Printer Failure error after OOBE reset

[ctor2]

After doing an OOBE reset on my Officejet Pro 8600 from the secret menu, the printer won't take print jobs.

In user mode, the printer display shows a Printer Failure. I can scan, but not print or copy. The error message in user mode starts with "there is a problem with the printer or ink system (...)"

In MFG mode, the printer can copy, the display on the printer makes the on-screen interface available. But it won't accept scan or print jobs from the network. except for launching test pages from the web interface.

The web interface and the display (only accessible in MFG mode for the latter) shows the 3 color cartridges nearly empty, although they are genuine, nearly full, and they are from the region where I originally purchased the printer (Europe).

I activated Web Services but it does not cause the printer to update its firmware. It declares itself up to date.

Any suggestion on how to fix this? Is there a way to reset the printer to a working state? Also, I can copy in MFG mode and scan in user mode, so at this stage all I need is to find how to make it accept print jobs from the local network over the ethernet connection. Even if some other functionalities were still degraded, I wouldn't mind that much. I just need to print, scan and copy. Thanks in advance for the help.

[Betty0610]

@ctor2

Welcome to the HP Support Community.

We'll have to perform a reset on the Printer for this. I have sent you a private message, for more details that cannot be shared in a public post.

Please do check your inbox on the forums page for the private message.

Let me know if this helps.

If the information I've provided was helpful, give us some reinforcement by clicking the Accepted Solution button, that'll help us and others see that we've got the answers!

Thanks!

[ctor2]

Thanks Betty but it did not help. After the semi-full reset, I still have the same error message. Is there a way I could reflash the printer?

[Betty0610]

Unfortunately, there isn't an option like that.

I recommend you to contact the HP Support Team regarding this as this could be a hardware issue.

Link: www.hp.com/contacthp/

Note:  Select the country accordingly to get the contact details for support.

If the information I've provided was helpful, give us some reinforcement by clicking the "Accept as solution" button, that'll help us and others see that we've got the answers!

Thanks!

Have a great day!

[ctor2]

I really think it's caused by the OOBE reset... I think what happens if after I did OOBE reset, now none of the other reset options resets the printer software exactly in the state where I bought it in France. I already used about half a black cartridge trying the various resets multiple times. I'll probably have to throw away the printer I guess.

There is a possibility that you're right but if it's a hardware issue, it has to be an overreaching detection or restriction. I know this because in MFG mode, I can print the test pages (and only the test pages), and I can copy. In both cases, the quality is perfectly fine. In fact, if there exists a hack that makes the printer accept print jobs in MFG mode, that would make me very happy if HP would kindly reveal it to me by private message or otherwise.

I bought the printer in France I think in 2013.  I brought it to China in 2014. It worked perfectly fine until 2020 (including one change of cartridge I bought from EU and loaded into the printer while in China). This year, I bought new (and genuine!) cartridges in China, because unfortunately I forgot that the 950XL/951XL cartridges are regionalized in the chip. From this point, the printer started playing tricks on me, and I started fiddling with it (including one unfortunate attempt at OOBE reset). Now I have purchased new cartridges from EU but still no luck, and I really think that is because I did the OOBE reset.

[ctor2 · Accepted solution]

I solved it!!! ... To the extent that I now have a nice little printer... working in degraded mode.

In MFG mode, the printer won't accept print jobs using the IPP and LPD protocols, but, at least in my case, it does print jobs using the Jetdirect protocol on port 9100. Which I could get to work in cups although it was not working out of the box on my system (details would vary for every user I guess).

Now I can scan in user mode, and I can print and copy in MFG mode, the latter being accessible through the secret menu.

Instructions below might be useful in case a community member is stuck like me with a printer which can't print in user mode because of some error, and if no reset options will work. This has worked for me on an HP Officejet Pro 8600:

1) pull the plug on the printer

2) press power button and don't release it

3) re-plug printer to outlet while keeping power button pressed

4) wait 20-30 seconds while still pressing power button

5) release power button, at this stage the screen is still black but the printer has started

6) on the front panel: press home, then back, then home, then home buttons in this sequence... the buttons are not highlighted but this sequence should work. Try it a few times if needed, it's hard when you can't see the buttons. 

7) Select "MFG mode" on my printer it is done with the home button

😎 wait until power button stops bleeping (maybe 10 seconds)

9) press power button once shortly, printer will finish booting in MFG mode. Chances are, your printer won't lockup with an error message such as the ink system error

10) Configure your computer so it sends print jobs to the officejet using the jetdirect protocol on port 9100. Then, it may well be you can still print in MFG mode although even when the printer refuses to print any jobs because of ink system error. This may be worth giving it a try if you are stuck for some other reason, I don't know.

This might be useful to any user who is stuck like me with an overreaching Printer failure (ink system) error in user mode.

@Betty0610, you did not solve my problem... and you suggested that I call support in case of hardware problem. Yeah right. Fortunately there may be a chance for you to make up for it. After all, I am a reasonnably faithful customer who only ever buys genuine ink, and who was given together with his HP printer a small reminder card which tells him he has to buy 950XL and 951XL cartridges... but nowhere on the little card that comes with the printer does it say the cartridges have to be exactly CN045AE, CN046AE, CN047AE and CN048AE, or it will refuse to work, for no good reason. After this little story, and although this was kind of fun to troubleshoot, the customer's pockets are lighter by an amount corresponding to more than one set of black and color cartridges of the aforementioned type. I think a commercial gesture from HP is mandated at this stage. A free cartridge with EU regionalization delivered to me in China would for example definitely mend any hurt feelings that the customer might still be experiencing at this stage. Plus, I helped the community by sharing my troubleshooting steps.

[Echo_Lake]

@ctor2

I am glad to know that you managed to resolve the issue. Please reach out again for any further assistance.
Have a nice day ahead.