HP Officejet 450 User Manual

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Printer Services tab
The Printer Services tab provides utilities that help you maintain and test your 
printer. You can clean and align your print cartridges, and calibrate the color for 
your printouts. You can print a demo or diagnostic page, test your printer 
communication, and configure wireless settings.
Click this button... To...
Align Print CartridgesAlign the left and right print cartridges.
Clean Print CartridgesClean the print cartridges.
Calibrate ColorBalance color tints on printed pages.
Print a Demo PageSend a demo page to the printer to verify that 
the printer is connected to the computer 
correctly and that the printer and printer 
software are working properly.
Test Printer 
CommunicationTest the printers cable connection to make 
sure that bi-directional communication is 
possible.
Configure Bluetooth 
SettingsConfigure Bluetooth settings for your printer. 
Bluetooth is a wireless protocol standard that 
lets wireless devices communicate with your 
printer.
Configure Print SettingsSet print quality, media size and type for print 
jobs from PDAs, or CompactFlash cards using 
DPOF files. 
						

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Maintaining the Printer
This chapter explains basic printer maintenance. You can find information about 
the state of the printer and the print cartridges from the Toolbox if you have it 
installed. You can also perform maintenance functions from the Toolbox.
Cleaning the printer
The printer does not require scheduled maintenance, except for replacing the 
ink service module (see Replaceable ink service module). You should attempt, 
however, to keep the printer free of dust and debris. This cleaning keeps the 
printer in peak condition and might also make the diagnosis of problems easier.
When you clean the printer, follow these guidelines:

Clean the outside of the printer with a soft cloth moistened with mild 
detergent and water.

Clean the inside of the front access cover with a dry, lint-free cloth.
Cleaning the print cartridges
If printed characters are incomplete, or if dots or lines are missing from the 
printouts, you might need to clean the print cartridges. This is a symptom of 
clogged ink nozzles, which are a result of prolonged exposure to air. Remember to turn off the printer and unplug the power cord before cleaning the 
printer. If using the optional battery, turn off the printer and remove the battery 
before cleaning.
Clean the printer only with water or water mixed with a mild detergent. Using 
other cleaners or alcohol can damage the printer.
Be careful not to touch the rollers. Skin oils on the rollers can cause print quality 
problems.
Before you clean the print cartridges, make sure the print cartridge ink levels 
are not low or empty. Low ink levels can also cause incomplete characters, 
missing lines, or dots on the printouts. Check the print cartridge LEDs to make 
sure they are not on (see LED Reference). You can also check the status of the 
print cartridges from the Printer Status tab in the Toolbox. Replace any low or 
empty print cartridges. For instructions, see Replacing the print cartridges. 
						

							ENWW6-2 There are three cleaning levels available:

Level 1 cleaning is the quickest and uses the least amount of ink.

Level 2 cleaning should be performed only if level 1 cleaning was 
insufficient.

Level 3 cleaning is the most thorough and consumes the most ink and time. 
Level 3 cleaning should be performed only if level 2 cleaning was 
insufficient.
After each cleaning, the printer prints a test page so that you can check the 
print quality, and the Toolbox prompts you to perform the next level of 
cleaning if necessary.
To clean the print cartridges
If you have the printer driver or Toolbox installed, you can clean the print 
cartridges from the Services tab in the driver or the Printer Services tab in the 
Toolbox. You can also clean print cartridges by using the printer buttons. The 
following procedure shows you how.
To perform a level 1 cleaning
1Press and hold down the POWER BUTTON.
2While holding down the 
POWER BUTTON, press the CANCEL BUTTON twice.
3Release the 
POWER BUTTON. The printer begins the print cartridge cleaning 
process.
To perform a level 2 cleaning
1Press and hold down the POWER BUTTON.
2While holding down the 
POWER BUTTON, press the CANCEL BUTTON twice and 
then press the 
RESUME BUTTON once.
3Release the 
POWER BUTTON. The printer begins the print cartridge cleaning 
process. The ink in the print cartridges has been carefully formulated to ensure superior 
quality and compatibility with your printer. HP is not responsible for damage to 
the printer that results from modifying or refilling the print cartridges.
Do not clean the print cartridges unless necessary; cleaning the print cartridges 
uses ink and shortens the life of the print cartridges.
Cleaning the print cartridges via the printer buttons does not produce a test 
page. 
						

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To perform a level 3 cleaning
1Press and hold down the POWER BUTTON.
2While holding down the 
POWER BUTTON, press the CANCEL BUTTON twice and 
then press the 
RESUME BUTTON twice.
3Release the 
POWER BUTTON. The printer begins the print cartridge cleaning 
process.
Aligning the print cartridges
Whenever you replace a print cartridge, you should align the print cartridges for 
the best possible print quality. If your printout is grainy, has stray dots, jagged 
edges, or the ink is bleeding into another color on the page, you can re-align 
them through the Toolbox or the printer driver.
To align from the printer driver in Windows
1Load plain paper into the input tray.
2Click Start > Settings > Printers.
3Right-click the printer icon, and then click:
Printing Preferences (Windows 2000 and Windows XP)
Properties (Windows 98 and Windows Me)
Document Defaults (Windows NT 4.0)
4Click the Services tab, and click Align Print Cartridges.
5Click Align from the Align Print Cartridges dialog box.
You are prompted to specify the combination of print cartridges you are 
using.
6Specify the combination of print cartridges you are using.
An alignment page prints.
7Follow the instructions on the screen to select the best-aligned patterns 
from the alignment page.
8Click OK to close the Align Print Cartridges dialog box when the 
alignment procedure is complete.
If you have the Toolbox installed, you can also align the print cartridges from the 
Printer Services tab in the Toolbox. If you are using a PDA, please connect to a Windows or Macintosh operating 
system and align the print cartridges according to the instructions below. 
						

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To align in Macintosh (USB only)
1Open the HP Inkjet Utility and click the Calibrate Device button.
You are prompted to specify the combination of print cartridges you are 
using.
2Specify the combination of print cartridges you are using.
An alignment page prints.
3Follow the instructions on the screen to select the best-aligned pattern from 
the printed page.
To align in DOS
1Run the c:\hp450\align.bat file.
2Follow the instructions on the screen to print an alignment page and to 
select the best-aligned pattern from the printed page.
Replacing the print cartridges
When a print cartridge has to be replaced, follow these instructions:
1Remove the new print cartridge from its package and then pull the colored 
tab to remove the protective film from the cartridge.
2With the printer turned on, open the front access cover. Wait for the 
carriage to go to “print cartridge change” position. This should take only a 
few seconds.
*Print cartridge change position. To prevent clogs, ink failure, and bad electrical connections, do not touch the 
print cartridge ink nozzles or copper contacts, and do not remove the copper 
strips.
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Only remove or install print cartridges when the carriage is in “print cartridge 
change” position. 
						

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3Lift the print cartridge latch open and gently remove the print cartridge from 
its socket at the angle shown below.
Check the number on the latch against the number on the new print 
cartridge to make sure you are removing the correct print cartridge.
4Insert the new print cartridge into its socket at the same angle at which you 
removed the old print cartridge.
Check the number on the latch against the number on the print cartridge to 
make sure you are inserting the correct print cartridge.
5Close the print cartridge latch. If the cartridge is inserted correctly, closing 
the latch gently pushes the cartridge into its socket. Press the latch to make 
sure it is seated flat on the cartridge.
6Close the front access cover.
7Wait for the carriage to complete the print cartridge initialization routine and 
return to the home position at the right side of the printer before using the 
printer.
After the print cartridge is replaced, you need to align the print cartridges. See 
Aligning the print cartridges.
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5756
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58
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Do not open the front access cover until the print cartridge initialization is 
complete. 
						

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Single-cartridge printing mode
If one of your print cartridges runs out of ink before you can replace it, you can 
still print with a single print cartridge.

If you do not have a replacement black print cartridge available, you can 
remove the black print cartridge and print with only the tri-color print 
cartridge.

If you do not have a replacement tri-color print cartridge available, you can 
remove the tri-color print cartridge and print with only the black or photo 
print cartridge. Documents will print in grayscale.

If you do not have a replacement photo print cartridge available, you can 
remove the photo print cartridge and print with only the tri-color print 
cartridge.
Calibrating color
Color calibration balances color tints on printed pages. It is only necessary if:

Printed colors have visibly shifted toward yellow, cyan or magenta.

There is a color tinge in the gray shades.
Low ink levels in the print cartridges may also produce incorrect colors.
For Windows
You can calibrate the color from the Toolbox or the printer driver.
1Load plain paper into the input tray. The process uses one sheet of paper.
2From the Toolbox click the Printer Services tab and then click Calibrate 
Color.
-or-
To calibrate from the printer driver, click Start > Settings > Printers. Then 
right-click the printer icon and select:
Printing Preferences (Windows 2000 and Windows XP)
Properties (Windows 98 and Windows Me)
Document Defaults (Windows NT 4.0)
Click the Services tab and then click Calibrate Color. Printing with one print cartridge may be slower, and colors will differ from those 
when both print cartridges are installed. It is recommended to install both print 
cartridges.
Calibrate the color only when the tri-color (HP No. 57) and photo (HP No. 58) 
print cartridges are installed together. The photo print cartridge is available for 
purchase as an optional accessory. See HP Supplies and Accessories.
If you are using a PDA, please connect to a Windows or Macintosh operating 
system and calibrate the color according to the instructions below. 
						

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3Click Calibrate to calibrate the color, or click Use Defaults to restore color 
values to factory defaults.
4Follow the instructions on the screen.
For Macintosh
1Open the HP Inkjet Utility and click the Calibrate Color button.
2Follow the instructions on the screen.
Replaceable ink service module
The replaceable ink service module holds waste ink from the black print 
cartridge. When it is almost full, the printer LEDs will prompt you to replace it. 
See LED Reference.
When the ink service module is full, the printer will stop printing. If you have a 
replacement for the ink service module, replace it immediately by following the 
instructions that come with it.
Otherwise, visit www.hp.com/support/dj450
 or see Customer Support to get a 
replacement. In the meantime, remove the black print cartridge to continue 
printing. The printer can print using only the tri-color print cartridge but the color 
results and print speed may be affected. See Single-cartridge printing mode.
Allowing the ink service module to fill completely can result in black ink spillage.
If you have installed the Toolbox, you can choose to display error messages on 
your screen when there is a problem with your printer. See Installing the printer 
driver (Windows and Macintosh). 
						

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Troubleshooting
This chapter provides solutions to common problems, such as paper jams and 
poor print quality. If your printer is not operating properly and these suggestions 
do not solve your problem, try to print a diagnostic page, and then contact HP 
Customer Support (see Printing diagnostic and configuration pages and 
Customer Support).
General troubleshooting tips
If you have a problem with the printer or have trouble printing, first try the 
following troubleshooting tips to help diagnose and solve the problem:

Complete the quick checkup steps.

Print a diagnostic page and a configuration page to help you diagnose 
printer problems.
Quick checkup
The following steps can help you identify and solve printer problems.
Step 1: Check the power
Make sure the power cord and power adapter are connected firmly to the printer 
and to a working outlet and that the printer is turned on.
If you are using battery power, check the Power LED to make sure the battery 
power is not low:

Lights up in green when 41-100% charged

Lights up in amber when 10-40% charged

Lights up in red when less than 10% charged
For more information, see Charging and using the battery.
Step 2: Check the front access cover
Make sure the front access cover is closed. 
						

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Step 3: Check the printer connection
Parallel or USB
Make sure your printer is connected directly to the parallel or USB port. Do not 
share the port with other devices, such as a Zip drive. Make sure the cable is 
connected firmly to the printer and computer.
Infrared
Make sure any necessary software is installed in the host device, for example, 
BtPrint for Palm OS PDA users. If you are still having problems, consult the 
infrared documentation for the PDA or laptop device.
Tips for infrared connections

Place the infrared-sending device so its infrared lens is within 3 feet 
(1 meter) from the printer and within a 30-degree total angle from the 
printer’s infrared lens. The printer’s infrared LED turns green when 
receiving an infrared transmission.

If the infrared-sending device is moved out of range of the printer’s infrared 
lens at any time during the printing process, the printer will stop printing 
and await additional data. If you realign the devices quickly, the print job 
should resume.

Continue to keep the infrared-sending device aimed at the printer’s infrared 
port while the printer is receiving the file. You can move the device away 
after the printer’s infrared LED turns off.
Bluetooth
Make sure any necessary software is installed in the host device, for example, 
BtPrint for Palm OS PDA users. Make sure your Bluetooth settings are correct. 
To do so, you need to connect the printer to the computer via a USB or parallel 
cable. Open the Toolbox, click the Printer Services tab and then click the 
Configure Bluetooth Settings button. Make sure your Bluetooth settings are 
correct. See also Wireless printing problems and Bluetooth printing. 
Tips for Bluetooth connections
For more information on using Bluetooth, see the wireless printing guide at 
http://www.hp.com/support/dj450
.