HP 8600 Plus will not pick up photo paper

[Rainbow23]

@Frescodk, welcome to HP Forums, this is a great place to get support, find answers and tips.

Thank you for posting your query, I'll be more than glad to help you out.

I understand that you get an out of paper error on your HP Officejet Pro 8600 Plus e-All-in-One Printer.

Don't worry as I have a few steps that should help fix this issue.

And here's the step by step guide for you in the links below:  

1. 'Out of Paper' error

2. Printing Photos (Windows)

3. Printing Photos (Mac)

Let me know how that works.
 

I hope you have a good day ahead.
 

[Ari_DC]

This is pathetic that this problem has gone on this long and not been solved. After reading through the messages here and tearing my box apart to see what made it tick I discovered the writer suggesting addition of tape to the paper tray is very close to the ideal solution. Unfortunately my box did not respond to the solution so going further this is what was found. The solution is mid way through. All the verbiage is to provide you with why it works. Jump ahead if you like.

When you insert the tray there is a spring loaded lift on the leading edge of the paper tray. When the tray is fully inserted there is a flat plastic post at the rear of the printer hanging down from the printer's interior  that pushes on a catch release on the lower front center edge of the tray. As you insert the tray the paper remains below the printer's upper edges. When the tray is fully inserted the the leading edge rams into the post which hangs down, releasing the tray lift. The lift pushes up against the paper. Now when the printer begins printing and starts the process of pulling the paper into the print area, the drag roller which is just above the leading edge of the top sheet of paper and which rubs against what is the back surface of the paper is able to pull the paper into the print area.

Now fast forward with photo paper. Feel the back surface of the paper. It is normally as smooth as a baby's behind.  When the drag roller engages the back side of the paper to pull it into the print area the roller is slipping on the slick paper. It is not the roller is not clean, it is a matter the paper is to slick for the amount of downward tension the drag roller can exert. This is in part due to the springs which push up the tray's paper lift not having enough force to create the needed tension for the drag roller to capture the paper. Frankly the failure reeks of a rushed design created by a bunch of bean counters with to much authority pressure cooking the designers.

In any event there are a couple of things you can try which will work. One is to apply a three inch length of masking or frog tape on the leading back edge of the paper. Pick a tape which feels rough when you drag your index finger on the surface. Once the initial drag roller starts the paper the other traction devices will continue to feed the paper on through normally using the lateral edges of the paper.

Another thing I tried was to spray the back of the photo paper with aerosol adhesive and then laminate a regular dirt cheap toilet paper thin sheet of copy paper to the back of the photo paper. Yep, it dragged it right on through.

I personally like the tape solution better. You can apply it as you go. The spray glue is a bit of a pain but you can mass produce your paper and it will track on through. Don't use just the aersol glue as it will will really bugger up the rollers.

Lastly you can also check the photo papers in the store to see if they have some texture on the rear that will allow the printer's drag roller to grab and pull. DO NOT MUCK AROUND CLEANING THE DRAG ROLLER OR OTHER ROLLERS EITHER! If you use a cleaner with is incompatible and damage the rollers then HP can say it was customer abuse.

Anyway once you have your print, the tape, especially the painter's Frog tape will peel right off with no damage to the paper. It sucks but if you have been sucked into buying the defective junker plus a set of replacement cartridges then a five dollar roll of tape seems like a cheap rescue.

Oh, yes, I bought the line I needed to use Genuine HP Photo Papers before nearly hurling the beast against the wall.