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I have a photosmart c410, macbook pro 0sx 10.7.5. t10.7.5.  All has been swell but suddenly my printer will only put out blank pages.  I can't even get the test page to print

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HP Recommended

Sorry for the delay.  Try running a printhead cleaning on the printer.  That should get the ink flowing like it should again.  The steps below come from the Troubleshooting Print-Quality Issues document.

 

Step three: Make sure the cartridges are correctly vented.
  1. Press the Power button to turn on the product.
  2. Use the access handles on the sides of the product to open the cartridge door.
  3. Press the tab on the front of the cartridge to release it. 
  4. Remove the cartridge from the slot.  CAUTION: Do not lift the latch next to the carriage to install the cartridges. Doing so can result in incorrectly seated cartridges and printing issues. The latch must remain down to install the cartridges correctly.
  5. Examine the vent area above the HP logo on the top of the cartridge.  If the cartridge still has the orange pull tab covering the vent area, pull the tab to remove it.  If the cartridge has a clogged vent, try cleaning the vent with a pin.
  6. Repeat these steps to inspect the vents on each of the cartridges. 
  7. After inspecting the vent on each cartridge, reinstall each cartridge.
  8. Close the cartridge door.
Step four: Clean the printhead
  1. On the product control panel, press Setup.
  2. Press the Down Arrow button to select Tools , and then press OK .
  3. Press the Down Arrow button to select Clean Printhead , and then press OK . The cleaning process begins.  NOTE:  Mechanical noises during the cleaning process are normal. A test page prints when the cleaning process finishes.
  • If these steps resolved the issue , there is no need to continue troubleshooting. The following precautions might help avoid the issue in the future.  Avoid leaving unprotected cartridges out of the product for an extended period of time.  Always use the power button to turn the product off. This protects the cartridges from exposure to air. 

If you are still having the problem after trying the above steps, repeat the process at least 2 more times.  If after that, you still don't see any improvement, move to the steps below.

 

If you are still getting blank pages from the printer, the printhead may either be clogged, or it may be damaged.  If it's clogged, you should be able to do the steps in the post below to clear the clog.  You may need to repeat the steps a couple of times before you see an improvement.  If that doesn't work, the printhead will need to be replaced.  You will need to contact HP by phone to get a new one.  I hope this helps.

Re: black ink not working

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HP Recommended

Will the printer still make copies?

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HP Recommended

No...won't make copies either.

 

HP Recommended
It will scan
HP Recommended

Sorry for the delay.  Try running a printhead cleaning on the printer.  That should get the ink flowing like it should again.  The steps below come from the Troubleshooting Print-Quality Issues document.

 

Step three: Make sure the cartridges are correctly vented.
  1. Press the Power button to turn on the product.
  2. Use the access handles on the sides of the product to open the cartridge door.
  3. Press the tab on the front of the cartridge to release it. 
  4. Remove the cartridge from the slot.  CAUTION: Do not lift the latch next to the carriage to install the cartridges. Doing so can result in incorrectly seated cartridges and printing issues. The latch must remain down to install the cartridges correctly.
  5. Examine the vent area above the HP logo on the top of the cartridge.  If the cartridge still has the orange pull tab covering the vent area, pull the tab to remove it.  If the cartridge has a clogged vent, try cleaning the vent with a pin.
  6. Repeat these steps to inspect the vents on each of the cartridges. 
  7. After inspecting the vent on each cartridge, reinstall each cartridge.
  8. Close the cartridge door.
Step four: Clean the printhead
  1. On the product control panel, press Setup.
  2. Press the Down Arrow button to select Tools , and then press OK .
  3. Press the Down Arrow button to select Clean Printhead , and then press OK . The cleaning process begins.  NOTE:  Mechanical noises during the cleaning process are normal. A test page prints when the cleaning process finishes.
  • If these steps resolved the issue , there is no need to continue troubleshooting. The following precautions might help avoid the issue in the future.  Avoid leaving unprotected cartridges out of the product for an extended period of time.  Always use the power button to turn the product off. This protects the cartridges from exposure to air. 

If you are still having the problem after trying the above steps, repeat the process at least 2 more times.  If after that, you still don't see any improvement, move to the steps below.

 

If you are still getting blank pages from the printer, the printhead may either be clogged, or it may be damaged.  If it's clogged, you should be able to do the steps in the post below to clear the clog.  You may need to repeat the steps a couple of times before you see an improvement.  If that doesn't work, the printhead will need to be replaced.  You will need to contact HP by phone to get a new one.  I hope this helps.

Re: black ink not working

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HP Recommended

Thank you so very much.  It did take 6 times of cleaning the printhead through the control panel before I could get it to print, but now it seems to be working.  I've never had this problem with a printer before.  The printer is just three years old and gets normal home usage, nothing out of the ordinary.  Is it unusual for the printer head to get so gunked up that it can't print?  Is there something I should be doing to prevent this in the future? 

HP Recommended

This is not unusual.  It can happen over time with regular usage, but typically it's caused by the printhead not being allowed to return to the home position before being shut down.  If the printer isn't shut down using the power button, the printhead won't go into the housing unit inside the printer.  This will allow air to get to the nozzles of the printhead and dry them out.  This can also happen if an ink cartridge is left empty for too long.  The best way to prevent all of this is to clean the printhead every 2-3 months.  Eventually though, do to the nature of ink, and the design of printheads, the regular cleaning may not work. At that point try the printhead soak.  If that doesn't work, you will need to replace the printhead.

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HP Recommended

I am also trying to do that to my printer, where are you cleaning the printhead from, as you are saying the control panel (from the printer itself or from the computer) having the same issue with my pc (Windows). Thanks.

HP Recommended
On the printer screen go to "set up" then to "tools" then to "clean printer head". You might have to clean it several times.
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