Urgent Re: Printer setting up.

[Ann]

Hi can anyone please help a beginner?! I have an HP Photosmart C6180 all-in-one printer which keeps going wrong (ink nozzles clogging, rollers slipping) but has served me well for 4 years and has really taken a hammering so I can't complain. I have now bought another (EXACTLY the same model) good bargain from Ebay (nearly new) so my question is - can I just plug it in as its the same as my old one, or do I have to configure it and download drivers etc ? I'm desperate to know as I have a huge newsletter to print off tonight. Thanks muchly folks ..............any advice welcome!

[tboo]

If it's the same model, you can just switch it over and plug it into where your old one was. Seeing as it's the same model, it won't need new drivers.

[Ann]

Wow thanks tboo - you are brill, so quick! My hubby will try it now - Many thanks!

[tboo]

No problem, good luck!

[Ann]

Thanks will keep you posted!

[Wak]

Ann, Cartridges (usually the colour one) get clogged up by not being used for a few weeks. It pays to either print a small colour photo or 4 lines of print (1 red, 1 blue 1 yellow and 1 black) every two weeks or so just to keep the print head working OK. This will use far less ink than the usual printer cartridge cleaning operation.
Hope this helps with the new printer.

[Ann]

Hi tboo and wak - thanks for the advice! I am getting very stressed - got the printer working just by plugging in the leads (tboo advice) but wouldn't print! After much messing about I found I had to re-start the computer for it to work. Anyway it printed but the new printer has exactly the same problem as my old one - its not picking up the magenta ink so photos are so wishy washy and they have horizontal lines across even when printed in best quality on paper! I have done about 6 printhead cleaning ops and a align printer operation - but nothing changes. I have also cleaned the cartridges (used 3 different ones) and cleaned the contacts! Could it be something to do with the printer drivers my brother has said - but I don't have a clue what to do! Thanks folks!

[scotman]

which software are you printing from?

[Ann]

Do you mean Windows XP scotman - you will have to bear with me please I'm a bit of a "silver surfer" novice!!

[AlBags]

Go here ...
http://h10025.www1.hp...roduct=1153494&task=&
Select Operating System version .. XP or 7, 32 or 64bot and download latest drivers to desktop.
Unplug printer USB.
Open add remove and uninstall the HP current drivers.
Reboot and install latest drivers you downloaded, connecting printer when asked or after driver install.
Reboot and try again!

[Ann]

Albags - o dear I have got everything in a state! Firstly I downloaded the latest drivers (or thought I had) as you instructed via the link. I use Firefox so they come up in a "downloads" box but then suddenly disappeared into cyberspace! They don't appear on my desktop page. Where had they gone? Then I went into control panel to add/remove progs but couldn't see anything which said HP drivers to uninstall .............. so HELP where do I go from here please?

[scotman]

on my FF if you open the Tools drop-down menu and select Options you will get an on-screen form with some tabs. Select General.
You should see, about half-way down this form a section titled 'Save Files to...' This is where any down loads will have gone

[AlBags]

Open Firefox ... Tools .. Options .. General Tab .. under Downloads will say where they will go. Look in there. If it is set to ask, try looking in My Docs.
If you can't find, download again after setting above setting to 'Desktop' Then all future downloads will go there. Then you can move wherever you like, or delete.

In the Start Menu .. Look for HP .. Printer name then an uninstall entry. Try that route.

[AlBags]

In Pprogram Files you are looking for an entry ... HP Photosmart and then an uninstall button. Most HP drivers install entries like that in Add Remove and Start Menu..

[Ann]

Well thanks to you all for your patience and advice - I have actually got it printing again (more by luck than judgement!) I think I have uninstalled and re-installed the drivers (but can't be sure) I held my breath while I printed off a test pic and guess what - the colour quality is just the same - no red hue and still with faint horizontal lines. GRRRR I give up and am going to bed after messing about all evening with it. I will have to wait until my Bruv comes back from holiday on Friday and see if he can help. Thanks again x

[Wak]

One last suggestion, Ann.
If the red is feint and showing horizontal lines then it sounds as if the magenta part of the print head is partially blocked.
Put 1/4" of hot water (not boiling) in a saucer and stand the print head in it until cool. Dab print head on a damp paper tissue to check for magenta ink.
If OK then print a half page of RED TEXT (block capital letters are best) to check for horizontal lines.
If lines still there repeat the above.
Printing the RED text will save the other inks and will not use as much as the cartridge cleaning operation.

[Ann]

Thanks wak - I will try that - sounds good. But can you tell me how to get the print head off, are they the same on all HP models (mine is C6180) and does it pull out or twist out? I tried to poke a wet tissue into the contacts (where the ink cartridge fits) to clean it but it made no difference - is this the print head?.

[AlBags]

Isn't there a help file installed with printer program?
Look here ... Download the HP Print Diagnostic Utility ..
ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib/software12/COL34
513/mp-91788-1/HPPDU.exe

[AlBags]

Copy and paste ..

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib/software12/COL34


513/mp-91788-1/HPPDU.exe

[Wak]

My sincerest apologies, Ann, I thought your printer had the usual three colour cartridge and a black one but I now see that you have a separate cartridge for each colour and the print head must therefore be an internal part of the printer. You obviously won't be able to use the saucer of water, etc but the printing of Coloured TEXT should still work to check if any known blockages have been cleared.

[Wak]

Just wondered if the videos from the following site would help you in any way with your problem?
http://www.printheadhospital.co.uk/howto/