Power Light + Resume Light Blinking After Printing ONLY One Page

[benjimckinney]

After trying to print a multi-page document, the printer produces one page and then the power light and resume light (page feed) are blinking. I have also tried to print multiple copies of one page but that produces the same result.

I can get the lights to go off by turning printer off then back on. But it will still only print one page before the same lights start blinking again. I did this six times in a row just to print a six page document. :robotmad:

I have walked through all of the steps in the HP troubleshooting software. Steps like checking for paper fragments, cleaning print heads, re-seating cartridges, etc. Nothing seems to work.

[Bob_Headrick]

The document here has troubleshooting steps for the Officejet K8600 printer flashing lights.  If the first five solutions do not resolve the issue the post here may help.

[benjimckinney · Accepted solution]

@Bob_Headrick

Thank you for your response. However, none of the suggestions would fix the issue. ALTHOUGH, the light troubleshooting guide you've provided was CLOSE to the solution.

I stumbled on the solution by reading the PDF manual for the printer. On about page 77 it described the power light + resume light blinking. One of the causes for this is using EXPIRED INK CARTRIDGES, REFILLED CARTRIDGES or NON-HP CARTRIDGES.

WARNING: It is important to note that if your printer is still under warranty DO NOT DO THIS. HP notes in the manual that using this override may void your warranty against damage caused by using faulty, expired or unauthorized ink cartridges.

SOLUTION:

While the power light and resume button are blinking, hold down the power button and press the resume button 3 times. This will override the "apparent" internal error message for using the cartridges you have installed. This may also cause a catridge alignment page to print.

MY OPINION:

While it is important to note the HP warning against doing this, this FIXED MY ISSUE IMMEDIATELY! I know the cartridges I have installed are okay. Like many HP owners out there, I take advantage of sales and have stocked up on cartridges. I suppose that some may "expire" prior to install. In my opinion, the idea of cartridges "expiring" also kinda falls into that column for "How can we make them buy more ink?" What kind of market are we creating where it is less expensive to buy a new printer than to buy a new set of cartridges/toners? BUT that's a slippery slope...let's not go there. 

[Bob_Headrick]

I am glad you found the issue and resolved it.  I should have picked up on the fact that single pages would complete without problems mid-page and have suspected something other than the solution I offered.

The "ink expiration" is not about buying more ink, it is about protecting the printheads and "plumbing" from ink that has thickened over time.  There are relatively few models that enforce ink expiration, it was mostly done on the early models of HP printers with separate ink supplies and printheads, with plumbing to connect them.  The document here has information about ink expiration.