Do printers do this to you?

Put in the CD you got with the printer and download the software again. If possible try to find where you can choose to print only black and white and see if it prints out.

You could also turn the empty cartidges warning off
good luck!

You are a technology whiz sunseeker, how did you know my printer did those things

So true

It is not commonly known but printers have an extra bit of software. When you want something to print quickly the printer senses this and the software kicks in to ensure the printer either doesn't print at all, prints gobbledegook or, if you are lucky, prints very slowly. They can also sense frustration which means this extra software goes into overdrive and the printer will have all the lights flashing but nothing will happen.

I took two printers to the rubbish tip yesterday. One was at least 20 years old and still works, a bit slowly, but no usb port and my old laptop which it could connect to has died. That is OK it was free (thrown out by a company I used to work for). However, the other one broke my heart/purse. Only about 4 years old and a very expensive A3 printer. Canon say it is unfixable, what they really mean is 'buy a new one'. Well it will not be a Canon one.

Jane10
My printer is doing the same! Both Gary and technical darling daughter have failed to solve the problem. If you do, please let me know

Worried about saying this in case it hears and decides to be difficult but our HP wireless printer is a marvel. Prints from the pc, iPad, an ancient laptop and if I really want it to from my phone. I have no idea how, it just does! It sits almost on top of our wireless router, so that might help. Maybe? I do agree printers can be the stuff of much head banging in the wall. We've had this one about a year, so far so good. I just hope it doesn't decide to be difficult now.

My 'wireless' printer that is. Not my radio!

My 'wireless' won't print unless I connect it with -guess what?- a wire! At least it works now but I'm probably tempting fate by saying that!

The old IT trick -turn it off and turn it on again?

Computers and printers make me feel like Basil Fawlty and his recalcitrant car - I feel like giving them a damn good thrashing!

I think my Epson printer has come to the end of its days. It won't grab the paper and the rollers make a screaming noise. It's sending my blood pressure into orbit. We are thinking of a wireless printer. Will we be able to send to it from both of our PCs, laptop and tablet? If anyone has any suggestions about how to fix the current one I would be grateful as I dread the trauma of setting up a new system.

I'll second that lefthanded I'm glad an 'expert' agrees with me.

Tried your tip MiniMouse it didn't work.

About 20 years ago I went on a printer connectivity training course at Siemens Head Office in Bracknell. The first thing that the trainer said to us was "Always remember that printers inhabit a parallel universe. Whether they work or don't work is pure chance - nothing to do with anything you do or don't do"

I know that it was said tongue-in-cheek, but I have often thought that there was a grain of truth in it.

I bought a new HP printer last week but I've still to install it. My old 10 year old Lexmark decided to break connection with laptop and iPad and despite reversing everything to factory settings it still refused to cooperate.

The difficulty I'll have is sneaking the old one into the car and taking it to the tip before DH decides to pull it apart to "fix it".

tanith

It's a trick that I picked up from somewhere and is what to do when you use 'compatible' cartridges (I know you said yours were the real deal!) to override the settings.

Good luck!

My printer stopped communicating with my laptop but does with my tablet. I resorted to using a long cable which I have to attach when required, which is a pain.
Fortunately it will continue to work until the ink runs out, which is a long time after the warnings appear.
I hope you manage to sort your problems, they can be so exasperating !

What really bugs me is in my doctors surgery all the doctors/nurses/secretary merely press a print button and without fail it prints out the prescription/advice leaflet/appointment whatever, straight away.. HOW DO THEY DO THAT?

Not tried that one MiniMouse maybe tomorrow, I don't trust myself within throwing distance of it at the moment thanks.

Have you tried holding down the button that is for correcting/stopping the printer (not the power button!) for ten seconds and then setting it up to print again?

Printers are the most unsociable buggers I've ever met. The least thing, and off they flounce refusing to 'talk'to the laptop, like spoilt children. And then, when they decide to communicate, they spew out page after page of the same bank statement.... tax return..... operating instructions for your new piece of technology.... take your pick. And you can shriek, swear, tear out lumps of hair and they take no notice... just keep multiple print-outs cascading onto the floor. And all because you kept pressing 'print' with no result and therefore you have several dozen 'operations' ( don't you just love printer speak) waiting in a queue.
Why can't the geeks at HP, Canon, et al just come up with a printer that prints without behaving like a diva . And don't even start me on the price of cartridges!

Tried the shaking, and the cartridges worked fine last time I used it everything is updated too.
We have 4 separate cassettes and the maintenance mode shows 2 over half and 2 just less than half..

Its very frustrating spending more money when the ink is there I'm sure its something the manufacturers put in place that does this if you haven't used the item for a while.

Ggggrrrrrrrr!!!

Our first printer was always telling us there was no paper when both the cassette and the top feed had plenty of paper. They are such a pain when they play up. Our last three printers have had five ink cassettes - three colours and two black. I have found that to be better - shows which cartridge is getting low.

I know you've tried everything..... and you've probably done this but ink dries out so giving the cartridge a good shake might work.

If that doesn't help it's either a faulty cartridge ( take it back they'll give you you're money back if it's a genuine cartridge). Or it's a hardware problem - have you updated your drivers or uninstalled and reinstalled?

Good luck xx

Anything technological defeats me. At the moment my lap top will not speak to my printer grrrrrr

my printer went on strike , I have no idea how to do anything with it but we had a power cut for just a few monutes and low and behold it churned into life when the power came back on ! I think it was something to do with it being wireless