banding, missing letters

[mimbrava]

I just started noticing banding when printing color images that are part of web pages (not photos; I assume they'll print poorly on photo paper as well if the printer is malfunctioning with standard printing).  I ran a diagnostic, but the report is virtually illegible. I checked the print heads and did an alignment, and the diagnostic report is still illegible. What else can I do to get this printer to work properly again? My luck that it has broken just a month after the warranty ran out, whereas my HP LaserJet has been functioning well for more than a decade). Thanks in advance for your advice.

[DavidSMP]

@mimbrava,

Good Day.  Thank you for taking an interest in the HP community. I will be glad to assist you and let’s get right to it Fabulous description and superb analysis of the issue. It is amply appreciated.

Let me gather some information for better clarity to assist you correctly:

• Did this happen after a power outage or surge?
• Did you change ink cartridges and check again?

Furnish all the requested information for me to assist you correctly.

Meanwhile, I will be providing a roadmap with some troubleshooting steps to resolve the issue. Let us try these steps:

• It looks like a hardware issue with the printer or the ink cartridge and one of them might need to be replaced. I am being honest about it here by keeping your best interest in mind.
• Perform a hard reset on the printer from this link: https://support.hp.com/us-en/product/hp-envy-4520-all-in-one-printer-series/5447920/document/c004898...  perform steps from the section “Step 1: Reset the printer

• Then update the printer’s firmware by following instructions from this link: https://support.hp.com/bg-en/document/c02919168
• Use a USB cable to update the printer’s firmware.

Then from this link: https://support.hp.com/us-en/product/hp-envy-4520-all-in-one-printer-series/5447920/document/c047184... (HP Printers - Black or Color Ink Not Printing, Other Print Quality Issues) perform all the relevant steps if it has not been done by you already.

• Study the print quality diagnostics report and check for faded or missing colors.
• Identifying and replacing the faulty cartridge should resolve the issue provided the printer’s hardware is not faulty. Otherwise, the printer needs to be replaced.
• Now check for issue resolution, If it continues, I will send you a private message to assist you with the next course of action. Check your forum private message box in the upper right corner next to the bell icon.

Good luck and keep me posted about the developments. If this helps, please mark this as “Accepted Solution” as it will help several others with the same issue and give the post a Kudos for my efforts to help. Thank you and have a great week ahead. 🙂

[mimbrava · Accepted solution]

Thank you, David, for your compliments and detailed reply. However, after I'd done all the diagnostics and couldn't even read the printouts, I simply took them and the printer to Best Buy's Geek Squad, and I got the HP Envy 5055 in exchange, no questions asked. Though the HP warrantee had run out a month ago, the Geek Squad protection plan had not, so I got the new printer and a new 2-year protection plan. (I wouldn't have been able to upate the firmware because I don't have a USB cable.)

Just fyi, I was unable to install the 5055 using 123.com on my iMac (or whatever that site was), but I was able to using my iPhone. I actually had to temporarily move the printer closer to my computer so it would be closer to the Bluetooth connection (though the other printer didn't require that for installation), and once it was done, I moved it back and there's no problem so far with my connection.

I also join other reviewers in not liking that it virtually MADE me register for an Instant Ink plan; however, it picked up on my old plan, which was the free one, so no harm was done. Too bad the 7 pages I used for diagnostics for the old printer were counted against the total allowed and carried forward into the stats for the 5055.

Again, thank you. It's good to know the discussion board is peopled by knowledgeable folks like you.

[DavidSMP]

@mimbrava,

I am happy for you. It is awesome to have you back.

Take care and have a lovely weekend. 🙂