Missing or damaged cartridge on Photosmart C309g

[bmalm]

The printer display tells that a certain cartridge is missing or damaged, but if I remove an other cartridge, the first cartridge is accepted and the other cartridge is missing. I have replaced all cartridges and succeeded in printing test pages, then I got the error message again. All cartridges are full, but still I get error messages. When I succeeded in printing test pages, the printer status display on my PC showed that all cartridges were full, but now when I get the error messages, the status display shows all cartridges nearly empty (apart from the missing cartridge, which is empty)!

I have tried all suggestions on the HP pages, but nothing helps! I have not replaced the printer head yet, but I doubt it will help.

Do I have to buy a new printer?

[Bob_Headrick]

The electrical contacts on the cartridge and printer may need cleaning as described in the solution here.

[bmalm]

I don't think the problem lies with the contacts.

I have taken a narrow strip of electric tape and put it on one contact at a time and when I put it on the second contact from the left of any other cartridge, that cartridge and the yellow cartridge are told to be missing, but if I put the tape on any other contact on any cartridge, only that cartridge is missing and the yellow cartridge is OK!!!

What are the functions of the different contacts? I suppose two of them are for power, leaving two contacts for other functions, which?

[Bob_Headrick]

I would suspect the printer reports the first cartridge it finds an issue with as bad, it may not necessarily mean the others are all "OK", just that something else failed first.

Please check the contacts on the printer as shown in the first link I gave.  If this does not resolve the issue then your cartrdige will probably need replacement.

Note that covering some of the contacts with tape may leave residue on the cartrdige or printer contacts, which may cause issues later.

[bmalm]

No, the printer does not report only the first error it finds, since when masking the second contact, I always got two reported errors!

You will have to give me a better answer! What are the different contacts used for, since covering the second contact (from left) gives totally different responce than from masking the other!

[Bob_Headrick]

If you are trying to fix a problem with printing then clean the printer and cartridge contacts, then replace the cartridge if needed.  If you are trying to reverse engineer the cartridge chip I cannot help you.

[bmalm]

I am not trying to revers engeneer! I am trying to fix my printer so that I do not have to discard it and by a new printer!!

I am using an older HP printer in  the meantime, while trying to solv this problem or by a new printer! By knowing the function of the contacts, I might be able to work out a solution to my problem...

The tape I'm using is high quality and does not leave any residue on the contacts, it will instead clean them! There are no problems with the electrical signal contacts. The problem must be elsewhere!! But where?? New firmware?

Please help!

[bmalm]

I have been using this printer for more than three years without earlier problems,  but now it will not work after I replaced all cartridges.  I replaced one cartridge and then the printer complained and then I proceeded with the other cartridges one after the other, without the printer stopping to complain, until I had replaced all, even the black, which was already new!! It did work for a short period after all cartridges were new, but then it started to complain again. I have spent about 1000 SEK on new cartridges and now I cannot use them...

[Bob1232]

I had this problem. Tried all steps suggested on HP website. Turns out the answer is easy if the old cartridge still works and it has the black "ink window" visible. Take an exacto blade and prize off the old 4 pin gold pad from the old cart. Then stick it onto the new cart - the new cart probably does not have the black "ink window".

That solved this problem for me. I saw the tip on youtube.

[bmalm · Accepted solution]

I "solved" my problem by selling out all new cartridges and skipping the printer!!!

I bought a new HP Officejet Pro 8600 with good discount from my cartridge dealer, since it was their catridges that caused my problems :-))

THIS THRED MAY BE CLOSED (i DON'T KOW HOW...)