Printer will not stop printing,

[JimmyCee2]

Hi, HP Printer Mates:

I have the same issue with my HP OfficeJet Pro 7740, bought a little over a year ago -- juuuust long enough to get me out of warranty. (Serial number: [Personal Information Removed]; Product number:G5J38A). This all-in-one printer (print/fax/scan) worked OK for awhile and then, about 2 weeks ago, while trying to print an ordinary Word document, it printed only about a third of the document -- cutting it off mid-line. And then it printed again -- same incorrect way. Then, again.

I tried several times to get it to print the document correctly, w/o success. But, it kept trying -- even after I thought I had told it to STOP.

Despite selecting the cancel function on the printer screen, it printed it again -- always 1/3 of the document, cut off mid line. I went to the print queue and canceled all print jobs. It printed it again. I've done that 4 times. No dice -- it always returned to the desire to print this same defectively configured Word document.

 The next morning, I came to my home office to discover the 7740 had printed the same defective document 51 times, burning thru the available paper.

I canceled from the printer screen -- probably 40 times by now. I canceled from the computer printer setting screen -- a dozen times or more. No soap -- always returns to printing in this Stephen King novel I have goin' on here.

I updated all drivers. No change. I ran the HP Scan Doctor. No good. Kept printing. I unplugged and replugged power. Same issue returned. Every time the HP Scan Doctor would tell me that they had finished their scan and--having "fixed all issues" -- they would invite me to print a test page, nothing would print and I would so inform them. Their response finally?  "It seems your printer has a serious issue. You are out of warranty so please go to HP Support for more options."

I finally shut off this Jonah and tried to call HP. No human contact out of warranty. When you go to the HP SUPPORT area identified, however, folks like me--out of warranty -- are invited to buy a month of HP Care Pack Support for $19.99 -- which I did.

I bought a 1 month HP Care Pack Agreement Number: EP----------01 for $21 and change, after tax. I called the number for these folks -- no answer. The HP Virtual Agent is of zero assistance. HOW DO I GET A HP PERSON ON THE PHONE TO HELP ADDRESS MY PRINTER'S FAILURE??? This is maddening.

So, I decided to turn to this community. After typing all this, I think I should just take this demon outside and light it up w/ the M-1. Before THAT, though -- anyone have any bright ideas???  -- JimmyCee2

[Repairatrooper]

The blame most likely does not lay at the feet of the printer. Sadly you do not state what operating system you are using but if it is windows based, then you need to clear the print spooler on the computer. Follow these instructions: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/how-to-clear-printer-queue-in-windows-10/7e5ac...

Likely the print job is corrupt and that is the reason that it keeps get sent back because Windows never gets acknowledgement from the printer that the job is finished.

[JimmyCee2]

Hi, Repairatrooper -- THANK YOU for your caring response. I do have an up-to-date Windows-based system to which the 7740 connects via WIFI. I will check your response as soon as I get home. Will let you know whether your suggestion slays the gremlin. -- JimmyCee2

[JimmyCee2]

I did clear the print spooler, as Repairatrooper suggested. This only addressed part of the problem. It did stop the unsought printing but did not solve the printer's inability to print a job properly. I did finally get a HP Care Pack person on the phone who spent 50 minutes with me. He uninstalled the entire printer system software and reinstalled it, pointing out that the drivers for the printer had been corrupted. Then, for some reason, the scanning drivers failed to load on attempt #1 and consequently he had to do it all again. But, when he finished, the printer worked as before. NOTE:  Although the Care Pack info you receive once you buy this service seems to indicate you can call at any time, you can ONLY call during business hours.