Incompatible Ink Cartridge(s) Message on HP Photosmart C4480 All-in-One Printer

[lukecare]

ARGH!!!!
I have completed ALL of the steps as outlined, and am still getting the incompatible message - regarding only the black ink cartridge. 

I can't afford a new printer right now, and I am in desperate need of using this one!

Please help....  : (

[dsapitro]

It worked!  It stinks that the problem happened again, but I used your solution again and it worked.

I really do appreciate your help!

[jill79]

I followed the instructions for resetting the printer, which worked, but I continue to receive the "incompatible cartridge" error.  Very frustrating!

[PenguinCafe]

If I may give some extra details on DevRao's initial post:

First, on my C4480 print machine I have the following buttons:
  Power
  then a row of three buttons:
    First one has a menu icon
    Second one says 'OK'
    Third on has an 'X'
  then a column of three buttons next to the screen with color swatches on them. I'll call these
   Button 1,
   Button 2,
   Button 3.

So to start, as RevRao say's
  Press at the same time the Power Button and the 'X' Button
  Screen now says 'Enter special key combo.'
  To enter this: hit button 1, hit button 3, hit button 2

Screen now say's Support...
  Pressing Button 1 will cycle through the Menu pages:
 Enter 1, Information Menu
 Enter 1, Resets Menu
 Enter 1, System Configuration Menu
 Enter 1, Print Test Menu
 Enter 1, Reports Menu
 Enter 1, Scan Diaglnostics Menu
 Enter 1, --starts over with Support...

 Pressing Button 2 to goes through the list in reverse

so…
Press Button 1 until Screen says Resets Menu
Enter OK,

Screen now says Country/Language Reset
  Pressing Button 1 will cycle through the Resets Menu:
  Enter 1, Partial Reset
  Enter 1, Semi-Full Reset
  Enter 1, -- starts over with Country/Language...

so...
 Press Button 1 until screen says Semi-Full Reset
 Enter OK
-- machine will reset itself and turn off

Turning the machine back on cleared the Incompatible Ink Cartridge(s) error message.

Hope this helps.

[DevRao]

Hi PenguinCafe,

That surely helps most of the customers,

Thanks.

[estaaa]

After using original cartridge got error message.

I tried those Steps:

• Power Button + Cancel Button Combo
• Enter special key combo 1[Scan] 3[Copy Color] 2[Copy Black]
• Got sever oprions plus one error message and no option: ‘Support menu’ got displayed

I need URGENT HELP!!!!!!!!!!

[a_davis7]

tried the following steps ..still getting error message "incompatible print cartridge(s)

[DevRao]

Hi a_davis7,

Have you tried the steps from the document below.

http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c01442936

[helpthegirl]

Watch this video

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao2UJT60-hk

[helpthegirl]

I found this video which demonstrates a great fix (after spending hours searching forums without any luck!) for the error message 'incompatible print cartridge'.

This is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao2UJT60-hk

It basically gives you these instructions:

• Press the red X button to cancel the job, then press X and the power button at the same time
• The screen will prompt you to enter the special key combo. Press the side buttons in this order: blue, green then grey.
• Click the grey button six times to get to the 'information menu' screen then click the 'OK' button.
• Click the grey button once and the screen will display 'checksum for relock data input'. Click the 'OK' button.
• The same screen will remain but now a number will also be visible (mine was a four digit number)
• Press the X button 3 times and the normal printing screen should return
• This should now be fixed!

I have had to repeat this process now and again when my printer has decided to show the same error message but this fix has always worked. I wanted to share this with others as I found it so frustrating wasting hours on this annoying little problem! Hope it works for you 🙂