Some pages printed in color and some in greyscale on same printjob

[PrinterJammin24]

I have a printer that has been acting very strangely lately and was wondering if someone might have some ideas as to what is going on. 

For starters, one of the large print jobs that was sent to it recently was sent as a color print job, and about 20% of the pages printed in greyscale while the others printed in color. The printer was not out of toner for any of the drums. What could even cause something like this to happen within the same print job? It's one thing if one print job printed in color and the next job came out in greyscale, but I have never encountered a situation where it prints in both color and greyscale within the same print job.

Another thing that happened that was very strange was that for a couple of weeks, completely at random, a print job would have one half of one of the pages print out on a completely different page. It hasn't happened in a few weeks but it was happening at random to anyone who printed from that printer.

Lastly we had one time where one person tried printing, and the print job was sent to the printer, but it didn't do anything. Another person tried from a different computer and it printed ~20 of the 65 pages of the print job and then stated it was complete. Then a third person tried on a third computer and it printed the full job.

We do use a print server, but none of the other 50+ printers have any issues like this. I am thinking of getting someone out to service it, but I am not sure even what to request because the issues are random and dont happen all of the time.

[Sneha_01]

Hi @PrinterJammin24 

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

It sounds like your printer is experiencing some complex issues, especially since they are intermittent and affect different users and print jobs. Here are some potential causes and troubleshooting steps you can take:

1. Driver Issues:

• Update Drivers: Ensure that all computers using the printer have the latest drivers installed. Outdated or corrupted drivers can cause printing anomalies.
• Reinstall Drivers: If issues persist, try uninstalling and reinstalling the printer drivers on the affected machines.

2. Print Server Configuration:

• Check Print Server Settings: Since you're using a print server, verify that the print server settings are configured correctly. Sometimes, a misconfiguration can lead to erratic printing behavior.
• Monitor Print Jobs: Use print server logs to check for any errors or inconsistencies when print jobs are sent.

3. Printer Firmware:

• Update Firmware: Ensure the printer’s firmware is up to date. This can resolve bugs and improve performance.

4. Print Job Settings:

• Check Print Preferences: Verify that the print settings on each user’s machine are set to the desired output (color or grayscale) before sending jobs. Users may inadvertently change settings.
• Test Print from Different Applications: Sometimes, specific applications can cause formatting issues. Test printing from different applications to see if the issue persists.

5. Network Issues:

• Connectivity: Ensure that the printer has a stable network connection. Intermittent connectivity can cause incomplete print jobs.
• Print Spooling: Check if print spooling is enabled and functioning correctly. Sometimes, clearing the print spooler can resolve issues.

6. Random Print Errors:

• Inspect Printer Logs: If your printer has logging capabilities, check the logs for errors or unusual activity that may indicate hardware problems.
• Perform Regular Maintenance: Ensure that the printer is maintained properly, including cleaning the print heads and checking for any physical blockages or wear.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

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Rachel571

HP Support