Printer Head Error message

[Sandala70]

 

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @Sandala70 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

Thank you for sharing the printer head error message. I understand how disruptive this can be, especially when everything else seems to be in place. 

You’ve already taken the right step by reaching out, and we’ll go through a focused set of actions to help resolve this.

Step-by-step actions to clear printer head error

Power reset the printer

• Turn off the printer and unplug the power cord from both the printer and the wall outlet.
• Wait for 2 minutes.
• Reconnect the power cord directly to a wall outlet (avoid surge protectors).
• Turn the printer back on and check if the error clears.

Check and reseat the printhead

• Open the ink access door and wait for the carriage to stop moving.
• Gently lift the latch holding the printhead in place.
• Carefully remove the printhead and inspect the electrical contacts for ink or debris.
• Reinsert the printhead firmly and close the latch.
• Close the access door and restart the printer.

Clean the printhead contacts

• Use a lint-free cloth lightly dampened with distilled water.
• Gently wipe the copper-colored contacts on the printhead and inside the carriage.
• Allow everything to dry completely before reinserting.

Update printer firmware

• Open the HP App on your Windows PC.
• Go to Settings → Printer Update.
• Install any available updates to ensure the printhead system is properly calibrated.

Run printhead cleaning utility

• On the printer’s control panel, go to Settings → Printer Maintenance → Clean Printhead.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the cleaning cycle.

You’ve already shown great care in monitoring the printer’s behavior. If the error persists after reseating and cleaning the printhead, it may point to a deeper issue with the printhead sensor or ink system. 

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Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye

[Sandala70]

Thanks so much for this I have another issue my printer says it’s busy when I try to do any updates.  I will try the steps you suggested again I had tried before. It would go away and then come back

[Hawks_Eye]

You're very welcome, and thank you for sharing this new detail. 

I understand how frustrating it feels when the printer shows “busy” during updates—it’s like the system is holding you back just when you’re trying to fix it. Since the issue comes and goes, we’ll focus on steps that help stabilize the connection and clear any lingering update blocks.

 

Step 1: Restart Printer and Clear Queues

• Power off the printer and unplug it from the wall for 60 seconds.
• On your PC, press Windows key + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
• Scroll to “Print Spooler,” right-click, and choose “Restart.”
• Clear any stuck jobs from C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS (delete files inside, not the folder).

 

Step 2: Disconnect and Reconnect

• Remove the printer from your PC:
  • Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
  • Select your printer and click “Remove.”
• Reboot your PC.
• Reconnect the printer via USB or Wi-Fi and wait for it to appear in the HP App.

 

Step 3: Use HP App to Check Updates

• Open the HP App.
• Select your printer > Printer Settings > Advanced Settings.
• Look for “Printer Updates” or “Firmware Update.”
• If it says “Busy,” wait 2–3 minutes and try again. If it persists, restart the app and retry.

 

Step 4: Update via Embedded Web Server (EWS)

• Find your printer’s IP address from the control panel or HP App.
• Type the IP into a browser to open the EWS.
• Navigate to Settings > Tools > Printer Updates.
• Apply updates directly from this interface.

When the printer is no longer “busy,” you’ll notice how quickly it responds to update commands—often with a quiet hum or flicker of the display. If the issue returns intermittently, it’s usually tied to background jobs or a stalled spooler, and the steps above help clear that path.

Regards,

Hawks_Eye