Brother DCP 117C User Manual

							TROUBLESHOOTING AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE   6 - 5
Paper is jammed inside the machine
1Remove the Jam Clear Cover. Pull the jammed paper out of the 
machine.
2Re-insert the Jam Clear Cover.
3If you can not pull out the jammed paper, lift the scanner cover 
from the right-hand side of the machine until it locks securely 
into the open position.
4Remove the jammed paper.
If the paper is jammed underneath the print head, disconnect 
the machine from the power source so you can move the print 
head and take out the paper.
Jam Clear Cover
Scanner Cover
 
						

							6 - 6   TROUBLESHOOTING AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE
5Lift the scanner cover to release the lock. Gently push the 
scanner cover support and close the scanner cover.
 
						

							TROUBLESHOOTING AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE   6 - 7
If you are having difficulty with your machine
If you think there is a problem with your machine, check the chart 
below and follow the troubleshooting tips.
The Brother Solutions Center offers latest FAQs and troubleshooting 
tips.
Visit us at http://solutions.brother.com
DIFFICULTYSUGGESTIONS
Printing Difficulties
No printout Check the interface cable connection on both the machine and your  computer.
One or more ink cartridges are empty. (See  Replacing the ink cartridges 
on page 6-22.)
Check to see if the LCD is showing an error message. (See  Error 
messages  on page 6-1.)
Poor quality print Check the print quality. (See  Checking the print quality on page 6-12.)
Make sure the Printer Driver or Paper Type setting in the menu matches 
the type of paper you are using. (For Windows
® users, see  Media Type  
on page 1-5 in Software User’s Guide on the CD-ROM or for Macintosh® 
users,  Media Type  on page 8-3 in Software User’s Guide on the 
CD-ROM.)
Make sure your ink cartridges are fresh. Cartridges remain fresh for up 
to two years if kept in their original packaging, after that the ink may 
become clogged. Cartridge expiration dates are printed on the package. 
Try using the recommended types of paper. (See  About paper on page 
1-8.) 
The recommended environment for your machine is between 20°C to 33°C.
White horizontal lines appear 
in text or graphics. Clean the print head. (See 
Cleaning the print head on page 6-11.)
Try using the recommended types of paper. (See  About paper on page 
1-8.) 
If horizontal bands appear when using plain paper, use the ‘Enhanced 
Normal Printing’ mode to help avoid banding on some types of plain 
paper. In the printer driver ‘Basic’ tab, click ‘Settings’, and check 
‘Enhanced Normal Printing’.
If you continue to have horizontal bands, change the Media Type 
selection to ‘Slow Drying Paper’ in the printer driver ‘Basic’ tab to help 
enhance the print quality.
The machine prints blank 
pages. Clean the print head. (See 
Cleaning the print head on page 6-11.)
Characters and lines are 
stacked. Check the printing alignment. (See 
Checking the printing alignment on 
page 6-14.)
Printed text or images are 
skewed. Make sure the paper is loaded properly in the paper tray and the paper 
side guide is adjusted correctly. (See 
How to load paper, envelopes and 
post cards  on page 1-13.)
 
						

							6 - 8   TROUBLESHOOTING AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE
Smudged stain at the top 
center of the printed page. Make sure the paper is not too thick or not curled. (See 
About paper on 
page 1-8.)
Printing appears dirty or ink 
seems to run. Make sure you are using the proper types of paper. (See 
About paper 
on page 1-8.) Don’t handle the paper until the ink is dry.
Stains appear on the reverse 
side or at the bottom of the 
page. Make sure the Printer Platen is not dirty with ink. (See 
Cleaning the 
machine printer platen  on page 6-20.)
Make sure you are using the paper support flap. (See  How to load 
paper, envelopes and post cards  on page 1-13.)
There are some dense lines. Check ‘Reverse Order’ in the Basic tab of the printer driver.
The printouts are wrinkled. In the printer driver ‘Basic’ tab, click the ‘Settings’, and uncheck the  ‘Bi-Directional Printing’.
Cannot perform ‘2 in 1 or 4 in 1’ 
printing. Check that the paper size setting in the application and in the printer 
driver are the same.
Print speed is too slow. Changing the printer driver setting may improve the print speed.  Highest resolution needs longer data processing, transfer and printing 
time. Try the other settings of quality in the printer driver ‘Basic’ tab. 
Also, click the ‘Settings’ tab, and make sure you uncheck the Colour 
Enhancement.
Borderless printing is slower than normal printing. If you want to print 
more quickly, set the Borderless feature off. For Windows
®, see 
Borderless  on page 1-5 in Software User’s Guide or for Macintosh® 
Page Setup  on page 8-7 in Software User’s Guide on the CD-ROM.
Colour Enhancement is not 
working properly. If the image data is not full colour in your application (Such as 256 
colour), Colour Enhancement will not work. Please use at least 24 bit 
colour data with the Colour Enhancement feature.
The machine feeds multiple 
pages. Make sure the paper is loaded properly in the paper tray. (See 
How to 
load paper, envelopes and post cards  on page 1-13.)
Check that more than two types of paper are not loaded in the paper tray 
at any one time.
Printed pages are not stacked 
neatly. Make sure you are using the paper support flap. (See 
How to load 
paper, envelopes and post cards  on page 1-13.)
The machine does not print 
from Paint Brush. Try setting the Display setting to ‘256 colours’.
The machine  does not print 
from Adobe Illustrator. Try to reduce the print resolution.
Copying Difficulties 
Poor copy results when using 
the ADF. (DCP-120C only) Try using the scanner glass. (See 
Using the scanner glass on page 1-7.)
Vertical streaks appear in 
copies. Sometimes you may see vertical streaks on copies. Clean the scanner. 
(See 
Cleaning the scanner  on page 6-19.)
Scanning Difficulties 
Poor scanning results when 
using the ADF. (DCP-120C 
only) Try using the scanner glass. (See 
Using the scanner glass on page 1-7.)
TWAIN/WIA errors appear 
while scanning. Make sure the Brother TWAIN/WIA driver is selected as the primary 
source. In PaperPort
®, click Scan in the File menu and select the 
Brother TWAIN/WIA driver.
DIFFICULTYSUGGESTIONS
 
						

							TROUBLESHOOTING AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE   6 - 9
Software Difficulties 
Cannot install software or print Run the Repair MFL-Pro Suite program on the CD-ROM. This program 
will repair and reinstall the software.
‘Device Busy’ Make sure the machine is not showing an error message on the LCD.
PhotoCapture Center
™ Difficulties
Removable Disk does not 
work properly. a) Have you installed the Windows® 2000 update?
If not, do the following:
1. Disconnect the USB cable.
2. Install the Windows
® 2000 update. Please see the Quick Setup 
Guide. After the installation the PC will be automatically restarted.
3. Wait about 1 minute after you reboot the PC, and then connect the 
USB cable.
b) Take out the media card and put it back in again.
c) If you have tried “Eject” from within Windows
®, you must take out the 
media card before you continue.
d) If an error message appears when you try to eject the media card, it  means the card is being accessed.
Wait a while and then try again.
e) If all of the above do not work, please turn off your PC and machine,  and then turn them on again. 
(You will have to unplug the power cord of the machine to turn it off.)
Cannot access Removable 
Disk from Desktop icon. Make sure you have inserted the media card into the media slot.
Network Difficulties (DCP-315CN only)
I cannot print over the network. Make sure that your machine is powered on and is On Line and in  Ready mode. Print Network Configuration list. (See  Printing reports on 
page A-1.) Then the current settings of the network are printed. 
Reconnect the LAN cable to the hub to verify that the cabling and 
network connections are good. If possible, try connecting the machine 
to a different port on your hub using a different cable. If you have good 
connections,  the machine will show  LAN Active for 2 seconds.
The network scanning feature 
does not work. (For Windows
® users only) Firewall setting on your PC may be rejecting 
the necessary network connection. Follow the instructions below to 
disable the Firewall. If you are using a personal Firewall software, see 
the User’s Guide for your software or contact the software 
manufacturer.

1. Click the ‘Start’ button, ‘Settings’, ‘Control Panel’ and then 
‘Windows Firewall’. Make sure that Windows Firewall on the ‘Basic’ 
tab is set to On.
2. Click the ‘Exceptions’ tab and ‘Add port’ button.
3. Enter any name, port number (54295 for network scanning and 
54926 for PC-Fax receiving), select ‘UDP’ and click ’OK’.
4. Make sure if the new setting is added and is checked, and then click 
‘OK’.
For Windows
® XP SP1 users, please visit the Brother Solutions Center.
The network PC-Fax feature 
does not work.
Your computer cannot find 
your machine.

Firewall setting on your PC may be rejecting the necessary network 
connection. For detail, see the instruction above.

Re-select your machine in the DeviceSelector application located in 
Macintosh HD/Library/Printers/Brother/Utilities or from the mode l of 
ControlCenter2.
Other Difficulties
Incorrect LCD language See  How to change LCD language on page 6-10.
I cannot see the LCD clearly. Change the contrast settings. (See  How to improve the LCD viewing on 
page 6-10.)
DIFFICULTYSUGGESTIONS
 
						

							6 - 10   TROUBLESHOOTING AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE
How to change LCD language
You can change the LCD language.
1Press Menu.
2Press   or   to select  0.Initial Setup.
Press 
Set.
3Press   or   to select  0.Local Language.
Press 
Set.
4Press   or   to select your language.
Press 
Set.
5Press Stop/Exit.
How to improve the LCD viewing
You can adjust the LCD contrast for a sharper and more vivid 
display. If you are having difficulty seeing the LCD from your position, 
try to change the contrast settings for improved viewing.
1Press Menu.
2Press   or   to select  0.Initial Setup.
Press 
Set.
3Press   or   to select  2.LCD Contrast.
Press 
Set.
4Press   or   to select  Dark (or Light ).
Press 
Set.
5Press Stop/Exit.
Setting the Beeper Volume
You can change the beeper volume. The default (factory) setting is 
Low.  When the beeper is on, the machine will beep when you press 
a key or make a mistake.
1Press Menu.
2Press   or   to select  0.Initial Setup.
Press 
Set.
3Press   or   to select  3.Volume.
Press 
Set.
4Press   or   to select your option. 
(Low , Med , High  or Off )
Press 
Set.
5Press Stop/Exit.
 
						

							TROUBLESHOOTING AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE   6 - 11
How to improve print quality
Cleaning the print head
To ensure good print quality, the machine will regularly clean the 
print head. You can start the cleaning process manually if needed.
Clean the print head and ink cartridges if you get a horizontal line in 
the text or graphics on your printed pages. You can clean Black only 
or three colours at a time (Cyan/Yellow/Magenta), or all four colours 
at once.
Cleaning the print head consumes ink. Cleaning too often uses ink 
unnecessarily.
Caution
Do NOT touch the print head. Touching the print head may cause 
permanent damage and may void the print head’s warranty.
1Press  (Ink Management).
2Press   or   to select Cleaning.
Press 
Set.
3Press   or   to select  Black, Color  or All .
Press 
Set.
The machine will clean the print head. When cleaning is 
finished, the machine will go back to standby mode 
automatically.
If you clean the print head at least five times and the print has 
not improved, call your Brother dealer for service.
 
						

							6 - 12   TROUBLESHOOTING AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE
Checking the print quality
If faded or streaked colours and text appears on your output, some 
of the nozzles may be clogged. You can check this by printing the 
Print Quality Check Sheet and looking at the nozzle check pattern.
1Press  (Ink Management).
2Press   or   to select  Test Print.
Press 
Set.
3Press   or   to select  Print Quality.
Press 
Set.
4Press Colour Start.
The machine begins printing the Print Quality Check Sheet.
5Follow the instructions given on the sheet to see if the quality is 
OK.
Colour  block quality check
The LCD shows:
6Check the quality of the four colour 
blocks on the sheet.
7If all lines are clear and visible, press  ( Yes ) and go to 
Step 10.
— OR —
If you can see missing short lines as shown below, 
press  ( No).
The LCD will ask you if the print 
quality is OK for black and three 
colours. OK Poor
Is Quality OK?
▲ Yes ▼ No
Black OK?
▲ Yes ▼ No
 
						

							TROUBLESHOOTING AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE   6 - 13
8Press  (No ) for black or three 
colours with a problem.
The LCD shows:
Press 
 ( Yes ). The machine will start cleaning the print head.
9After cleaning is finished, press Colour Start. The machine will 
start printing the Print Quality Check Sheet again and then 
return to Step 5.
10Press Stop/Exit.
If you still see missing ink in this Print Quality Check Sheet, repeat 
the cleaning and test print procedures at least five times. If ink is still 
missing after the fifth cleaning and test print, replace the ink cartridge 
for the clogged colour. (Perhaps the ink cartridge was in your 
machine over six months or the expiration date written on the 
cartridge package has passed. Or, the ink may not have been stored 
properly before use.)
After replacing the ink cartridge, check it by printing another Print 
Quality Check Sheet. If the problem still exists, repeat the cleaning 
and test print procedures at least five times for the new ink cartridge. 
If ink is still missing, call your Brother dealer for service.
Caution
Do NOT touch the print head. Touching the print head may cause 
permanent damage and may void the print head’s warranty.
When a print head nozzle is 
clogged the printed sample 
looks like this. When the print head nozzle 
is cleaned, the horizontal 
lines are gone.
Start Cleaning?
▲ Yes ▼ No
 
						

							6 - 14   TROUBLESHOOTING AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE
Checking the printing alignment
You should rarely need to adjust the printing alignment however, if 
after transporting the machine your printed text becomes blurred or 
images become faded then adjustment may need to be made.
1Press  (Ink Management).
2Press   or   to select  Test Print.
Press 
Set.
3Press   or   to select  Alignment.
Press 
Set.
4Press Mono Start or Colour Start.
The machine begins printing the Alignment Check Sheet.
The LCD shows:
5Check the 600 dpi and 1200 dpi test 
prints to see if number 5 most closely matches number 0. If the 
number 5 sample of both the 600 dpi and 1200 dpi are the best 
matches, press 
 ( Yes ) to finish Alignment Check and go to 
Step 8.
— OR —
If another test print number is a better match for either 600 dpi 
or 1200 dpi, press   ( No) to select it.
6For 600 dpi, press   or  to 
select 
the number of the test print 
that most closely matches the 
number 0 sample (1-8).
Press 
Set.
7For 1200 dpi, press   or  to 
select
 the number of the test print 
that most closely matches the 
number 0 sample (1-8).
Press 
Set.
8Press Stop/Exit.
Is Alignment OK?
▲ Yes ▼ No
600dpi Adjust
Select Best #5
1200dpi Adjust
Select Best #5