HP Officejet Pro 8600 - Now won't print in Black Ink Only!

[ErinB23]

After reading through this thread again, I think the overwhelming problem here is that the HP printer itself does not allow printing when any cartridges have ran out. It doesnt matter if it's the yellow, black or whatever.

People tend to do their research before buying printers these days because of the cost of running and inks etc. HP and third party sellers are giving out false advice / information by telling people the printer will print Black Only when the other inks have ran out. As we've all experienced, this is NOT the case!

If HP were a half decent company they would be advising that all cartridges must be installed and contain ink before the printer will print at all. There should even be a warning on the box. But if there were a warning on the box, then nobody would be stupid enough to buy it in the first place.

HP have become renowned for their money grabbing, unfair and uneconomic practices towards their customers over the years. Lets just be happy that we have all learned our lessons and are wiser now.

We shall avoid HP products forever more and all live happily ever!

[Realtor7451]

I just went through this entire thread. 

Unfortunately, I am experiencing the same problem described by MANY other faithful HP customers. 

I am a real estate agent. I literally almost lost a client and a transaction thanks to this absolute **bleep**. 

I have a black ink cartridge that is over 75% full. I have contracts that had to be printed. It won't let me print because my Cyan cartridge is empty. 

I had to drive an hour and 15 minutes out of my way to go to my office and then out to meet client to get this paperwork ready. 

There is absolutely no excuse for this. I have owned and currently own several HP desktop and laptop computers as well as printers. My current HP Office Jet Pro 8600 Plus is the ONLY printer I have EVER owned that won't let me print black only text documents when a color cartridge is empty. 

I can't help but notice the HP support staff on here chose to private message others about this problem rather than publicly provide a solution. Would have been nice to find a driver update link on here that enabled the simply solution I need. But there isn't one, and now I have to take EVEN MORE time out of my schedule to come on here and ask for one. 

I need an HP rep to contact me immediately to provide me with whatever solution I need to get my printer working and printing black and white documents again as soon as possible. 

I will absolutely NOT be buying any color cartridges until I know that I have a printer that will print in black when I have black. I don't want to have to get a new printer. If I do I will take this issue as far up the chain as needed to get my money refunded along with an applogy. I hope I don't need to do that.

Until now I have had nothing but wonderful things to say about HP. I've faithfully used their products personally and for my businesses. Please reaffirm my faith in your products. Don't make me regret the years of faithful use and all the times I happily recommended you to others. 

You can message me publicly or directly on here, or you can send me an email to [Personal Information Removed]. Also feel free to reach out to me that way to get a phone number to contact me as well. One way or another we need to get a solution to this problem. 

Thank you in advance for your prompt response and dilgence in ensuring you keep your loyal customer working!

[ddm1960]

Threw away my HP printer in August 2014 for this reason.  Have not bought another HP product since.   Very happy with Life without HP.  Printers are cheap, Ink is expensive.  Highly recommend this solution.

[ddm1960]

Soooooo, Just discovered one of my business locations is still using HP officejet 8600.  I told them to throw it away and go get a new printer.  They asked why and I said I wanted them to have a printer that could print in black only.  They told me this printer could, that they were out of yellow ink at the moment.  Printed something and low ink warning came up, then a proceed in black ink only option came up.

This thread is over 2 years old and supposedly monitored.  I would have thought an available update would have been posted. 

I don't know how to update and don't especially care but HP, you saved this machine from going in the trash however and whenever you did the update. 

[Looksha]

I am still using my Officejet Pro 8600 Plus, and many months ago I started getting the black only option when I run out of a single color.  I am content.  

[SCREW1]

Ok I literally made an account here just to say this.

DEAR HEWLETT PACKARD:

I'm sitting in my room right now looking at a screen on my printer that says I can't print a black and white document because I'm missing a cyan catridge.  Now lets take a moment to consider that this is the first time I've ever seen this on a printer.  Printing in black ink only is not a new idea, so you can use whatever language you want but do not tell me that this is an inherent problem with printers.  Now it seems to me there are 2 possible issues here:

A.  You didn't bother to make the option available in the printer software and are now lying about your intentions in order to make more money.

B.  You intentionally made this impossible while designing the printer and are now refusing to admit it in order to make more money.

To whatever poor, poor minion that is forced to read this I hope you use whatever power you have to help this situation.

Since I know this is likely never going to be dealt with, here's to the death of HP, another corporation treating their customers like dogs. 

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[Flana]

Really? Go to devices? Where? If you dont have full information just dont assume that we will know what you are talking about...

[jvazcarvalho]

I've paid near the double of the money for this printer than I could have paid for an Epson. Why? Because I had a previuos model of an officejet that allowed me to print black when all the other color cartridges were dead dry. These crapy printer needs colors all the time. If this isn't a scheme to sell more ink cartridges than it must be stupidity. I've made my math and because I need to buy all the colors and the black cartridge (about 60 euros), I'll just buy a new printer - FROM ANOTHER MAKER - without colors and use this trash only as scanner. HP policies are getting worst every year and completely shameless. No respect for the customers, the same greedy hunt for the profits.

[andyca]

Ok - so someone at HP is monitoring this thread enough to remove my post when I try to make light of this ridiculous situation.

But no one from HP is going to look into the actual issue we are all reporting?

[Looksha]

Actually, for my HP OfficejetPro 8600 Plus, the problem went away.  If a color cartridge runs out, I am given the option of printing black only, and it works.    It would help if HP would let us know what they are doing, and that there is a good driver available for those that still have the problem.