Error Message

[hedgeboss]

Error has shutdown printer. 

"problem with printer or ink system"

Can't print tax return.

[atharva_gp · Accepted solution]

@hedgeboss,

Thanks for reaching out to the HP Support community!

Let's try these steps, this may fix the issue:

Step 1: Use genuine HP ink cartridges

Step 2: Reset the printer

• Turn the printer on, if it is not already on.

• Make sure this printer is plugged into a direct wall, not a surge protector.

• Wait until the printer is idle and silent before you continue.

• With the printer turned on, disconnect the power cord from the rear of the printer.

• Unplug the power cord from the wall outlet.

• Wait at least 60 seconds.

• Plug the power cord back into the wall outlet.

• Reconnect the power cord to the rear of the printer.

• Turn on the printer, if it does not automatically turn on.

• Wait until the printer is idle and silent before you proceed.

• If the error message persists, continue to the next step.

Step 3: Remove the ink cartridges

• Open cartridge access door. Wait until the printer is idle and silent before you continue.

          

• Push in on the front of one of the ink cartridges to release it, and then pull the ink cartridge toward you to remove it.

           

• Remove all the ink cartridges.
• Close the ink cartridge access door.
• Check the control panel display.
  • If the printer displays an Ink System Failure message on the control panel, skip to the step to Updating the printer firmware. ( Follow Step 5 from this link)
  • If the message has changed to Replace any of the Ink Cartridge, continue to the next step.

Step 4: Clean the ink cartridges, and then check the error message

• Gather the following materials: A clean, lint-free cloth or a clean, dry cotton swab, Distilled or bottled water

• Lightly dampen a clean, lint-free cloth with bottled or distilled water.

• Gently wipe the copper-colored contact on one of the ink cartridges.

       example of copper-colored contact

• Wipe the contact with a dry, lint-free cloth. Repeat these steps for the three remaining ink cartridges.

• Carefully reinsert each of the ink cartridges into its slot, and then push the ink cartridge down and forward until it clicks into place.

          

• Make sure each colored dot on the ink cartridge label matches the colored dot on the print carriage.

             

• Close the ink cartridge access door.

• If there is no error message, try printing or making a copy.

• If the message is to Replace the ink cartridges, clean the copper-colored contact again, and then reinsert the ink cartridge(s).

• If the Ink System Failure message persists, continue to the next step.

Step 5: Firmware Update

• Follow Step 5 from this link to update the printer firmware.

• If the error message persists after updating the firmware, continue to the next step.

Step 6: Clean the printhead with an automated tool

• Load unused, plain white paper into the input tray.

• On the printer control panel, touch the Right Arrow () to display additional options.

• Touch Setup (), touch Tools and then touch Clean Printhead.

• Wait until the printhead cleaning sequence completes and the report prints.

• perform up to 3 cycles of cleaning the printhead(if the issue persists).

• If the error message persists, continue to the next step.

Step 7: Remove the printhead

• Turn on the printer
• Place your fingers into the slot on the left side of the printer, and then pull to open the cartridge access door. Allow the carriage to move to the cartridge access area, and the carriage stops moving.

         

• Disconnect the power cord from the rear of the printer. Unplugging the printer prevents the carriage from moving.
• Lift the carriage latch.

               

• Grasp the sides of the printhead, gently lift and remove the printhead from the carriage.

               

• Keep the Printhead upside down on a clean sheet of paper

                

Step 8: Inspect the carriage path

            

• Use a flashlight to check and remove torn pieces of paper that might remain inside the printer. If any torn pieces of paper remain inside the printer, errors are likely to occur.

Step 9: Reinsert the printhead

• Grasp the sides of the printhead and turn it right side up with the nozzles facing down and the electrical contacts facing away from you.
• On the front of the printer, insert the printhead into the carriage, ensuring that the electrical contacts face the inside of the printer. As you guide the printhead into the carriage, it lowers into the carriage as it seats.
• Gently rock the printhead to the left and right to make sure that the printhead fully seats in the carriage.
• Carefully lower the carriage latch to secure the printhead.

               

• Close the cartridge access door.
• Reconnect the power cord to the rear of the printer.
• If the printer does not turn on by itself, press the Power button to turn it on.

Step 10: Re-seat the printhead up to three times

• Sometimes error messages persist after inserting the printhead. To clear any error messages, re-seat the printhead up to three times.

Try these steps and let me know what happens.

Please click “Accept as Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution.

Click the “Kudos, Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping.

[hedgeboss]

Step One: Use HP Ink was the solution.

My son borrowed the printer to solve an emergency with his HP. He put in Palmtree (from Amazon) ink he had purchased for $14 (all three colors and a XL black). I did not know, or notice any differene in print  quality after he returned it.

When the Palmtree yellow cartridge depleted, the printer locked into the error I posted and HP Print Doctor could not even recognize the printer to do error analysis. Thus the desperate post on this site.

The solution was to replace the empty yellow ink cartridge.  Boom. Printer back to life. Walmart was out of the HP yellow  $33 (again). So i ordered Palmtree from Amazon, overnight delivery free, $14 for a complete set of cartridges.

Thanks for your help. Looks like the problem was really the printer's inability to simply tell me "you are out of yellow ink". Too bad. Much drama and time lost for no reason. Printer flaw.

[atharva_gp]

@hedgeboss,

Glad that the issue has been fixed.

Please feel free to reach us back if you need any further assistance.

Cheers!