HP Deskjet 9800 User Manual

Printing a diagnostics page
This page is useful to HP Technical Support if you have a printer problem.
1Make sure the printer is turned on.
2 Press and hold the  P
OWER button, press the RESUME button four times, and then release the
P
OWER button.
The printer prints a diagnostic page.
NOTE You can also print a diagnostics page using  the printer driver. Right-click the printer
icon. Select  Printing Preferences . In the Services  tab, click  Configuration Page .
Printing a diagnostics page  91
 

Resolving printing problems
Printer shuts down unexpectedly
Check power and power connections
Make sure the printer is connected firmly to a functioning alternating current (AC) power outlet. See
Printer specifications and Declaration of Conformity for voltage requirements.
Check printer vents
The printer vents are located on the sides of the  printer. If the vents are covered and the printer
overheats, the printer automatically turns off. Make sure the  vents are not covered and the printer is
in a...

Check printer setup for network environment
Ensure the correct printer driver and printer driver port are being used. For more information about
network connections, see 
Configuring the printer (Windows), Configuring the printer (Mac OS), or the
documentation provided by your network vendors.
Check any personal firewall software installed on the computer
The personal software firewall is a security program that protects a computer from intrusion.
However, the firewall might block communication between...

The printer is rejecting the pen
Poor contact between the print cartridges and print cartridge cradles may cause the pen to be
rejected. When this occurs, try cleaning the electrical  contacts on the print cartridges and print
cartridge cradles:
1 Remove the print cartridge from the printer (see 
Installing or replacing the print cartridges ).
2Clean the electrical contacts on the print cartridge cradle with a dry cotton swab.
94 6  Troubleshooting 
 

3Carefully clean the electrical contacts on the print cartridge with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth.
CAUTION To prevent damage to the electrical contacts, you should wipe the contacts
only once. Do not wipe the ink nozzles on the print cartridge.
4 Reinstall the print cartridge.
Printer takes a long time to print
Check the system configuration
Make sure the computer meets the minimum  system requirements for the printer. See Printer
specifications and Declaration of Conformity.
Verify the number of...

The printer may be in Ink-backup Printing Mode
The printer enters Ink-backup Printing Mode  when one of the print cartridges is removed. Replace
the missing print cartridge with a new one. See 
Changing print settings .
Blank page printed
Check for empty print cartridges
If you are printing black text and a blank page  prints, the black print cartridge might be empty. See
Installing or replacing the print cartridges.
If the Toolbox is installed, check the ink  levels of the print cartridges from the...

information by clicking the Estimated Ink Level tab.) If the print cartridge is low on ink, replace it
(see 
Installing or replacing the print cartridges ).
The print cartridges may need to be cleaned
Perform the auto-clean procedure (see Cleaning the print cartridges).
Check color print settings
Make sure  Print in Grayscale  is not selected in the printer driver.
Check the print location and length of USB cable
High electromagnetic fields (such as those generated by USB cables) can sometimes slightly...

If the above solutions do not work, the problem may be caused by the inability of the application to
interpret print settings properly. See the release notes for known software conflicts; or refer to the
applications documentation, or contact the software manufacturer for specific help.
986  Troubleshooting 
 

Poor print quality and unexpected printouts
This section provides solutions to print quality problems.
●
Poor quality printouts
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Meaningless characters print
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Ink is smearing
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Ink is not filling the text or graphics completely
●
The print settings may need to be changed
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Output is faded or dull colored
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Colors are printed as black and white
●
Wrong colors are printing
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Printout shows bleeding colors
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Colors do not line up properly
●
Lines or dots are missing from text or graphics
Poor quality...

Check the type of media loaded in the printer
■Make sure the tray supports the type of media you have loaded. See Understanding
specifications for supported media .
■ Make sure you have selected the tray in the printer driver that contains the media you want to
use. See 
Changing print settings .
Check rollers in the printer
The rollers in the printer might be dirty, causing  lines or smudges to appear on your printout. Turn off
the printer, disconnect the power cord, clean the rollers  in the printer...