HP Deskjet D2400 User Manual

							NOTE:Ink from the cartridges is used in the printing process in a number of different
ways, including in the initialization process, which prepares the device and cartridges
for printing, and in printhead servicing, which keeps print nozzles clear and ink flowing
smoothly. In addition, some residual ink is left in the cartridge after it is used. For more
information see 
www.hp.com/go/inkusage.
Maintain the printer body
Because the HP Deskjet ejects ink onto the paper in a fine mist, ink smudges will
eventually appear.
To remove smudges, stains, or dried ink from the exterior
1.Turn off the HP Deskjet, and then disconnect the power cord.
2.Wipe the outside of the HP Deskjet with a soft cloth that has been lightly moistened
with water.
CAUTION:Do not use any type of cleaning solution. Household cleaners and
detergents might damage the printer finish. Keep all fluids away from the interior. Do
not lubricate the metal rod on which the print cartridge cradle slides. Noise is normal
when the cradle moves back and forth.
Remove ink from your skin and clothing
Follow these instructions to remove ink from your skin and clothing:
SurfaceRemedy
SkinWash the area with an abrasive soap.
White fabricWash the fabric in cold water and use chlorine bleach.
Color fabricWash the fabric in cold water and use sudsy ammonia.
CAUTION:Always use cold water to remove ink from fabric. Warm or hot water can
set the ink into the fabric.
Manually clean print cartridges
If the HP Deskjet is used in a dusty environment, a small amount of debris can accumulate
on the print cartridge contacts. This debris can cause ink streaks on printed pages. The
problem can be corrected by manually cleaning the print cartridge contacts.
You need the following items to clean the print cartridges:
• Distilled water (tap water can contain contaminants that can damage the print
cartridge)
• Cotton swabs or other soft, lint-free material that will not stick to the print cartridge
Be careful not to get 
ink on your hands or clothing as you clean.
Maintain the printer body 59
 
						

							To prepare to clean
1.Open the HP Deskjet cover.
2.Wait until the print cartridge cradle moves to the center of the HP Deskjet and is idle
and quiet.
3.Remove the print cartridges and place them on a piece of paper, with the copper strips
facing up.
CAUTION:Do not leave the print cartridges outside the HP Deskjet for more
than 30 minutes.
To manually clean print cartridge contacts
1.Lightly moisten a cotton swab with distilled water and squeeze any excess water from
the swab.
2.Gently wipe the print cartridge copper contacts with the cotton swab.
CAUTION:Do not touch the print cartridge ink nozzles. Touching the ink nozzles
will result in clogs, ink failure, and bad electrical connections.
1Ink nozzles (do not touch)
2Copper contacts
3.Repeat this process until no ink residue or dust appears on the swab.
4.Insert the print cartridges in the HP Deskjet, and then close the cover. For more
information, see 
Installation instructions.
Maintain print cartridges
Follow these guidelines to maintain and store HP print cartridges and to ensure consistent
print quality.
•
Print cartridge storage and handling
•
Print cartridge protector
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60 Maintenance
 
						

							Print cartridge storage and handling
Follow these guidelines to help maintain HP print cartridges and ensure consistent print
quality:
• Install the cartridge on or before the Install by date, which is printed on the cartridge
package.
• When you remove a photo print cartridge from the printer, store it in a print cartridge
protector to prevent the ink from drying out. If you do not have a print cartridge
protector, you can use an airtight plastic container to protect your print cartridge. For
more information, see 
Installation instructions.
• Keep all unused print cartridges in their original sealed packages until they are
needed. Store print cartridges at room temperature (15° to 35° C or 59° to 95° F).
• Do not remove the plastic tape covering the ink nozzles until you are ready to install
the print cartridge in the printer. If the plastic tape has been removed from the print
cartridge, do not attempt to reattach it. Reattaching the tape damages the print
cartridge.
CAUTION:Always turn the printer off with the Power button before you unplug the
power cord or turn off a power strip. This allows the printer to store the print cartridges
properly. When you store the printer, always leave the active print cartridges inside
the printer.
Print cartridge protector
If you have purchased an HP photo print cartridge, you can store it in the protector that
comes with the print cartridge. If you do not have a print cartridge protector, you can use
an airtight plastic container to protect your print cartridge.
To insert the print cartridge into the print cartridge protector
▲Slide the print cartridge at a slight angle into the protector, and snap it securely in
place.
Maintain print cartridges 61
 
						

							To remove the print cartridge from the print cartridge protector
1.Press down and back on the top of the protector to release the print cartridge.
2.Slide the print cartridge out of the protector.
CAUTION:Do not drop the print cartridge. Dropping the print cartridge can
damage it.
Printer Toolbox
The printer Toolbox contains a number of useful tools to enhance the performance of the
printer.
Use the printer Toolbox to perform the following tasks:
•
Align the print cartridges
•
Clean the print cartridges
•
Calibrate color
•
Print a test page
•
View estimated ink levels
To open the printer Toolbox
1.Open the 
Printer Properties dialog box.
2.Click the Features tab, and then click the Printer services button.
The Toolbox is displayed.
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							11 Troubleshooting
•Error messages
•
Installation problems
•
Power light is on or flashing
•
Printer does not print
•
Document prints slowly
•
Print cartridge problems
•
Paper problems
•
Photos do not print correctly
•
Problems with borderless documents
•
Print quality is poor
•
Document is misprinted
•
I pressed the Photosmart Essential button, but nothing happens
•
If you continue to have problems
Error messages
If an error message displays on the computer screen, check the following topics for a
solution:
•
Print cartridge error messages
•
Other error messages
Print cartridge error messages
If you receive a print cartridge error message, follow these directions.
Incorrect or missing print cartridge message
The printer can only print when the correct print cartridges are installed. If you receive a
print cartridge error message, one or both of the print cartridges cannot be used in the
printer.
To resolve the problem, follow the instructions in 
Incorrect or missing print cartridge.
Print cartridge problem message
The printer cannot print if the print cartridges are faulty, or if they are not installed properly.
If you receive a message stating there is a problem with a print cartridge, follow the
instructions in 
Print cartridge is faulty or not installed properly to resolve the problem.
Print cartridge carriage is stalled message
If the printer stalls while you are printing a document, follow the instructions in 
Printer is
stalled.
Troubleshooting 63
 
						

							Print cartridge is in the wrong slot message
If you receive this error message, the print cartridge is installed in the wrong side of the
print cartridge cradle. Follow the instructions in 
Print cartridge is in the wrong slot
message to resolve the problem.
Printing in ink-backup mode message
If you receive this error message, follow the instructions in 
Printing in ink-backup mode
message.
Other error messages
If you receive an error message, follow these directions.
Out of paper message
If you receive an out of paper message, follow the guidelines in 
Out of paper message.
There was an error writing to USB port message
The printer might not be receiving correct data from another USB device or USB hub.
Connect the printer directly to the USB port on the computer.
Two-way communication cannot be established or Printer not responding
message
The printer might not be able to communicate with the computer if the USB cable is too
long.
If you receive this error message, make sure that the USB cable is not greater than 3
meters (approximately 9.8 feet) in length.
NOTE:For best printing performance, use a USB 2.0 compatible cable.
Installation problems
If the software installation program stops or fails, check the following topics for more
information:
•
Installation program stops
•
Unknown Device message displays
•
Printer name does not appear
If you continue to have problems, visit HP Technical Support at 
www.hp.com/support.
Installation program stops
Cause:If the installation program stops when it looks for new hardware, one of the
following issues is causing a communication problem:
• The USB cable is old or defective.
• Software, such as an antivirus program, is running.
• Another device, such as a scanner, is connected to the computer.
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64 Troubleshooting
 
						

							Solution:
To resolve the problem
1.Make sure that no USB devices other than the printer, the keyboard, and the
mouse are connected to the computer.
2.Disconnect and reconnect the USB cable.
3.Make sure that the printer is connected directly to a USB port on the computer
(instead of through a USB hub).
4.If the installation program still does not locate the printer, replace the USB cable,
and then continue to the next step.
5.Click Cancel, and then restart the computer.
6.Turn the printer off, and then disconnect the USB cable and power cord.
7.Quit any antivirus programs or other software programs that are running on the
computer.
NOTE:To quit an antivirus program, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
8.Reinstall the printer software:
a. Insert the printer software CD into the drive.
b. Follow the onscreen instructions. When the installation program prompts you,
connect the USB cable and the power cord to the printer, and then make sure
that the printer is on.
NOTE:Do not connect the USB cable until you are told to do so.
c. Follow the onscreen instructions to finish the installation.
9.Restart the antivirus program.
Unknown Device message displays
Cause:During installation, an “Unknown Device” message might be displayed
when you connect a USB cable between the printer and the computer. A possible
cause might be a defective USB cable.
Solution:
NOTE:This is not a problem if you are using Windows 2000. If you are using
Windows 2000 and this message is displayed, you can continue with the software
installation.
To resolve the problem
1.Disconnect the USB cable from the printer.
2.Disconnect the power cord from the printer.
3.Wait approximately 30 seconds.
4.Reconnect the power cord to the printer.
5.Reconnect the USB cable to the printer.
6.If the “Unknown Device” message is still displayed, replace the USB cable.
Installation problems 65
 
						

							Printer name does not appear
Solution:If the printer software seems to install correctly, but the printer name does
not appear in the list of printers when you click Print on the File menu or in the Printers
folder in Control Panel, try reinstalling the printer software.
To reinstall the printer software
1.Quit any antivirus programs or other software programs that are running on the
computer.
NOTE:To quit an antivirus program, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
2.Uninstall the printer software:
a. Insert the printer software CD into the drive, and then follow the onscreen
instructions.
NOTE:If the installation program does not start automatically, click your
CD drive letter in Windows Explorer, then double-click the setup.exe file.
For example, double-click D:\setup.exe.
b. When prompted, click Remove All.
3.Reinstall the printer software:
a. Insert the printer software CD into the drive.
b. Follow the onscreen instructions to finish the installation.
4.Restart the antivirus program.
Power light is on or flashing
1Power light
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							• If the Power light is on, the printer is either printing or ready to print.
• If the Power light is off, the printer is off.
• If the Power light is flashing, see the following information.
•
What the flashing light means
•
If an error message appears
•
If no error message appears
What the flashing light means
The Power light can flash for several reasons:
• The printer cover is open.
• The printer is out of paper.
• A problem exists with the printer, such as a paper jam or a problem with a print
cartridge.
For information about clearing a paper jam, see 
Paper jam.
If an error message appears
Read the error message that explains the problem and its solution.
If no error message appears
Check the status of the printer by using the printer tools. To gain access to the tools, open
the 
Printer Properties dialog box, click the Features tab, and then click the Printer
services button.
Use the printer tools to perform the following tasks:
• View estimated ink levels.
• Clean the print cartridges.
• Calibrate the printer.
• Print a test page.
• Perform other functions as needed.
Printer does not print
If the printer does not print, check the following topics for more information:
•
Verify the following
•
Check the printer cable connection
•
Clear the print queue
•
Printer is stalled
•
If the printer still does not print
Verify the following
Verify the following conditions if the printer is not printing:
• The printer is connected to the power source.
• The cable connections are secure.
Printer does not print 67
 
						

							• The printer is turned on.
• The print cartridges are the correct print cartridges for the printer and are properly
installed.
For more information, see 
Print cartridges and Installation instructions.
• The paper or other media is correctly loaded in the paper tray.
• The printer cover is closed.
• The rear access door is attached.
Check the printer cable connection
If your printer and computer are connected with a USB cable and the devices are not
communicating with each other, try the following:
• Make sure the power cord is firmly connected to the printer and plugged into a power
outlet.
• Check the USB cable. If you are using an older cable, it might not be working properly.
If you experience problems, the USB cable might need to be replaced. Also verify
that the cable does not exceed 3 meters (9.8 feet) in length.
• Check the connection from your printer to your computer. Verify that the USB cable
is securely plugged into the USB port on the back of your printer. Make sure the other
end of the USB cable is plugged into a USB port on your computer. After the cable is
connected properly, turn your printer off and then on again.
• If you are connecting the printer through a USB hub, make sure the hub is turned on.
If the hub is on, try connecting the printer directly to your computer.
• Try connecting the USB cable to another USB port on your computer. After you check
the connections, try restarting your computer. Turn your printer off and then on again.
NOTE:For best printing performance, use a USB 2.0 compatible cable.
Clear the print queue
Cause:When you start a print job, it is sent to a list called the “print queue.” If the
printer stops printing before the job is complete, the print job might be stalled in the
print queue.
Solution:
To resolve a print job that is stalled in the queue
1.For Windows 2000, click Start, click Settings, and then click Printers. For
Windows XP, click Start, and then click Printers and Faxes.
2.Double-click the name of the HP Deskjet printer.
3.Click the Printer menu, and then click Pause Printing.
4.Click the Printer menu again, and then click Cancel All Documents.
5.Click Yes to confirm the cancellation.
6.Click the Printer menu, and then uncheck Pause Printing.
7.If there are still documents in the list, restart the computer.
8.After restarting, if there are still documents in the list, repeat steps 1 – 6.
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68 Troubleshooting