HP PhotoSmart A526 User Manual

							4.Disconnect all USB devices (including the hub) from the computer.
5.Turn on the computer.
6.Try printing again. If the problem persists, repeat steps 1–5 using a different USB
port on the computer.
A small red circle appeared on the HP Digital Imaging Monitor icon in the Windows
taskbar
Cause:There is a connection or communication problem between the printer and
the computer.
Solution:
1.Connect the printer directly to a USB port on the computer.
2.Unplug the USB cable from the computer, then plug it in again.
3.Disconnect all USB devices (including the hub) from the computer.
4.If you are using a USB hub to connect the printer and computer, unplug the printer
from the USB hub and connect it directly to the computer to verify communication.
5.Try printing the document again. If the problem persists, repeat steps 1–5 using
a different USB port on the computer.
An Unknown device message appeared
Cause:
• Static electricity may have built up in the cable between the computer and printer.
• The software could not identify the printer because the printer-USB connection
may be defective.
Solution:
1.Disconnect the USB cable from the printer.
2.Disconnect the power cord from the printer.
3.Wait about 10 seconds.
4.Plug the power cord back into the printer.
5.Plug the USB cable back into the USB port on the back of the printer.
6.If the problem persists, unplug the power cord and the USB cable and uninstall
the printer software:
a. From the Windows Start menu, go to Programs > HP  > HP Photosmart
A520 series > Uninstall Devices.
b. Follow the onscreen instructions.
7.Restart the computer.
8.Reinstall the printer software and follow the onscreen instructions. Do not connect
the USB cable to the printer until prompted.
If “Unknown device” continues to appear, check 
www.hp.com/support for more
information, or contact HP support.
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50 Troubleshooting
 
						

							The document or photo did not print using the selected default print settings
Cause:The printer default settings may be different than those in the software
application. The software application print settings override any that you set on the
printer.
Solution:From the software applications File menu, select Print, then click
Properties and choose the desired print settings.
The printer did not print borderless photos
Cause:The printer cannot print borderless photos on all sizes of paper. You need
to select a paper size that supports borderless printing.
Solution:
1.Open the Printer Properties dialog box. For more information, see “
Printer
Properties dialog box” on page 23.
2.Click the Printing Shortcuts tab.
3.In the Printing Shortcuts list, click Photo Printing-Borderless, and choose an
appropriate borderless photo paper size.
For more information, see “
Print borderless photos” on page 31.
Could not save photos from the computer to the memory card
Cause:The memory card may be locked.
Solution:If the memory card has a lock switch, make sure it is in the unlocked
position.
Printing is very slow
Cause:
• You may be printing a high-resolution image. These take longer to print.
• You may have chosen Maximum dpi.
• The system resources may be too low. You may have chat, music download, or
virus software running in the background.
• You may be using outdated printer software.
• A page may be drying in the output tray.
Solution:
•In the Features tab of the Printer Properties dialog box, set the Print Quality to
Best or Normal instead of Maximum dpi, and try printing again.
•See “
View estimated ink levels” on page 39 for information on checking the level
of ink in the print cartridge. Replace the cartridge if necessary.
Printing and hardware issues 51
 
						

							•See “Download printer software updates” on page 24 for information on updating
the printer software. To check the version of the software, select About from the
HP Digital Imaging Monitor 
 icon in the taskbar.
• Remove the wet page and simply wait. Printing continues when the page is dry.
To improve the system resources, close all open programs except Windows Explorer
and Systray, then try printing again:
1.Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete.
2.Select all programs except Windows Explorer and Systray. Hold Ctrl or Shift to
select multiple programs.
3.Click End Task. If a second message appears, click End Task again.
4.Repeat steps 1–3 until all programs except Windows Explorer and Systray are
closed.
5.Try printing again.
The printout is rippled or curled
Cause:The project you are printing is using a larger amount of ink than normal.
Solution:Lower the ink saturation using the Printer Properties dialog box.
1.Open the Printer Properties dialog box. For more information, see “
Printer
Properties dialog box” on page 23.
2.Click the Color tab.
3.Click More color options.
4.Reset the ink attributes by moving the Saturation slider closer to Muted.
5.Try printing again.
A blank page came out of the printer
Cause:The print cartridge may be out of ink.
Solution:Print a test page. For more information, see “
Print a test page”
on page 41. Replace the print cartridge if necessary. For more information, see “
Insert
or replace the print cartridge” on page 39.
The printer ejected the paper when preparing to print.
Cause:The printer might be in direct sunlight, which affects the operation of the
automatic paper sensor.
Solution:Move the printer out of direct sunlight.
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							Parts of the printed document are missing or are in the wrong place
Cause:
• You may have selected the incorrect paper orientation.
• You may have selected an incorrect paper size.
Solution:
• Make sure you have selected the correct orientation on the Features tab of the
Printer Properties dialog box.
• Make sure you have selected the correct paper size. For more information, see
“
Change the paper size” on page 29.
Print quality is poor
Cause:
• You may have magnified the photo too much.
• The print cartridge may be running out of ink.
• You may not be using the best paper type for the output.
• You may be printing on the wrong side of the paper.
• You may have selected a low-resolution setting on the digital camera.
• You may need to clean the print cartridge.
Solution:
• Reduce the magnification.
• Print a test page. For more information, see “
Print a test page” on page 41.
Replace the print cartridge if necessary. For more information, see “
Insert or
replace the print cartridge” on page 39.
• Check the ink levels of the print cartridge from the Estimated Ink Level tab of the
Toolbox. For more information, see “
Toolbox” on page 37
• Make sure you are using a paper type intended for the printer. Use HP-designed
photo paper for best results when printing photos.
• Choose paper that is specifically designed for the output rather than plain paper.
• Make sure the paper is loaded with the side to be printed facing up.
• Reduce the size of the image and try printing again. For better results in the future,
set the digital camera to a higher photo resolution.
•From the Device Services tab of the Toolbox, click Clean the Print Cartridge.
The photo printout appears cropped
Cause:You may have used the software application’s Page Setup dialog box to
select the paper size or type.
Printing and hardware issues 53
 
						

							Solution:Select paper size and type from the Features tab of the Printer Properties
dialog box.
The printout does not appear as it should
Cause:The paper may be marked, scratched, or wrinkled, or the paper may be
dark in color or contain metallic fibers.
Solution:If the paper is damaged, dark in color, or contains metallic fibers, the
sensor may not detect paper type and size accurately. Make sure the paper is clear,
free of scratches or wrinkles, light colored, and does not contain metallic fibers. Select
the appropriate paper type on the Features tab of the Printer Properties dialog box.
Bluetooth printing problems
Before contacting HP support, read this section for troubleshooting tips, or go to the online
support services at 
www.hp.com/support. Be sure to also read the documentation that
came with your HP Bluetooth wireless printer adapter (if you are using one) and your
device with Bluetooth wireless technology.
•
My Bluetooth device cannot find the printer.
•
No page came out of the printer.
•
Print quality is poor.
•
The photo printed with borders.
•
My computer cannot set the device name using the Bluetooth wireless connection.
My Bluetooth device cannot find the printer.
Solution:
• If you are using the optional HP Bluetooth wireless printer adapter, make sure the
adapter is plugged into the camera port on the front of the printer. The light on the
adapter flashes when the adapter is ready to receive data.
If the printer has integrated Bluetooth wireless technology, check the Bluetooth
light on the printer. The light flashes when the printer is ready to receive data.
• Bluetooth Visibility may be set to Not visible. Change this setting to Visible to
all as follows:
•Press Menu.
• Select Bluetooth, and then press OK.
• Select Visibility, and then press OK.
• Select Visible to all, and then press OK.
• Bluetooth Security level may be set to High. Change this setting to Low as
follows:
•Press Menu.
• Select Bluetooth, and then press OK.
• Select Security level, and then press OK.
• Select Low, and then press OK.
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54 Troubleshooting
 
						

							• The passkey (PIN) that the device with Bluetooth wireless technology is using for
the printer may be incorrect. Make sure the correct passkey for the printer is
entered in the device with Bluetooth wireless technology.
• You may be too far from the printer. Move the device with Bluetooth wireless
technology closer to the printer. The maximum recommended distance between
the device with Bluetooth wireless technology and the printer is 10 meters
(30 feet).
No page came out of the printer.
Solution:The printer may not recognize the type of file sent by the device with
Bluetooth wireless technology. For a list of the file formats that the printer supports,
see “
Specifications” on page 65.
Print quality is poor.
Solution:The photo you printed may be low resolution. For better results, set the
digital camera to a higher resolution. Photos taken with VGA-resolution cameras,
such as those found in wireless phones, may not have high enough resolution to
produce a high-quality print.
The photo printed with borders.
Solution:The printing program installed on your device with Bluetooth wireless
technology may not support borderless printing. Contact the vendor of the device, or
go to their support Web site to obtain the latest updates for the printing program.
My computer cannot set the device name using the Bluetooth wireless connection.
Solution:Use a USB cable to connect your computer to the printer in order to set
the printer Bluetooth device name using the printer Toolbox. The printer software must
already be installed on the computer.
Use the following instructions to get to the printer Toolbox.
Windows users only: Right-click the small monitor icon on the far right of the
Windows taskbar and select Launch/Show HP Solution Center. Click Settings,
Print Settings, and then Printer Toolbox. Click the Configure Bluetooth
Settings tab and enter the Bluetooth device name in the Device Name box
Device messages
The following is a list of error messages that may appear while your printer is connected
to a computer:
•
Low on ink
•
The print cartridge is old or damaged
•
The print cartridge is missing or incorrect
Device messages 55
 
						

							•The print carriage has stalled
•
The printer is out of paper
•
There is a paper jam
•
The paper loaded does not match the paper size selected
•
The memory card has been inserted upside down
•
The memory card is not inserted properly
•
Insert only one memory card at a time
•
There was a problem with the memory card
•
Communication with the printer has been lost
Low on ink
Cause:The print cartridge is estimated to be low on ink and may need to be
replaced soon.
Solution:Have a replacement cartridge on hand to avoid printing interruptions. You
do not have to replace the cartridge until print quality deteriorates. If you have installed
a refilled or remanufactured print cartridge, or a cartridge that has been used in
another printer, the ink level indicator will be inaccurate or unavailable.
The print cartridge is old or damaged
Solution:The print cartridge may be old or damaged. Try the following:
• Replace refilled cartridges with genuine HP products.
• Make sure the cartridge is compatible with the printer.
• Clean the electrical contacts.
• Remove the cartridge and then reinstall it. For more information, see “
Insert or
replace the print cartridge” on page 39.
• If this does not work, replace the cartridge.
The print cartridge is missing or incorrect
Solution:The print cartridge is not installed, is installed incorrectly, or is not
supported by your printer’s country/region settings. Try the following:
• Replace refilled cartridges with genuine HP products.
• Make sure the cartridge is compatible with the printer.
• Clean the electrical contacts.
• Remove the cartridge and then reinstall it. For more information, see “
Insert or
replace the print cartridge” on page 39.
• If this does not work, replace the cartridge.
Chapter 7
56 Troubleshooting
 
						

							The print carriage has stalled
Solution:There is an obstruction blocking the path of the print carriage or the
cartridge service station. Contact HP support for help, or go to the online support
services at 
www.hp.com/support.
The printer is out of paper
Solution:Check that paper has been loaded in the correct paper tray. See “
Paper
basics” on page 15 and refer to the setup instructions that came with your printer for
more information on loading paper.
There is a paper jam
Solution:Try the following steps to clear the paper jam:
1.Turn off the printer, and then unplug it from the power source.
2.Open the input tray and output tray and pull out any paper that is jammed in the
printer.
3.Remove any wrinkled or torn paper from the input tray or output tray. Reload new
paper in the input tray.
4.Plug the printer back in, and turn it on. Try printing your document again.
The paper loaded does not match the paper size selected
Solution:The paper loaded does not match the paper size selected. Try the
following:
1.Change the type of paper selected for the print job.
2.Make sure the correct paper is loaded in the paper tray.
The memory card has been inserted upside down
Solution:The memory card has been inserted upside down. Remove the memory
card and reinsert it with the gold contacts facing down.
The memory card is not inserted properly
Solution:The printer can detect the memory card but cannot read it. Push the
memory card gently into the memory card slot until it stops.
Device messages 57
 
						

							Insert only one memory card at a time
Solution:The printer has two or more different types of memory cards inserted
simultaneously. Alternatively, a memory card may be inserted while a digital camera
is connected to the camera port. Remove memory cards or disconnect the camera
until only one card is in the printer or only the camera is connected.
There was a problem with the memory card
Solution:There was a problem with the memory card. Try to copy your pictures
directly to a computer and then reformat the card using the camera.
Communication with the printer has been lost
Solution:Check that your printer is on and that the cover is closed, and then try
the following:
1.Make sure the printer cable is firmly connected to both the printer and computer.
2.Check the printer for a paper jam.
3.Try turning the printer off and then on again.
4.Press the OK button to start printing. If the printer is off line, this will bring it back
on line.
5.Make sure the printer cable you are using is designed for two-way (also known
as bi-directional) communication (IEEE-1284 compliant).
Chapter 7
58 Troubleshooting
 
						

							8 Shop for ink supplies
For a list of print cartridge numbers, see the printed documentation that came with the
HP Photosmart. You can also use the software that came with the HP Photosmart to find
out the reorder number for all the print cartridges. You can order print cartridges online
from the HP Web site. Additionally, you can contact a local HP reseller to find out the
correct print cartridge reorder numbers for your device and purchase print cartridges.
To order HP papers and other supplies, go to 
www.hp.com/buy/supplies. If prompted,
choose your country/region, follow the prompts to select your product, and then click one
of the shopping links on the page.
NOTE:At this time, some portions of the HP Web site are available in English only.
NOTE:Ordering print cartridges online is not supported in all countries/regions. If it
is not supported in your country/region, contact a local HP reseller for information
about purchasing print cartridges.
To order print cartridges from your desktop
▲Click the Shop for HP Supplies icon on your desktop to connect to HP SureSupply.
You will see a list of original HP printing supplies that are compatible with your device,
as well as options to conveniently purchase the supplies you need (options vary by
country/region).
If you deleted this icon from your desktop, click the Start menu, point to the HP folder,
then click Shop for Supplies.
For more information, go to 
www.hp.com/buy/supplies.
To order print cartridges through the HP Photosmart Software
1.In the HP Solution Center, click Settings, point to Print Settings, and then click
Printer Toolbox.
NOTE:You can also open the Printer Toolbox from the Print Properties dialog
box. In the Print Properties dialog box, click the Services tab, and then click
Service this device.
2.Click the Estimated Ink Levels tab.
3.Click Print Cartridge Ordering Information.
The print cartridge reorder numbers appear.
4.Click Order Online.
HP sends detailed printer information, including model number, serial number, and
ink supply levels, to an authorized online reseller. The supplies you need are
preselected; you can change quantities, add or remove items, and then check out.
Shop for ink supplies 59