HP 8250 initialization says expired ink error message 0xc18a0002 Can no longer print...

[AZJOEXXX]

This HP 8250 printer in new out of the box. Because it was made much earlier than my purchase date the printer considers the ink as expired. After bypassing the ink warning it begins to initialize but half way through it attempts to print test page and the printing icon stays on continuously but doesn't print. It eventually says with an error message 0xc18a0002 that the printer can no longer print. It has never printed one page..

Possibly taking the battery out of the Mother Board the printer may not know what year it is and consider the ink to be new.

Is this a possibility?

AZJOE XXX 

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @AZJOEXXX,

Welcome to the HP Support Community.
 

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

 I understand how frustrating it is to unbox a new HP Photosmart 8250 printer only to be met with an ink expiration warning and a 0xc18a0002 error before it even prints a single page. Let’s walk through the correct steps to resolve this.

The 0xc18a0002 error indicates an ink system failure, often triggered by:

• Expired ink cartridges
• Improper cartridge installation
• Cartridge chip failure
• Internal ink system blockage

Even though the printer is new to you, it was manufactured years ago, and the ink cartridges have likely expired based on their internal chip date, not actual ink quality.

Steps to Resolve the Issue:

1. Reset the Printer
   • Turn on the printer.
   • Disconnect the power cord from the rear.
   • Wait 60 seconds.
   • Reconnect the power cord directly to a wall outlet (not a surge protector).
   • Turn the printer back on and wait until it’s idle and silent
      
2. Clean Cartridge Contacts
   • Remove all cartridges.
   • Use a lint-free cloth lightly moistened with distilled water to clean the gold contacts on both the cartridges and inside the printer.
   • Let them dry, reinsert, and restart the printer
      
3. Bypass Ink Expiration Warning
   • When prompted, press OK or Continue to bypass the warning.
   • If your printer has a settings menu, check for an option to disable ink monitoring
      
4. Try Newer Cartridges
   • If the error persists, try a fresh set of HP 02 cartridges. Even unused cartridges can expire if stored too long.
      
5. Update Firmware (if available)
   • Visit the official HP support page for your model:
     👉 HP Photosmart 8250 Printer Software and Driver Downloads | HP® Support

I hope this helps.

Take care and have an amazing day!
 

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Regards,

VikramTheGreat