Top inch or so of content is omitted when page prints

[dickns33]

My HP ENVY 5530 begins its printing at the top of the sheet OK,  but it omits the first inch or so of content (leaving an equivalent blank space at the bottom of the sheet). It does this almost always, but not always; and on all apps   Print Preview always shows the image to be positioned properly. I've run HP EasyStart “successfully” - hasn't helped. Computer's a MacBook Pro 13” late 2011; with OSX 10.11.6.   What now?

[dickns33]

Further to the problem:  I tried feeding sheets one at a time.  Didn't help.  

I tried unplugging the printer,  Also didn't help.  

I've been printing (for years) greeting cards on heavier stock paper.  When I now switched to normal paper, AND printed in Draft mode, some print jobs came out OK.

[Rainbow23 · Accepted solution]

Hi @dickns33,

Welcome to HP Forums, this is a great place to get support, find answers and tips.

Thank you for posting your query. I'll be more than glad to help you.

I understand that you are facing issues with your HP ENVY 5530 e-All-in-One Printer wherein the content on the top inch of the paper gets omitted.

This issue could occur if the driver settings are not correct.

Let's go through a few steps that may help to fix this issue.

And here are a few steps in the link: Print Driver Settings Guide (Mac)

You may also try resetting the printing system by following the link: Resetting the Printing System (Mac)

Let me know how this works.
 

You have a good day ahead.

[dickns33]

 Resetting the printer, as you suggested, worked - THANK YOU .... but only partially.  Evidently there was more than one problem with the paper feed.

After resetting the printer,  the content was no longer truncated... but ONLY when using regular paper.   When I tried printing on card stock (which I've been using for years for greeting cards :  110#, letter-size), the truncating problem was still there.

UNTIL I removed all paper from the tray and fed just the one page to be printed.  Then it worked.  (Never had to do that before.)

I don't know how secure the solution is - the problem's been intermittant and variable in intensity.  Let's see if (hope!) this work-around remains successful.

[Rainbow23]

Hi @dickns33,

You are welcome.

I am happy to know that the issue has resolved.

I also appreciate your time and patience.

Feel free to ask your queries as this forum has some of the best people in the world available and ready to help.

You have a good day ahead.

[dickns33]

Thanks, Rainbow 23, but sadly the problem lives on.  

Having reset the printer as you suggested, and achieved apparent success, I was hopeful but not entierly sure.  The problem's been aroung for a long time, but spasmodically, varying in frequency and degree.  (It's now there ALL the time.)

And sure enough, when I went to print a simple jpb this morning, the top 3/4" on the content was missing (though the visible printing started where it should have at the top of the page.  I then removed all the paper and fed in just one sheet or plain paper - didn't help.

I printed an HP Test Page.   Seems to be OK.

I'd hate to buy a new printer and still have the problem, should it be a flaw in the software connecting the printer to my Mac.  

My son suggested blowing compressed air into the feeding mechanism, in case an optical sensor is blocked.  Do you think that would help?  What else might I try?

[Chimney_83]

Hello @dickns33, I am the @Chimney_83. It looks like you were interacting with @Rainbow23, but he is out of the office today so I'll take over from here.

Thanks for the reply. Are you able to make a copy on the printer without any issues?

Recommend you uninstall the printer software, reset the printing system again. 

Restart your MAC, visit www.hp.com/drivers download and install the latest full feature software for your printer and it will resolve the issue you are facing. 

HP Printers - Uninstalling HP Printer Software (Mac)

HP Printers - Resetting the Printing System (Mac)

Restart your MAC.

Visit www.hp.com/drivers and enter the printer model you are using to find the printer drivers. 

Download and install the latest full feature software on your computer and let me know how it goes. 

Keep me posted. 

[dickns33]

Your instructions worked!  THANK YOU.

But there were/are two issues.  

During the installtion process , "Registration" gave a "Critical Error " message;  said to "Quit and Restart Application".   I did so, twice, same result.  I ran Disk Docter, shut everything down, unplugged the printer, booted it all back up, still got that error message... Then after the third attempt at completing the installation, I decided to abandon registration and check to see if indeed I had any printer connection at all.   I went to yjr System Preferences window and YES, there it was, my ENVY.  I tried it and it works!   No more truncation.  YAY.

BUT....

Now, suddenly, there's a whole new problem I didn't have before.  There are about a dozen white (unprinted) hotizontal stripes running across the top half of the page.  Nearest the top, several of the lines are a milimeter wide.  Further down the page the unprinted thicknesses get thinner and thinner, finally pretty much disappearing.  

Ink supply is good.  So - do I need to clean my ink heads?  Don't want to waste the ink if that might not be the problem.

[dickns33]

Further to my earlier post this evening reporting that the problem of truncated content had been resolved, but that now there was a new problem:  horizontal white (ie unprinted ) lines running across the page.

I just noticed (in case it's useful to your diagnosis) that these white lines do not run the whole width of the page.  They're maybe a third or half the width, centered sometimes right side, sometimes left, sometimes middle.

Vertical spacing between the most noticsble lines (those near the top of the page) is about a quarter inch, but there are very faint lines between those.

My test print was the Sunday NY Times crossword puzzle in b/w draft, chosen because the grid defines the flaws well, and b/w draft to avoid wasting ink.

[Rainbow23]

Hi @dickns33,

Thank you for your reply, I'll be more than glad to help you.

I understand that you are facing print quality issues with the unit wherein there are white (unprinted) horizontal stripes running across the top half of the page.

Please follow the link: Fixing Poor Print Quality

Let me know if this works.

You have a good day ahead.