hp 6600 won't print in black ink only

[Winefride]

I tried the print in black only options in the printer set up - made no difference.  Still get message must replace cyan cart before can resume. Very disappointed - up to now have had good experience with HP. But ridiculous to prevent black printing for the lack of a colour cart. Am I supposed to run out in the midst of printing a doc and get a cart just to finish printing a business letter in black and white - what a waste of time gnerated by yet another "clever" money make corp.

[Rainbow7000]

Hello Winefride,

Thank you for your feedback and sorry for the frustration about not being able to print with any of the cartridges being depleted.

I have located a link to share more information describing the printers operation.

Printing with Depleted Cartridges, or With Some Cartridges Removed

Regards,

[Winefride]

Thank you for the link - I have already followed that proceedure in the beginning and it had no effect - still get the pop-up telling me that I must replace the colour cart in order to print. And the pop-up keeps popping even when I am not trying to print. In fact when I started this reply it interrupted. I am frustrated by the whole business. I can only see it as a very unsubtle effort on the part of HP to sell more carts - though I admit they are not unique in this particular dodge. I knew when buying a not too expensive printer that I was probably letting myself in for buying more carts than I wanted but this business of not allowing printing with black only when the colour carts run out is verging on crime. !!!!!!

[Winefride]

Thank you for the link - I have already followed that proceedure in the beginning and it had no effect - still get the pop-up telling me that I must replace the colour cart in order to print. And the pop-up keeps popping even when I am not trying to print. In fact when I started this reply it interrupted. I am frustrated by the whole business. I can only see it as a very unsubtle effort on the part of HP to sell more carts - though I admit they are not unique in this particular dodge. I knew when buying a not too expensive printer that I was probably letting myself in for buying more carts than I wanted but this business of not allowing printing with black only when the colour carts run out is verging on crime. !!!!!!

[RICHARDM47]

So has anyone answered the question????? If I set the printer preferences to "black cartdridge only", does it still use part of the color?  Hello hp --are you listening?

I have been in the habbit of always changing the default to black only /draft --another ink saver.  not much difference in quality.  But, HP guys/gals --When set to "black only" , is that using only the black, or does it still use some color.  I like the others, am not printing anything special.  So haveing "true black" --whatever that is -- is not important.

[srlonzlive]

I agree with all the print black only complaints.  This printer is a piece of junk.  One color  being depleted results in no black printing ability at the worst possible time.  i never print in color yet my magenta is always empty and I'm no longer able to print in balck only.  I have changed the preference to print in black only and that does not work.  Can anyone tell me of a reasonably priced priter that only prints black, no color option at all.  This would eleminate my problem.  How come HP does not answer these many blog complains on this same issue.  Shame on HP and there poor customer satisfaction policy.

[lesliep628]

I went to the link suggested and the answer was what I already knew.

Shame on HP for selling a product without including that you need all cartridges full to use black and white In LARGE BOLD  print.

The following is not helpful.  It only tells me what I already know.  

I will NEVER buy an HP product again.

HP Officejet Printers - Printing with Depleted Cartridges

Issue

Can the printer operate for an extended period of time with depleted cartridges?

Solution

For regular usage, this product is not designed to print using only the black cartridge when the color cartridges are out of ink.

However, your printer is designed to let you print as long as possible when your cartridges start to run out of ink. When there is sufficient ink in the printhead, the printer will offer you the use of black ink only when one or more of the color cartridges are out of ink, and the use of color ink only when the black cartridge is out of ink.

• The amount that you can print using black or color ink only is limited, so have replacement ink cartridges available when you are printing with black or color ink only.

• When there is no longer sufficient ink to print you will get a message that one or more cartridges are depleted, and you will need to replace the depleted cartridges before you resume printing.

[RICHARDM47]

I have since changed my "default" print instructions to "Black ink cartdridge only"  I think I used the menu for "printers and devices" from the Win 7 start menu. and set the default .  -- -- you have to go to advanced settings after selecting  print preferences. --.  I also recommend setting it to "draft" as then you use the least amount of ink and except for "professional" documents, draft is all you need.    --     YOu can adjust for color as you need, but it will default to balck ink only.     But I agree.... HP--are YOU Listening? --there should be a way to print black even with a color depleated.  I read in consumer reports, that the hp6800 is the worst for ink as it uses color ink when cleaning -- I suspect my 6600 does to --so beware !! .  I regret giving my old 550 away.  Now I'm stuck with the 6600 for a while.

[SIMIStudent]

Dear HP Product Manager - for HP Officejet 6700,

You have destroyed the HP brand name in my eyes and my consumer loyalty. How can you cheat the consumer here? I never in my life thought that HP would force people to buy color ink cartridges.

You oviously thought about short term gain here, to make a few bucks fast from the customer. In this day and age to  use this type of trick to get consumers to buy more ink...is outright disgusting. I was about to buy a HP computer, but I can assure you this is the last HP product I touch!

Thats right take the money now and worry about tomorrow latter. This is why HP isn't succeeding and won’t succeed. I think should offer all HP consumers with this problem - a buy back!!! I will takethis issue with the Fair trading – this is deceptive behavior!!!

[sunny46]

I've become a little irritated with my HP 6600.    Had it  set to print only in black for some time & now can't back to color. 

Thinking I would save on buying color cartridges was not the case.   Please help with this matter.