HP color Laser Jet 3201 is useless

[Rokk12]

A few months ago I replaced my worn-out HP Color LaserJet 2600n with a 3201. BIG mistake. I 've had nothing but problems with it. The biggest hassle is it keeps coming up with an "out of paper" error when the paper tray has loads of paper, loaded correctly. It also keeps printing only some of the pages in a multi-page document when when you tell it to print all pages. And the queue keeps getting jammed. It took over an hour to print 4 2 page black and white pdfs. And it wasted 10 pages. I'm taking it back to Best Buy for a refund. I don't want a replacement, and won't trust HP again any time soon. I paid for an extended best Buy warranty so I sure hope they don't give me any hassle over the refund. But I don't want to see another HP printer. SO disappointed and frustrated.

[Max3Aj]

Hi @Rokk12, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

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

I'm sorry to hear you're having such a frustrating experience with your printer. Let's try to tackle these issues one by one.

1. "Out of Paper" Error

This error can be caused by several factors, even if the tray is loaded correctly:

• Check the Paper Condition: Ensure all the paper is of the same size and type, and not damaged or curled
• Clean the Rollers: Dust or debris on the rollers can prevent the printer from picking up paper
• Reset the Printer: Disconnect the power cord, wait for 30 seconds, and reconnect it

2. Not Printing All Pages

This issue might be due to outdated drivers or low ink levels:

• Update Printer Drivers: Ensure your printer drivers are up-to-date
• Check Ink Levels: Low ink can sometimes cause incomplete printing

3. Print Queue Getting Jammed

A jammed print queue can be resolved by clearing and restarting the print spooler:

• Clear and Restart the Print Spooler: Stop the Print Spooler service, delete the temporary files in the spool folder, and restart the service. 

Also, please check for firmware updates - Update the firmware on an HP printer | HP® Support
 

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Please click “Accepted 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! 

Max3Aj

HP Support 

[Rokk12]

I have the latest firmware and drivers installed, but HP does not recognize my printer. My roommate is a computer tech and we were unable to get the wireless option working, so we had to use a printer cable. When HP diagnostic software recognizes there is a printer at all, it gets a completely wrong printer as the only result. Not even remotely close.

The printer prints unrequested pages, multiple copies of some pages, and misses printing other pages. The loaded paper is pristine - no wrinkles or bent corners at all, no misaligned sheets. We have to pop out the tray and pop it back in with no changes to get anywhere at all. In an 8 page document where we want pages 2-7 printed with one copy of each we might get 3 of 4, 1 of 6 and 1 of 7. There's no rhyme or reason to it.

[Max3Aj]

Thank you for your response, @Rokk12. 
I truly understand how frustrating this must be, and I appreciate you giving HP another chance to resolve the issue. Since you've already installed the latest firmware and drivers, let’s focus on potential connectivity and hardware-related issues.

Incorrect Printer Recognition

• Ensure that the printer is not being detected as a generic device in Devices and Printers (Control Panel > Devices and Printers).
• If it appears incorrectly, remove all HP printer entries, restart your PC, and reinstall the printer software.
• Check if the printer is listed correctly in Device Manager under "Printers" or "Universal Serial Bus Controllers."

Unrequested Pages & Missing Prints

• If printing via USB, try using a different USB port and cable to rule out communication issues.
• If using a network connection, check for multiple instances of the printer in Devices and Printers. If found, remove all and reinstall the correct one.
• Reset the printer to factory defaults (Setup > Service > Restore Defaults).

Paper Feed Issues Despite Properly Loaded Paper

• Since popping the tray in and out temporarily helps, the printer may not be properly detecting the tray. Try removing the tray, ensuring there’s no dust or debris in the slot, and reloading the paper with minimal adjustments.
• If available, try using the manual feed tray instead to see if the issue persists.

I hope this helps!

If my response resolves your issue, please click “Accepted Solution” to help others find the answer. Also, don’t forget to click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up” button to say thanks!

Take care and have a great day.

Max3Aj

HP Support