Black not aligned with grey and the other colours

[ColinDan]

Hi

I have a Photosmart C4780 and have just installed a new HP300 toner cartridge – the installation of which may account for the issue I am flagging for help.

I can’t recall seeing this issues before, but it could just be a coincidence – as it depends on what I am trying to print - and the device in question is not heavily used. 

As you can see from the photos below the pure black on the formal test print is about 0.5mm above both grey and the other colours. (Note the 3 grey scale columns, top right hand corner, and central square in particular. Also the wording at the top has a shadow below )

Vertical alignment appears fine.

If it is relevant I also attach a photo of the alignment sheet – as I am not sure things align properly on there either –  but I am not familiar enough to comment.

I have cleaned the heads and realigned the device with no error messages,  but, none the less, the issue remains when printing documents with anything other than pure black ( and/or perhaps colour prints containing no pure black content )

May I ask for your observations and assistance

Kind regards

Colin

[Repairatrooper]

Your alignment is way out as evidenced by the shift between the pure black and the gray bars which are composite color (printed from all 3 colors not from black ink). I would suggest a factory reset and then run 3 full calibrations or printhead alignments.

[ColinDan]

hi

thanks for you prompt reply, information, and help.

Through the front screen ( using the Bottom Left button 4 times) I have performed what it calls a "semi-full reset", plus a little later a "partial reset" - and run realignment several times to no avail. . I am not sure whether that counted as a "factory reset" as per your kind reply. As it happens, and if it is of any help I also ( accidentally)  printed the status report  - the only thing which to me seems perhaps relevant is the firmware Version as being "SPM1FN0922AR", then "FW patch Version 0"

Do you have any further thoughts ?

cheers

Colin

[ColinDan]

Hi - has anyone had any further thoughts on this. I have researched the HP site extensively - and found several people with the same problem.

Most have been told to uninstall then reinstall various drivers, and software -  but my understanding from their responses is that this was without success. From my perspective I went thought the same processes - and again found no improvement.

I did come across a solution below - which I am given to understand worked - though I fail to see how or why,

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Printing-Errors-or-Lights-Stuck-Print-Jobs/New-901XL-prints-black-writ...

I am up to give this a try - but don't have an old cartridge that works so would have to purchase one.

Can anyone provide a view on whether this is a route to go along - or whether there is another option

Its really odd that the printer itself says it is aligned and optimised etc - which clearly it isn't . It  used to be - but am not aware when it deteriorated, since the problem only manifests itself in certain documents.

I thought initially it related to the installation of  new black genuine HP toner, but am now not at all clear when things started to go wrong

Ideas or help anyone ???

cheers

Colin

[sattar1]

I have almost same problem with blue and black even with new cartridges. If I remove color cartridge, no problem printing BW. but with color cartridge installed, it shadows blue with black.