Paper too small - error message

[JarvisDS]

My HP Photosmart prints on plain paper just fine, but sometimes when I put in paper that measures identical to plain 8.5" x 11" paper, it refuses to print and gives me an error message that says my paper is too small.  I am trying to print on special "certificate" paper.  When I cancel the print job (as instructed on the error message), the printer easily moves the paper through its roller guides so I know it isn't jamming or anything.  I have no idea how to resolve this.  Please help!

[PrintDoc]

Is the paper white?  Is is pre-printed with something?  If so, it could be throwing off the light/dark paper width sensor.

[JarvisDS]

You are right.  There is a dark pre-printed boarder on the paper.  How do I get the printer to print on it?  Can I disable the sensor for this project? 

[PrintDoc · Accepted solution]

I don't know how to disable it.  You could, however, fool the sensor by putting something over the dark spot (like a piece of white post-it note).  The sensor only measures the paper at the very, very top edge (maybe 5mm from the top), then assumes the paper is the same width along its length.  Fool that area and you will be in business.

[arik1942]

How interesting. I've had a Photosmart 8450 printer for years and had never had this problem until today. Thanks so much for the forum because I wasted little time trying to figure out why my printer wouldn't print the second page of my project before I decided I should try to suss out a solution on here. I inserted a piece of plain white paper and was able to successfully print page 2. Just for fun I tried to print it on a pre-designed paper with a slight border on the edges. Sure enough, I got the printer error message that my paper was too small. I opted out to use plain white and my project is complete!

[mikeindc]

I can understand why people can so upset trying to print non standard documents.  I have a C310 and got it to print an invitationb.  I've gone back to print more USING THE SAME SETTINGS and now get the message that there is paper mismatch.  The document size is right in the program, the document size in the paper setup for the printer is correct.  Gawd, its flustrating.  Why does HP have to always try and make thing idiot prrof so that they then don't work correctly?