ERROR MESSAGE HP6700 - PROBLEM WITH PRINTER OR INK SYSTEM CONTACT HP

[ThePhxDoc · Accepted solution]

JohnB,
Your article does a rudimentary troubleshooting walkthrough, ending in the question of whether the printhead is serviceable. Since it's not on the 6700, the article doesn't really address the problem.

Here is the solution I found to this problem:
I discovered that removing all the print cartridges allows the printer to start up (although there is a message indicating missing print cartridges).
Putting the cartridges back in a binary regression revealed that one of the print cartridges was bad. (In my case, I only got the printer/ink failure message when the yellow cartridge was in the printer).
Replacing the cartridge restored the printer to functionality.
That's the good news.
Now the bad news: for HP.
The error message generically indicates a failure either with the printer or the ink system. No differentiation. With electronics in the cartridges (which the customer pays a high price for), you would think HP could figure out how to indicate a cartridge problem. This error message is not only useless, but misleading. The printer only suggests a power reset, and then contacting HP. There is NO indication that it could be a cartridge problem, let alone which cartridge has failed. By the way, my client encountered this problem when replacing the color cartridges. So the failed cartridge was a new replacement.
All the web enabled features, faxing, scanning, printing features included with this printer are not very useful if the user can't get the dang thing to print.
Another problem with this printer, is that even when printing only in B&W, the printer uses some color (to ostensibly make the blacks bolder). So, eventually a color cartridge is going to go low or empty, even if printing only B&W. And guess what, you can't continue printing in B&W if one of the color cartridges are out of ink. So, HP....how is this printer useful in an office environment, where most printing tends to be B&W?

 (I should add; the cartridge solution to the printer/ink failure message may not fix your issue if, in fact, there is some printer failure. But if the problem is in the ink system, then the cartridge troubleshooting may help).
I've posted similar comments on Amazon, for this printer, under the subject line: Shame on you, HP.

[Alcaponed]

Hello.

Just wanted to confirm that the error can be solved with the cartrige message. However, I got all the cartriges I had installed to work by removing and replacing one by one.

[JoelHitt]

I have the same problem with my Officejet 6700 Premium, 6 months old, with unresolvable error message, "There is a problem with printer or ink system...contact HP." How has this been resolved with others' who've had it. HP: What do you advise? Thanks in advance. 

[busy_mom12]

I had the same problem I called hp technical support @800.752.0900...I then followed everything they told me. All failed and then they said they would ship out a replacement printer.

[boon1234]

I HAVE JUST BOUGHT A OFFICEJETT 6700 AT A AUCTION BUT IT DID NOT HAVE THE INSTALL CARTRIDGES WITH IT I TRIED TO INSTALL WITH NORMAL CARTRIDGES BUT HAVE NOW GOT THE ERROR CODE UP CAN YOU HELP ME TO REMOVE THE ERROR COD SO I CAN PRINT. THANKS NOEL

[HaNDLER]

This is the Perfect answer to this woefully terrible printer system failure problem.  I've been battling this printer's issues almost daily.  All diagnostics and utilities point to everything working properly but somehow my 6700 will print fine on one invoice but magically appear in an "error state" on the next invoice.

 My bookkeeper cannot even do her job wihtout having to call me or run through the generic "Hard Reset" to get her next succesful print job completed. 

Bottom line: I found a cartridge that needed replacement, so I thank you for your insight.

Shame on you HP

[HaNDLER]

I was referring to ThePhxDoc's post, by the way

[jclish]

ThePhxDoc's post has saved me after several hours of trying to get my printer to work after receiving the "Printer Failure" error.  I have tried to reset the printer by power cycling as suggested by HP to no avail. The next suggestion is to "contact HP support."  Of course, my printer is 2 weeks out of warranty so I would have to pay to contact HP support. I do not think that it is fair to charge the customer for poor error trapping and reporting.

I installed the Hardware Diagnostics Utility 4.1 which I randomly found in browsing HP's website, not through any HP Staff posts or relatedforum posts.  I used this to check the ink levels on the Ink Levels tab based on the ThePhxDoc's resolution to the Printer Failure error. The printer ink cartridge status was "ok" for all but the black cartridge, which had a status of "shaidFailure".  

By the way,  searching "shaidFailure" on the HP website returns no results. 

I put in a new black ink cartridge, and the problem is solved. After I  wasted 3 hours digging around for a solution to an issue that is related to poor error reporting on HP's end.  The error message should have read " black ink cartridge failure, please replace the cartridge." I agree - HP, shame on you.

My old HP printer lasted over 6 years, through PC and OS changes. I finally retired it and purchased the 6700 because I wanted a multi-page scanner and dual sided printing. Now, I wish I had kept my old printer because it never had these kinds of problems. HP has lost its edge in my eyes. 

[jclish]

I encountered a similar issue and posted about it. Thanks for the advice, without your post I would not have solved this problem and would be stuck talking to HP support for an unfair fee. 

[amalhotra]

I had the same message.  Called HP support line.  They took me through what they defined as the "factory reset" process...

Unplugging it;

Plugging it directly to a Wall outlet; 

Taking out all cartridges;

Putting them back one by one.

The error still remained.   Their conclusion... mechanical failure in the system, needs replacement.   However, since my printer was fresh out of warranty (had been in use for 13 months versus a warranty of 12 months), so I was fresh out of luck!!   I pleaded with them to honor the warranty, however, the best HP could do was to offer me a refurbished version for $105 plus tax (a new printer at Amazon costs only $15 more)!   Frankly considering it is systemic quality failure in their product I would think they would have honored the warranty, but obviously that was too much to ask.....

My feedback: SHAME ON HP