While setting up a new HP 8600 the display is stuck in a 'Preparing Printer' loop of somesort.

[turkey123456]

While setting up a new HP 8600 the display is stuck in a 'Preparing Printer' loop of somesort.  Any ideas?

[lions99]

Take everything out of the printer. Unplug the power cord from the back and the wall, Wait 30sec then plug it back in. The printer should say something about the ink cartridge missing. Once, it does that insert the cartridges and let it Initialize.

Make sure the printer is plugged into the wall.

You're not low on any of the cartridges are you?

THX

[mikeeee]

Just bought a HP Officejet Pro 8600... a little disappointed!

During setup, the cartridge tray does not present itself for cartridges.  

If I interrupt power during its startup I can get cartridges into it.  However, it then reports "Preparing Printer" for ever.  Yes, I've re-seated the cartridge holder, and yes I've repeatedly turned it off for 60 seconds and help the power button for 60 seconds as suggested elsewhere.  Return it to retailer? 

[Rich1]

Hi mikeeee,

Try removing the printhead and cartridges and close the access door.  Follow the Hard Reset steps as described in the following link.  Click Here  

Once the printer powers back up and indicates that the printhead is missing, reseat the printhead.  Close the access door.  If the printer gives you an error message, press OK or Continue.

When the printer indicates one or more of the ink cartridges are missing, re-seat one of them and close the access door until the cartridge registers.  Repeat the process until all cartridges are reseated.  Did this help?

[foxxx]

Hi,

just solve such a problem with a brand new HP 8600 All-In-One-Printer. The printer also remained in 'preparing printer' forever after installed cartridges and paper.

I did the following steps:

- open the flap at the left hand side and remove cartridges and printer head (use handle at the right !)

- close flap again

- removed power by disconnecting the power cord

- removed the USB cable as well

- remove paper and close the paper tray again

- wait for about 60 seconds

-plug in power cord again

-plug in USB cable again

- let the printer complain about "printer head missing or cannot be detected"

- plugin the printer head again and close the flap again

- let the printer complain about "cartridges missing"

- install the cartridges again

- let printer display the paper installation video

- open the paper tray, add paper and press the light-blue handle at

   the left hand side of the paper tray to fasten/adjust paper

- close paper tray

After that the "preparing printer" turned into some message "calibrating 5 %" and it took abot 3 minutes to complete that. It then printed a calibration page and the normal menu appeared on the screen.

Hope this will help you!

[AeroEd]

Hey, HP,

Same problem:  Stuck in "preparing Printer" loop.

Please solve the problem in this thread (by tomorrow afternoon).

Our office has FIVE Officejet Pro (of various model years). I am *very* familiar with this printer.  We also have 3 BROTHER printers that work flawlessly.

This new printer will be returned to Staples tomorrow afternoon, and we will turn to BROTHER for printing needs.

***SYMPTOMS***

Fresh out of the box.  Tray 2 installed.  Duplexer installed.  Setup cartridges installed. Control panel stuck on screen with HP logo saying "Preparing Printer".

Hours of troubleshooting. Is the probelem with the setup cartridiges not being recognized? Is the carriage defective? Is the printhead defective?

After years of being dismayed with the ineptitude/complexity of HP printer drivers. We have shot ourselves in the foot by choosing HP again.

I'm giving HP a chance here.  Figure it out.