HP Color LaserJet CM2320nf User Manual

							
Solve image-quality problems
Print problems
Print quality problems
Occasionally, you might encounter problems with print quality. The information in the following sections
helps you identify and resolve these issues.
NOTE:If you are having copy problems, see Copy problems on page 227.
General print quality issues
The following examples depict Letter-size paper that has passed through the product short-edge first.
These examples illustrate problems that would affect all of the pages that you print, whether you print
in color or in black only. The topics that follow list the typical cause and solution for each of these
examples.
ProblemCauseSolution
Print is light or faded.The media might not meet
HP specifications.Use media that meets HP specifications.
Do not use inkjet paper.
One or more print cartridges might be
defective.Print the Supplies status page to check
the remaining life. See Information pageson page 168.
Replace any low print cartridges. See
Print cartridge on page 185 .
The product is set to override the
Replace [color] cartridge  message and
to continue printing.Replace any low print cartridges. SeePrint cartridge on page 185 .
Toner specks appear.The media might not meet HP
specifications.Use media that meets HP specifications.
The paper path might need cleaning.Clean the paper path. See Clean the
product on page 191.
Dropouts appear.A single sheet of print media might be
defective.Try reprinting the job.
The moisture content of the paper is
uneven or the paper has moist spots on
its surface.Try different paper, such as high-quality
paper that is intended for color laser
printers.
The paper lot is flawed. The
manufacturing processes can cause
some areas to reject toner. Try different paper, such as high-quality
paper that is intended for color laser
printers.
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ProblemCauseSolution
Vertical streaks or bands appear on the
page.
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One or more print cartridges might be
defective.Print the Supplies status page to check
the remaining life. See 
Information pageson page 168
.
Replace any low print cartridges. See
Print cartridge on page 185 .
The product is set to override the
Replace [color] cartridge  message and
to continue printing.Replace any low print cartridges. SeePrint cartridge on page 185 .
The amount of background toner
shading becomes unacceptable.Very dry (low humidity) conditions can
increase the amount of background
shading.Check the device environment.
One or more print cartridges might be
defective.Replace any low print cartridges. SeePrint cartridge on page 185.
The product is set to override the
Replace [color] cartridge  message and
to continue printing.Replace any low print cartridges. See
Print cartridge on page 185 .
Toner smears appear on the media.The media might not meet HP
specifications.Use media that meets HP specifications.
If toner smears appear on the leading
edge of the paper, the media guides are
dirty, or debris has accumulated in the
print path.Clean the media guides.
Clean the paper path. See 
Clean theproduct on page 191.
The toner smears easily when touched.The device is not set to print on the type
of media on which you want to print.In the printer driver, select the  Paper tab
and set  Type is to match the type of
media on which you are printing. Print
speed might be slower if you are using
heavy paper.
The media might not meet HP
specifications.Use media that meets HP specifications.
The paper path might need cleaning. Clean the paper path. See Clean the
product on page 191 .
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ProblemCauseSolution
Marks repeatedly appear at even
intervals on the printed side of the page.The device is not set to print on the type
of media on which you want to print.In the printer driver, select the Paper tab
and set  Type is to match the type of
paper on which you are printing. Print
speed might be slower if you are using
heavy paper.
Internal parts might have toner on them.The problem typically corrects itself after
a few more pages.
The paper path might need cleaning.Clean the paper path. See Clean theproduct on page 191 .
The fuser might be damaged or dirty.To determine if the fuser has a problem,
open the HP ToolboxFX and print the
print-quality diagnostics page. See
HP ToolboxFX on page 32.
Contact HP Support. See the support
flyer that came in the box.
A print cartridge may have a problem.To determine which cartridge has a
problem, open the HP ToolboxFX and
print the print-quality diagnostics page.
See 
HP ToolboxFX on page 32 .
Marks repeatedly appear at even
intervals on the unprinted side of the
page.Internal parts might have toner on them.The problem typically corrects itself after
a few more pages.
The paper path might need cleaning.Clean the paper path. See Clean theproduct on page 191 .
The fuser might be damaged or dirty.To determine if the fuser has a problem,
open the HP ToolboxFX and print the
print-quality diagnostics page. See
HP ToolboxFX on page 32.
Contact HP Support. See the support
flyer that came in the box.
The printed page contains misformed
characters.The media might not meet HP
specifications.Use a different paper, such as high-
quality paper that is intended for color
laser printers.
If characters are incorrectly formed so
that they produce a wavy effect, the laser
scanner might need service. Verify that the problem also occurs on
the Configuration page. If so, contact
HP Support. See the support flyer that
came in the box.
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ProblemCauseSolution
The printed page is curled or wavy.The device is not set to print on the type
of media on which you want to print.In the printer driver, select the Paper tab
and set  Type is to match the type of
paper on which you are printing. Print
speed might be slower if you are using
heavy paper.
The  Service  menu item  Less paper
curl  is set to  Off.Use the control-panel menus to change
the setting. See Control-panel menuson page 10.
The media might not meet HP
specifications.Use a different paper, such as high-
quality paper that is intended for color
laser printers.
Both high temperature and humidity can
cause paper curl.Check the device environment.
Text or graphics are skewed on the
printed page.The media might be loaded incorrectly.Make sure that the paper or other print
media is loaded correctly and that the
media guides are not too tight or too
loose against the stack. See 
Load paperand print media on page 59.
The media might not meet HP
specifications.Use a different paper, such as high-
quality paper that is intended for color
laser printers.
The printed page contains wrinkles or
creases.The media might be loaded incorrectly.Verify that the media is loaded correctly
and that the media guides are not too
tight or too loose against the stack. See
Load paper and print media on page 59.
Turn over the stack of paper in the input
tray, or try rotating the paper 180° in the
input tray.
The media might not meet HP
specifications.Use a different paper, such as high-
quality paper that is intended for color
laser printers.
Toner appears around the printed
characters.The media might be loaded incorrectly.Turn over the stack of paper in the tray.
If large amounts of toner have scattered
around the characters, the paper might
have high resistivity. Use a different paper, such as high-
quality paper that is intended for color
laser printers.
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ProblemCauseSolution
An image that appears at the top of the
page (in solid black) repeats farther
down the page (in a gray field).Software settings might affect image
printing.In your software program, change the
tone (darkness) of the field in which the
repeated image appears.
In your software program, rotate the
whole page 180° to print the lighter
image first.
The order of images printed might affect
printing.Change the order in which the images
are printed. For example, have the lighter
image at the top of the page, and the
darker image farther down the page.
A power surge might have affected the
device.If the defect occurs later in a print job,
turn the device off for 10 minutes, and
then turn on the device to restart the print
job.
Solve issues with color documents
This section describes issues that can occur when you print in color.
ProblemCauseSolution
Only black is printing when the document
should be printing in color.Color mode is not selected in your
program or printer driver.Select color mode instead of grayscale
mode.
The correct printer driver might not be
selected in the program.Select the correct printer driver.
The device might not be correctly
configured.Print a Configuration page (seeInformation pages on page 168). If no
color appears on the Configuration page,
contact HP Support. See the support
flyer that came in the box.
One or more colors are not printing, or
are inaccurate.Sealing tape might be on the print
cartridges.Verify that the sealing tape has been
completely removed from the print
cartridges.
The media might not meet HP
specifications.Use a different paper, such as high-
quality paper that is intended for color
laser printers.
The device might be operating in
excessively humid conditions.Verify that the device environment is
within humidity specifications.
One or more print cartridges might be
defective.Replace any low print cartridges. SeePrint cartridge on page 185 .
The product is set to override the
Replace [color] cartridge  message and
to continue printing. Replace any low print cartridges. See
Print cartridge on page 185
.
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ProblemCauseSolution
A color is printing inconsistently after you
load a new print cartridge.Another print cartridge might be
defective.Remove the print cartridge for the color
that is printing inconsistently and reinstall
it.
The product is set to override the
Replace [color] cartridge message and
to continue printing.Replace any low print cartridges. SeePrint cartridge on page 185 .
The colors on the printed page do not
match the colors as they appear on the
screen.
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The colors on your computer monitor
might differ from the device output.See Match colors on page 92
If extremely light colors or extremely dark
colors on screen are not printing, your
software program might interpret
extremely light colors as white or
extremely dark colors as black.If possible, avoid using extremely light or
extremely dark colors.
The media might not meet HP
specifications.Use a different paper, such as high-
quality paper that is intended for color
laser printers.
The finish on the printed color page is
inconsistent.The media might  be  too  rough. Use a smooth paper or print media, such
as a high-quality paper that is made for
color laser printers. Generally, smoother
media produces better the results.
Media-handling problems
Use the information in this section when the product experiences media-handling problems.
Print-media guidelines ●For best results, make sure that the paper is of good quality, and free of cuts, nicks, tears, spots,
loose particles, dust, wrinkles, voids, staples, and curled or bent edges.
● For best-quality printing, use a smooth type of paper. Generally, smoother media produces better
results. .
● If you are unsure what type of paper you are loading (such as bond or recycled), check the label
on the package of paper.
● Do not use media that is designed for inkjet printers only. Use media that is designed for laser
printers.
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●Do not use letterhead paper that is printed with low-temperature inks, such as those used in some
types of thermography.
● Do not use raised or embossed letterhead.
CAUTION:
Failure to follow these guidelines could cause jams or damage to the product.
Solve print-media problems
The following problems with media cause print-quality deviations, jamming, or even damage to the
product.
ProblemCauseSolution
Poor print quality or toner
adhesionThe paper is too moist, too rough, too heavy or
too smooth, or it is embossed or from a faulty
paper lot.Try another kind of recommended paper.
Dropouts, jamming, or curlThe paper has been stored incorrectly.Store paper flat in its moisture-proof wrapping.
The paper has variability from one side to the
other.Turn the paper over.
Excessive curlThe paper is too moist, has the wrong grain
direction, or is of short-grain constructionOpen the rear output bin, or use long-grain
paper.
The paper varies from side-to-side.Turn the paper over.
High fuser temperature is curling the paper.Turn on the  Less paper curl  setting.
At the control panel, press  Setup, use the
arrow buttons to select  Service, and then press
OK . Use the arrow buttons to select  Less paper
curl , press  OK, use the arrow buttons to select
On , and then press  OK.
Jamming, damage to
productThe paper has cutouts or perforations.Use paper that is free of cutouts or
perforations.
Problems with feedingThe paper has ragged edges.Use high-quality paper that is made for laser
printers.
The paper varies from side-to-side.Turn the paper over.
The paper is too moist, too rough, too heavy or
too smooth, has the wrong grain direction, or is
of short-grain construction or it is embossed or
from a faulty paper lot.Try another kind of recommended paper.
Open the rear output bin, or use long-grain
paper.
Print is skewed (crooked). The media guides might be incorrectly
adjusted. Remove all media from the input tray,
straighten the stack, and then load the media
in the input tray again. Adjust the media guides
to the width and length of the media that you
are using and try printing again.
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ProblemCauseSolution
More than one sheet feeds at
one time.The media tray might be overloaded.Remove all media from the tray, and then
return some of the media to the tray. See 
Loadpaper and print media on page 59.
The media might be wrinkled, folded, or
damaged.Verify that the media is not wrinkled, folded, or
damaged. Try printing on media from a new or
different package.
The media might have been fanned before it
was loaded.Load media that was not fanned. Loosen ream
by twisting paper stack.
Media might be too dry.Load new paper that was stored properly.
The product does not pull
media from the media input
tray. The product might be in manual feed mode.●
If 
Manual feed  appears on the product
control-panel display, press  OK to print
the job.
● Verify that the product is not in manual
feed mode and print your job again.
The pickup roller might be dirty or damaged.Contact HP. See www.hp.com/support/CM2320series
 or the support flyer that came in
the product box.
The paper-length adjustment control in tray 2
or optional tray 3 is set at a length that is
greater than the media size. Adjust the paper-length adjustment control to
the correct length.
Performance problems
Try the tips in this section if pages exit the product, but have nothing printed on them, or when the product
does not print any pages.
ProblemCauseSolution
Pages print but are totally
blank.
The sealing tape might still be in the print
cartridges.Verify that the sealing tape has been
completely removed from the print cartridges.
The document might contain blank pages.Check the document that you are printing to
see if content appears on all of the pages.
The product might be malfunctioning.To check the product, print a configuration
page. See Information pages on page 168
.
Certain media types can slow the print job. Print on a different type of media.
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ProblemCauseSolution
Pages did not print. The product might not be pulling mediacorrectly.See Media-handling problems on page 224.
The media might be jamming in the product.Clear the jam. See Clear jams on page 207.
The USB cable or the network cable might be
defective or incorrectly connected. ● Disconnect the cable at both ends and
reconnect it.
● Try printing a job that has printed in the
past.
● Try using a different USB or network
cable.
● Verify that you are using a certified USB
2.0 cable.
The product IP address might have been
changed.From the control panel, print a configuration
page. Confirm the IP address with that listed in
the 
Product setting  dialog box.
The product might not be set up as the default
printer.Open the Printers or Printers and Faxes
dialog box, right click the product, and then
click  Set as Default Printer .
The product might have encountered an error.Check the control panel for an error message.
See Control-panel messages on page 203.
The product might be paused or offline.Open the  Printers or Printers and Faxes
dialog box, and verify that the product status is
Ready. If it is Paused, right-click the product
and click  Resume Printing .
The product might not be receiving power.Check the power cord and verify that the
product is turned on.
Other devices are running on your computer. The  product might not share a USB port. If you
have an external hard drive or network
switchbox that is connected to the same port
as the product, the other device might be
interfering. To connect and use the product,
disconnect the other device or use two USB
ports on the computer.
Copy problems
Prevent copy problems
The following are a few simple steps you can take to improve copy quality:
● Copy from the flatbed scanner. This will produce a higher quality copy than copying from the
automatic document feeder (ADF).
● Use quality originals.
● Load the media correctly. If the media is loaded incorrectly, it might skew, causing unclear images
and problems with the OCR program. See 
Load paper and print media on page 59
 for instructions.
● Adjust the control panel settings for the type of original if the automatic settings do not produce the
desired result.
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NOTE:Verify that the media meets HP specifications. If the media meets HP specifications, recurring
feed problems indicate the pickup roller or separation pad is worn. Contact HP. See 
www.hp.com/
support/CM2320series  or the support flyer that came in the product box.
Image problems
ProblemCauseSolution
Copy edges are cropped when
copying from the glassThe original is edge-to-edge or has smaller
margins than those supported by this
product.Position the original 6.35 mm (1/4 inch)
away from the registration corner on the
glass. This product does not print edge-to-
edge, so all copies will have a border.
Copy edges are cropped when
copying from the ADFThe original is too long, edge-to-edge, or has
smaller margins than those supported by
this product.On the control panel, press  Copy setup. Use
the arrow buttons to select  Reduce/
Enlarge  and press  OK. Use the arrow
buttons to select  Full Page=91% and press
OK . Try copying again.
Images are missing or faded.The print-cartridge might be low.Replace any low print cartridge and then
calibrate the product. See Print cartridgeon page 185 .
The original might be of poor quality.If your original is too light or damaged, the
copy might not be able to compensate, even
if you adjust the contrast. If possible, find an
original document in better condition.
Use the control-panel to change the contrast
setting.
The original might have a colored
background.Colored backgrounds might cause images in
the foreground to blend into the background,
or the background might appear in a
different shade. If possible, use an original
document without a colored background.
The original is larger than the scanable areaUse supported media sizes.
Vertical white or faded stripes
appear on the copy.The media might not meet
HP specifications.Use media that meets HP specifications.
See 
Paper and print media on page 53.
One or more of the print cartridges may be
low.Replace any low print cartridge. See Printcartridge on page 185 .
If the error persists, contact HP support.
Unwanted lines appear on copy
jobs only.
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The flatbed scanner or the ADF glass might
be dirty.Clean the flatbed scanner or the ADF glass.
See Clean the product on page 191
.
An image exists on the back of the original,
or defects exist on the scanner cover. On the flatbed scanner, place three sheets
of clean paper on top of the original, close
the flatbed scanner cover, then re-scan the
original.
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