printers.  I appreciate the thought that I should send feedback to HP executive team but quite frankly this thread is a year and a half old and nine pages long, pretty much indicates HP level of interest in their customer.  Congratulations HP your interest in me and my interest in you are now exactly equal.

[UNC666]

You GREEDY HP .. Who gave you rights to rip off people by forcing them to buy YELLOW ink to Print Black.. When i change Yellow it says replace depleted Blue cartrage.. What in HELL you guys think you doing????

Im going to lodge formal complaint to Consumer FORUM to make sure you guys are investigated by Govt.

I cant believe MEG WHITMAN can be this bad and GREEDY.. You guys wont suceed by robing people's money like this.

[Rainbow7000]

Hello there @UNC666 ,

I just sent you a private message. If you are not sure how to check your forum messages this post, has instructions.


Thank you,