HP Deskjet F4480 shoots blanks

[LeLapin]

HP Deskjet F4480 and Windows 8.  All of a sudden, in the midst of printing and copying, my printer began producing blank pages. I changed nothing; the output simply went from fine, perfectly acceptable copies & printouts to blank pages. Even when the printer is not connected to my computer and I try to copy something, the pages come out blank.  The color catridge is low but I am only trying to print & copy b&w & that ink level is fine. The 'light bar'moves across the plate and the cartridges move freely. HP diagnostics found no problems but even the test page came out blank. I have turned both printer and computer off and back on to no effect. There are no error messages. None of the trouble shooting posts addresses this problem & my printer is out of warranty so I can't get HP tech support.  I am at my wit's end and ready to throw the printer out the window. I am not computer literate so need an answer geared to my handicap.

[ShlomiL · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Try printing a self test by clicking the power and cancel buttons, can you see any black ink output?

http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c01361419

If not, try removing the ink cartridge and stamp its bottom part on a tissue - can you phisically see any black ink?

1. Open HP Solution Center
2. Click Settings ( ).
3. In the Print Settings area, click Printer Toolbox . The printer Toolbox opens.
4. On the Device Services tab, click Clean the Print Cartridge(s) ( ).
5. Click Clean to begin the process.

If there is still no difference, I would suggest contacting the retailer to check the ink cartridge if it is under its warranty period.

Shlomi

[LeLapin]

     You are a life saver or should I say printer saver!  I will save the window for throwing out something else.  I couldn't print a check which was my fault I am sure; I wasn't sure whether to click the power and cancel buttons at the same time but did try every which way to no avail. However, when I removed the ink cartridge and rubbed it on paper, voila, no ink.  I then tried something  I should have tried before( and would have with any other device but since it involved a computer, I became an idiot); I tried to make a color copy and had no problem.  I never dreamt that the printer would not correctly read the ink level and because prior to this, my copies and printouts had always clearly shown that I was running out of ink, why would I. Regardless, I will know better next time. Thank you so much. 

      True to form, although I have 2 color cartridges on standby, I have no black ones, so it off to the store.  Glad to not be buying a new printer!

[LeLapin]

Tried to post kudos but couldn't.  Sorry, told you I was computer illiterate.

[mariAp0844]

Hi Schlomi,

I have the same problem as the user above.  Printer shooting blanks both when connected to computer and when only doing copies.  When scanning, the image transfers to computer well, but can't print from the comp.  

I tried the troubleshooting options you provided.  I also did the in-printer cleaning and also the "cotton swab" cleaning recommended by hp support online.  I also tried doing the paper feeding cleaner, thinking maybe that was the problem.  Unfortunately, all with no avail.  Nothing worked.  Any other recommendations? 

Thank you