Officejet Pro 8600 - New Cartridge, Complete Failure

[HotInCleveland]

Replaced a 960XL black ink cartridge with a new one and printer fails with message: "Printer Failure There was a problem with the printer or ink system. Turn printer off, then on. If problem persists, contact HP". The only other thing the printer responds to is pressing the '?' icon, for which I then receive the message: "General Printer Error. Solution 1: Reset the product [this is what I have already done] Solution 2: Contact HP Support. Write down the error code provided in the message and then contact HP support. Go to:: www.hp.com/support".

Of course, there is no error code provided in the message.

The cartridge is a brand new HP cartridge (good until Feb 2026, manufactured in Malaysia) as are all that I’ve ever used on this device. Yes, I have already turned it off, unplugged it, plugged it back in, turned it on. Yes, I have reseated all the cartridges at least three times. Same result.

If I put the old, empty cartridge back in the printer functions as normal – except of course that it won't print anything because it is out of black ink. And then I put the new one back in and I get a complaint about it being a "used" cartridge - yes, used to generate a General Printer Failure and complete dysfunction of my HP printer.

This has nothing to do with drivers used on other devices, this is an ink cartridge-related issue with the printer.

Please help.

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @HotInCleveland,

Welcome to the HP Support Community! 

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding your printer!

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.

Since your HP OfficeJet Pro 8600 is failing after inserting a new 960XL black ink cartridge but works (minus printing) with the old one, the issue is likely cartridge recognition or ink system failure. Try these solutions:

Hard Reset the Printer

Turn off the printer.

Unplug it from the power source and wait 2-3 minutes.

While unplugged, press and hold the power button for 30 seconds to drain any residual power.

Plug it back in and power it on.

Check the Cartridge for Protective Tape or Clogs

Remove the 960XL black cartridge and inspect the nozzles.

Make sure there’s no protective tape left on the ink vent (small vent holes should be open).

Use a lint-free cloth and distilled water to gently clean the copper contacts.

Reset the Ink System

Remove all cartridges from the printer.

Unplug the printer and wait for 10 minutes.

Plug it back in and turn it on without any cartridges.

Wait for the printer to display a "Missing Cartridges" error.

Insert the cartridges one by one, starting with black, and check for errors.

Verify Cartridge Authenticity & Chip Issue

Even though it's a genuine HP cartridge, sometimes bad chips cause detection failures.

If you have another 960XL black cartridge, try swapping it in.

If available, try a non-XL (standard size 960) to see if the issue is related to the XL model.

If the new cartridge suddenly shows as used, the printer may have flagged it incorrectly.

Kindly refer to this link to update your printer firmware.

Factory Reset (If Nothing Works)

Refer to the steps on this link to restore factory defaults.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,

[AliCon2]

Hi, Kuroi

   Thank you for your reply to HotInCleveland.  It got me further than anything else I read.

   I submitted a new post on 5/4/2025 (AliCon2) about the same issue.  I was able to determine the specific problem when I replaced the Cyn cartridge (tried both 951 and 951XL).  It was the only one that triggered the Printer Failure.  We have a second HP Officejet 8600.  It also experienced the same Printer Failure with the Cyn.  This we even after we put in all a new ink pack with all 4 cartridges.  Are you aware of any production issues with Cyn or can you suggest a workaround?  If we put in the depleted Cyn (that does not cause the Printer Failure message), I cannot even print in black/white.
   Thank you in advance for your help.