Pro 8600 message PrintHead missing or or not detected...

[Boothby171]

I got an HP 8600+ printer from a friend who had the same error message.  He won't admit it, but I think he may have been using non-HP cartridges.

Either way, I have the choice: Fix, or salvage.  I can use the ADF (Automatic Document Feeder) for MY OWN 8600+, which has intermittent errors on its ADF.  Or, if I can overcome the missing/bad/incorrectly-installed Print Head error, I can give this "repaired" printer to my dad, to replace his aging HP printer.

First question: Is there any way to bypass this initial error screen?  If I can run the scanner, and the ADF, I can verify if it's worth swapping it with my printer's ADF.

Second Question: Is there any legitimate and reliable way to clean the print head?  Assuming that my friend used non-HP cartridges, and that there's something "nasty" in that non-standard ink, maybe flushing out the print head would resolve the issue.

Third question: I have a legit HP black ink (950XL) cartridge from my friend's printer, and I have three 951 (color) cartridges, new, in-package, HP brand cartridges for my printer.  Do I need to have ALL FOUR cartridges in teh printer head to make the error message stop?  Or, if everything is good, should having JUST the 950XL (Black) cartridge in place be enough to dispell the error message.  In other words: Am I getting a "false" error message, perhaps, just because I have an incomplete set of cartridges in the printer?

I don't want to stick three brand new color cartridges into a failed print-head if I don't have to.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[The_Fossette]

Hi @Boothby171

Welcome to the HP Forums!

Thank you for posting your query in this forum, it's a great place to find answers.

I reviewed your post and I understand that you are getting missing or failed printhead error on your printer.

Don’t worry, I’d love to help!

Follow the steps in the below article and it will answer all three questions you have posted.

http://hp.care/2fDdr8w

Let me know how it goes and you have a great day!

To simply say thanks, please click the "Thumbs Up" button to give me a Kudos to appreciate my efforts to help. If this helps, please mark this as “Accepted Solution” as it will help several others with the same issue to get it resolved without hassles.

Take care.

Cheers!

[Boothby171]

Thank you.

I did all that.

Well, I did all that except for:

1) I did NOT load up the (failed) print head with new inks, for fear of messing up the inks.

2) Reset the printer or update the firmware.  (well, I did the power cord reset, but I can't do anything else)

I get stuck at the failure screen.  I cannot even get to the factory-level settings (the lower left "return" arrow, 4 times)...all I get is the failure message.  So no partial or full reset.

Do I risk ruining the WORKING inks and printhead from my personal 8600+ if I swap it into my friend's printer just to get it t work, check the ADF, update the software, etc., etc.???

Thanks.