HP 6978 prints black photo colors as red on photo paper, but black on plain paper.

[mlhholmes]

When attempting to print a color photo from my computer my HP 6978 printer produce all black colors with a red tint, but only when printing on photo paper.  On plain paper the picture colors, including black , are reproduced accurately.  I don't get it. I've had the photo papers for over 5 years so maybe the chemicals have gone bad and won't retain the black color.  I have hp smart cartridges in the printer, they have been cleaned repeatedly, and properly aligned.  All the cartridges have recently been replaced, so there is no problem with the ink supply.  Anyone else experienced this?

[Irfan_06]

Hi @mlhholmes,

Welcome to the HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to assist you.

I see that you are facing an issue with print quality on your Printer.

Please follow the steps below to perform a power drain.

1) Take out the cartridges

2) Unplug the power cord from the printer & wall.

3) Press and hold the power button down for 15 seconds and release the power button, wait for about 30 seconds.

4) Plug the power cord back into the printer and wall, ensure the printer is plugged into the wall & not into a surge protector.

5) Insert the cartridges back into the printer.

Remove the cartridges > Unplug the power cord > Wait for 30 seconds > Plug the power cord back in > Insert the cartridges

Kindly refer to the steps on this link to troubleshoot and let me know if that resolves the issue.

Also, update the printer firmware using this link.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a great day ahead!

Irwin6

HP Support

[mlhholmes]

Thanks for the troubleshooting tip.  Unfortunately it did not resolve my issue.  I think I have a bad print head.  I found a new  replacement head online for a very reasonable price, so I will replace the old one when it arrives arrives.  This approach is considerably cheaper than purchasing a new printer, and if it doesn't fix my problem I'm only out $30.