Officejet Pro 8600 (N911a) will not feed photo paper

[idjit]

Yes, all 8600 have this problem I have tried the c410a which has major issues - horrible ink in sponge that dries up and bad wifi connections as well as a million other things.   the 7510 which is also horrid. The 8600 plus when I was told that it's really good and the ink is good lasting and rather smudgeproof (these are actually good qualities)  Then I tried the pro.  

I wanted to do the ocassional photograph print.    I'll tell the secret to mostly get the paper to work at end but when it does work it has some of the worst quality photo prints I've seen in the last 20yrs.

Now I have finally given up and went with Epson WP-4540 (three actually now) and one WF-7520) These are superior machines.   I've now given up completely on HP as every HP I've tried in the last couple of years has had problems but every one I've tried in the past year has been catasrophic.   Their computers I gave up on a little over a year ago when the two new i7 w/ AMD discrete graphics and the one i5 with same all had major issues - this after I decided to give them a chance after the dv9000 series cluster *&#! with the 7000 and 8000 series NVIDIA -- no my laptop should not run at 195-225 degrees thank you very much and complete lack of support and failure to fix any of it.

OK, so how do you fix the printing with heavy paper - you put very little amount of regular stock paper in then very little amount of the Photo or Card Stock paper you want to print with then you bend the last 1/2" slightly to seperate and provide a slight upward curve toward the rubber pick-up pad.   Then start printing and every-so-often you will need to go in, pull out, rebend and start again.

But don't bother - go get an Epson as they are the same ink usage and are rated the same cost per page as such - though did I mention the ink can be found for 2/3 the price of the 8600s or sometimes less (always for the extra lifes)   and the ink is just if not a little more smudge-proof, and the WP-4540 and WF-7520 provide for much better quality text and supurb image quality as well as never having paper handling issues.   Printing the 1st page is almost instantaneous with the Epsons and the 8600 you sit and wait while it does nothing, then while it checks the paper, then while in checks the ink, then while in picks up the paper, then while it thinks about what its going to do.

HP YOU ARE THE WORST COMPUTER AND PERIPHERAL COMPANY ON EARTH!

Go back to your roots or just go away.

[idjit]

Also the 8600 plus I bought one for $225 which at the time was the best price then one at $175 which was again the best price.  Then I tried a pro, a few actually which a friend had and same issues Unsure of the price though it was probably high 200 and he has since returned for epson as well.

The Epsons were on sale roughly the same price - $229 for the WPs and the WF I haven't seen the cost yet but figure it's retail is $299 so it must have been about the same as the older WP $200-$230   I'm not sure I'd advise spending $400 for msrp on the WP but for if you can pick it up for under the cost of the 8600pro and even better same or close to the 8600 plus cost - it's a no-brainer.  

[jl3dg]

All what you said.

I don't even want to sell the crappy printer since I'd be knowingly selling a crappy printer that doesn't print on photo/heavy paper. So, it will probably take up space for a year while I print on a new Epson, and eventually I will get so tired of looking at it I'll sell it at a garage sale for $10 with a note that it only prints on regular paper. Goodbye forever HP.

[Silvercup]

I also have this problem with the 8600 new out of the box.  No, it's not a firmware or software issue.

Here's the test; I disconnect the printer from the computer and the network, so it's standalone.  Then I used the "Help" screen on the printer, and printed the "Demo Page"  Standard paper will feed, photo paper will NOT feed.  Therefore the problem is independent of the software on the computer.  It does not matter which application is printing, and it does not matter the print settings in the print dialogue.  It just won't grab photo paper.

I just tried the "tape solution" mentioned above, and it seemed to help.  But I had to do it a few times.  Also, on principal I feel like the problem should not be there in the first place.  HP had better be reading these posts, because this is no random malfunction.  Too many people are complaining.

[Rumple]

Same here.

Just out of the box.

This printer is Rubbish

Are you listening HP?

[JoernHP]

Link to another thread with plagued 8600 users:

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Post-Install-Printing-Issues-New/HP-OfficeJet-Pro-8600-not-printing-on-...

[Dougster1]

I have the special premium edition and have the same problem. It will not pick up heavy matte photo paper. Glossy paper works. The special brochure paper that came in the box with the printer also works, but no luck with heavy premium matte two -sided photo paper...says "load paper" after rolling around a bit.

[sidcod]

Same problem, and tried all the fixes mentioned with no success.  Finally took photo paper and gently rolled outward so paper is somewhat bowed out on part the feeds first.  Worked. I shouldn't have to "help" the printer feed 😞

[samilara]

Have the same issue with a brand new 8600. Really frustrating. In the end it worked with the trick of rolling the photo paper, really ridiculous to waste so much time, ink, paper, energy...!

[kdorrell]

I also had the problem with the photo papers, but it corrected itself after a few weeks.  It seems that the feed rollers have to be "broken in" by printing a couple of hundred pages before they will pick up the slippery photo paper.  It might be something to do with that chalky surface you sometimes see on new parts.