HP OFFICE JET 8020 printing unwanted duplicate copies only d... - HP Support Community

GHOSTUSER · ‎11-06-2024

This issue has been occurring on a frequent basis for months. When printing a double-sided document, it prints an unwanted duplicate. This does not occur when printing single-sided, 2-page documents. HP Smart Print app, printer software, and iOS are all current, and only 1 copy is selected to print. When printing, an error message will come up that “printer cannot be found” after printing the first page. If nothing is selected from the pop-up message, it disappears within a few seconds and will then print the 2nd page. The error message will then return towards the end of printing the 2nd page . . . if nothing is selected, it will then proceed to print a duplicate copy. But if you select “cancel printing”, then it doesn’t complete printing the 2nd page of the original document.

Rachel571 · ‎11-07-2024

Hi @GHOSTUSER

Welcome to HP Support Community.

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

It sounds like you're experiencing a duplicate printing issue during 2-sided printing on your HP OfficeJet 8020, and you're also getting an intermittent "printer cannot be found" error. Let's break this down and go through some troubleshooting steps to help resolve both the duplication problem and the error message.

1. Resolve Duplicate Printing (Two-Sided Printing Issue)

This type of issue could be caused by several factors, such as settings in the print dialog, driver conflicts, or an issue with the printer's duplex printing (two-sided) mechanism.

Step-by-Step to Fix Duplicate Printing:

Check the Print Settings:

When printing, go to your printer settings and ensure only one copy is selected.
Ensure that "Duplex" or "Two-sided printing" is enabled correctly, and the option to print two-sided (manual or automatic) is properly set.

Check the Printer's Duplex Settings:

From the printer’s control panel, go to Settings > Printing Preferences and check that "Print on both sides" (or "Duplex") is enabled correctly. If it's set to manual duplex (where you have to flip the pages), ensure that you're following the steps to load the paper correctly in the tray.

Test with Different Software:

Sometimes, the application you are printing from (e.g., Word, Adobe Acrobat, etc.) can cause issues with the print dialog.
Try printing the same document from a different program (e.g., if you’re printing from Word, try printing from Adobe PDF or vice versa) to rule out any software-specific settings that might be causing the duplicate print.

Clear Print Queue and Restart:

Cancel any stuck or pending jobs in your print queue. Sometimes, a stuck job can lead to unexpected printing behavior.
Restart the printer: Turn off the printer, unplug it for about 30 seconds, and then plug it back in to clear any temporary issues.

Update Printer Drivers and Firmware:

Ensure that your printer drivers are up to date. Outdated drivers can cause issues with print jobs.
You can download the latest drivers and firmware from the HP support website or use the HP Smart app to check for updates.
Reinstall the printer drivers: If updating doesn't work, try uninstalling and reinstalling the printer driver to reset any faulty configurations.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved and if you feel this reply was helpful click “Yes”.

Rachel571

HP Support

Rachel571
I am an HP Employee

GHOSTUSER · ‎11-11-2024

Thank you for the recommendations, but none of them resolved the persisting issue. I have heard of a possible conflict wherein multiple wi-fi networks are present as well.

Rachel571 · ‎11-12-2024

Hi @GHOSTUSER

I'm sending out a private message to assist you with the next course of action. In order to access your private messages, click the private message icon on the upper right corner of your HP Support Community profile, next to your profile Name.

Hope this helps! Keep me posted for further assistance.