HP Office Jet 6978 will not print with black even with new black cartridge

[Nanof12]

I have a HP Office Jet Pro 6978 that I had not used in some time.  I attempted to print and it would not print black.  I did maintenance countless times to no avail.  Assumed the black print head was blocked so did the maintenance on them numerous times.  I then purchased a new black cartridge and inserting it did not solve the problem.  I am at a loss and really hate to trash the printer if there is any hope for it.  I would appreciate any and all suggestions.

[A_Gayathri]

Hi @Nanof12,

Welcome to The HP Support Community.  

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

I understand you've tried several troubleshooting steps already, but there are a few more things you could try before giving up on the printer:
 

• Clean the Printhead Manually: Sometimes, the automatic printhead cleaning process might not be sufficient. You can try manually cleaning the printhead. HP usually provides instructions on how to do this in the printer's manual or on their website. It typically involves using a lint-free cloth or cotton swab dampened with distilled water to gently clean the printhead.
• Check Ink Levels: Ensure that the new black cartridge is properly installed and has sufficient ink. Sometimes, a cartridge might be faulty or not seated correctly, so reseating it could help.
• Run Print Quality Diagnostic Tests: Most printers, including HP models, have built-in diagnostic tests or tools to check print quality and alignment. Running these tests might provide more information about what's causing the issue.
• Update Printer Firmware and Drivers: Ensure that your printer's firmware and drivers are up-to-date. Sometimes, compatibility issues or bugs in the firmware can cause printing problems. You can usually update these through the printer's settings menu or by visiting HP's website. Update the firmware on an HP printer
   

Refer to this document: HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 All-in-One Printer  User manual

HP OfficeJet 6900, 8010, 8020, 8030 printers - No black ink, wrong colors, other print quality issue...

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day.

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