My OfficeJet Pro 6978 will not print or copy using the black "K" ink cartridge.

[Maybell100]

My OfficeJet Pro 6978 printer will not copy or print using the black or "K" ink cartridge. I added a new 906 XL ink cartridge just a few days ago. I do not print more than 25 pages per week. The ink indicator shows that the black cartridge is almost completely full. I was printing some things earlier and everything was just fine. Then documents that should  have been black were completely blank when I tried to print them.

The printer is only 7 months old.

What gives ????????

[8lives · Accepted solution]

The printhead might be clogged, have you tried cleaning it? (see link for info)

[Maybell100]

The first three times I attempted to run the Clean Printheads program, I got an error message that the cleaning process had failed. I then restarted the printer twice by unplugging the power cable from the wall and rerunning the clean printhead programs. After thee attempts at cleaning and then going to the "second level" cleaning program, the printer is working GREAT !!!!!!

Thanks so much for the suggestion!!!!!!!

Any thoughts how I can avoid this issue in the future ??? I use only HP printer cartridges. Could it maybe be the fact taht I am using a general purpose paper? I don't buy the cheapest paper, but I also do not use the most expensive paper.

Thanks again for a great suggestion.

[8lives]

What I do is save the printhead cleaning test page & copy it once a week if I am not using the printer.