Prtint head error message

[Captn_Johnny]

I use this 7612 All-in-One primarily as a scanner an sending faxes.  Very little printing is done here.

Today, when turning on the unit, the panel displayed the following - "Print head appears to be missing, not detected, or incorrectly installed."

One possible solution offered is to clean the contacts and re-install the print head.  However, since the unit came with the print head already installed I am unfamiliar with the process.  I referred to the original manual, but it has no information regarding this proceedure.  I looked at the HP Support website aqnd again found no information regarding removal, replacement, or cleaning of the print head.

Help!

[Jeet_singh]

Hi @Captn_Johnny,

Thank you for showing your interest in HP Support Forums. It is a great place to find the help you need, from other users, HP experts, and other support personnel. For you to have the best experience on the HP forum, you could also visit our HP Forums Guide for the First Time Here? Learn How to Post and More.

I understand you are getting Print head error message on your HP Office jet Printer. Don't worry as I have a few steps which should help you to resolve this concern,

Do you remember what you were doing when this error occurred?

Any specific event that triggered this error message?

In the meantime, let's try these steps here:

1. With the printer powered ON, open the front door on your printer and remove ALL of the cartridges
2. Set the cartridges aside
3. Close the cartridge access door. No cartridges should be installed in your printer.
4. With the printer ON, disconnect your power cable from the rear of the printer
5. After 60 seconds, plug the power cable back in
6. Your printer should turn back on on its own
7. Once the printer is powered on it will prompt for the missing ink
8. Open the cartridge access door and install just the black
9. Close the cartridge access door. Now, the printer should prompt for the remaining missing cartridges.
10. Open the cartridge access door, install the next cartridge and close the door
11. Our goal here is to see if one specific cartridge triggers the printhead error. If still no error and your printer prompts for missing ink, open the cartridge access door and install the next cartridge.
12. Lastly, open the cartridge access door and install your final cartridge. Close the door once all 4 cartridges are installed.

If you get the printhead error again you may want to remove all the cartridges again and reinstall them 1 at a time again but the opposite way this time to see if the error is triggered again with the same cartridge or once all 4 cartridges are installed.

This is a bit of a tedious process but if just the yellow cartridge (for example) triggers the error than you most likely have a defective yellow cartridge and by replacing that cartridge with a new yellow your printer should return to normal. However, if the Printhead Missing error only happens when all 4 cartridges are installed than we're back to a printhead hardware failure on your printer.

Should the Printhead Missing error remain, please proceed to the next step.

If your printer connected wirelessly, make sure to temporary connect the device with USB and then follow the link to check for the latest firmware update if available for your printer: http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib/software13/printers/OJ7612/OJ7612_R1615A.exe 

For more details, please follow the steps suggested in the guided troubleshooter for HP Printers - Resolving 'Problem with Printhead,' 'Printer Failure,' 'Ink System Failure,' or a '0x...' or a 'C2...' Error - Click here (On the bottom click on the hyperlink to move to the next step).

Please respond to this post with the result of your troubleshooting. I look forward to hearing from you. 

If you wish to help others looking for the same solution as you've found, mark the post as Accepted Solution.

If you wish to show appreciation for my effort, please click the Thumbs up icon at the bottom of my comment.

And I Hope you have a good day, Ahead.

Regards,

[Capt_Johnny]

Thank you for your response, however it did not solve my problem.  The "Missing printhead" error message stops the printer from doing any...  After reset, the screen immediately displays the error and stops responding to anything.  I can not get the printer to respond to anything else.

When I finally got to speak to Cust.Service tech, he recommended that it may need to be serviced.  I can not wait that long and felt that as a 3 yr old printer, it was better to replace the unit.

Johnny

[Jeet_singh]

Hi @Captn_Johnny,

Thank you for the update,

I appreciate your time and efforts,

As I understand you have followed the steps suggested in the previous post and this clearly indicates a hardware failure with the printer. You have already contacted our HP phone support who have offered for a repair and you would rather go for a replacement rather than a repair as it's 3year old printer. You are the right person to take a decision. I hope both you and your product works great and remain healthy for a long time 😉

You've been great to work with and it has been a genuine pleasure interacting with you.

To simply say thanks for my efforts to assist you, please click the "Thumbs Up" button to give me a Kudos.

And accept this as the solution to help others find your post helpful.

Take care now and do have a fabulous week ahead. 🙂

Regards,

[Capt_Johnny]

Thanks!