Rainbow streak when I print photos.

[Youngdub]

There is a narrow streak of rainbow colors when I print black and white or color photos. I have installed new cartridges, aligned them and cleaned them but still have the streak. Can anyone help?

[Bob_Headrick]

Maybe.  It would help to know what printer model you have, what print settings you are using, what paper type you have, what print cartridges (if the printer has optional photo cartridges) and the nature of the color streaks.  Are they parallel to the short side of the paper, the long side, at the top, at the bottom or ???

Regards,
Bob Headrick, Microsoft MVP Printing/Imaging

[Youngdub]

Thanks for your reply.

Model: HP Deskjet F4180. All in one printer, scanner. copier.Using HP tricolor (22) and black (21) cartridges. Print settings, "best" and "other photo paper". I have tried different paper and still get the "Rainbow". The line is usually parallel to the long side of the paper. When I print the test page, there are some colored lines, blue, pink and yellow. There is a line down through the blue block.

[Bob_Headrick · Accepted solution]

What color is the line through the cyan (blue) block?  For the rainbow,  cleaning the encoder strip as shown here may help.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, Microsoft MVP Printing/Imaging

[Youngdub]

The line is white.

[Youngdub]

I will try what you suggested and let you know! Many thanks for the suggestion.

[Youngdub]

Cleaning the encoder did the trick, I was about to replace the printer! No more rainbow streak. Many thanks!

Niamh

[ckwehe]

Hi, I have a 6500 wireless, E709N.  Color wouldn't print at all after changing cartridges so I found Mr. Headrick's suggestion to soak the printhead.  After doing that, and using setup/tools/clean printhead, color printed on the test pages but not exactly right, primary colors had white streaks in the blue and secondary color blocks were just not right.  Attempted to print an image from computer and it came out with rainbow stripes of yellow, blue, magenta alternating in that pattern horizontally down the whole photo.  Did a second setup/tools/clean printhead and test page was better but still not perfect.  Third time color blocks perfect.  Photos still printing light in certain places.