Gibberish from Excel and Word

[StrawAlbus]

Printer has been working fine for years.  This morning, trying to print from excel, I am getting one line of gibberish / random characters.  Checked for firmware updates.  Restarted printer and computer.  Test page prints blank sheets (multiple).  Tried Word. Getting same random characters.  Any ideas?

[YourITBuddy]

It sounds frustrating that your HP OfficeJet Pro 8035e is suddenly acting up after working fine for years! The gibberish print and blank test pages point to a communication or driver issue, or possibly a problem with the printer itself.

Here are some ideas to troubleshoot the problem:

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Software and Driver Related Solutions

• Run the HP Print and Scan Doctor: HP provides a tool called the HP Print and Scan Doctor specifically for diagnosing and resolving printer issues.1 Download and run it from the HP support website. It can often automatically identify and fix problems.
• Check for Windows Updates & Driver Issues:
  • Sometimes Windows updates can affect printer drivers.2 One of the search results mentioned a specific Windows 11 update (KB5050092) causing gibberish printing with USB printers.3 Check if this or a similar recent update was installed and if Microsoft has released a fix or workaround.
  • Reinstall Printer Drivers: A corrupt or incorrect printer driver is a common cause of gibberish printing.4
    1. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
    2. Select your HP OfficeJet Pro 8035e and click "Remove device".
    3. Restart your computer.
    4. Go back to Printers & scanners and click "Add device". Let Windows try to find and install the printer.
    5. If that doesn't work, download the latest Windows 11 drivers specifically for your HP OfficeJet Pro 8035e from the official HP support website and install them.
• Clear the Print Queue: A stuck or corrupt print job can cause issues.5
  1. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
  2. Select your printer and click "Open print queue".
  3. In the print queue window, click on "Printer" in the menu bar and select "Cancel All Documents".
• Try Printing from a Different Application: You've tried Excel and Word. Try printing a simple text file from Notepad or a PDF from a PDF reader. This can help determine if the issue is application-specific.
• Check Font Settings: While less common for this widespread an issue, corrupted font files can sometimes cause printing problems. If the gibberish is always the same or uses specific unusual characters, this might be a long shot to investigate.

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Hardware and Connection Related Solutions

• Restart Everything (Again): You've done this, but it's worth trying a specific order if you haven't already:
  1. Turn off the printer and the computer.
  2. Unplug the power cord from the printer.
  3. If connected via USB, unplug the USB cable from both the printer and the computer.
  4. Wait for about 60 seconds.
  5. Plug the printer's power cord back in and turn it on. Wait for it to complete its startup routine.
  6. If using USB, plug the USB cable back into both the printer and the computer.
  7. Turn on your computer.
• Check Ink Cartridges: While gibberish isn't a typical low ink symptom, the blank test pages could be.
  • Ensure the ink cartridges are genuine HP cartridges and are correctly installed.
  • Check the ink levels via the printer's control panel or the HP Smart app.
  • Even if ink levels seem okay, if you have a spare genuine HP cartridge, you could try replacing the black ink cartridge, as it's often used even for what appears to be text.
• Clean the Printhead: Since the test page is blank, the printheads might be clogged. Use the printer's built-in utility to clean the printheads. You can usually find this option in the printer's Settings or Maintenance menu on its control panel, or through the HP Smart app. You might need to run the cleaning cycle 2-3 times.
• Print a Self-Test Page Directly from the Printer: Many HP printers have an option to print a self-test or printer status page directly from the control panel (without involving the computer). Check your printer manual for how to do this.
  • If this page prints correctly, the issue is likely with the computer, drivers, or connection.
  • If this page is blank or prints gibberish, the problem is more likely with the printer hardware itself.
• Check Connections:
  • If you're using a USB cable, try a different USB cable and a different USB port on your computer.
  • If you're printing wirelessly, ensure the printer is still connected to your Wi-Fi network. You might try temporarily connecting it via USB if possible to see if that makes a difference, which would point to a network issue.

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More Advanced Steps

• Use HP Smart App for Diagnostics: Install or open the HP Smart app on your Windows 11 computer. It often has diagnostic tools and can help guide you through troubleshooting.
• Printer Reset: As a last resort before contacting support, you could try resetting the printer to its factory defaults. The method for doing this varies by model, so you'll need to consult your printer's manual or the HP support website for instructions specific to the OfficeJet Pro 8035e. Be aware that this will erase any custom settings.

If none of these steps resolve the problem, there might be a more serious hardware issue with the printer, and you may need to contact HP Support for further assistance or service options, especially since it was working fine for years.