HP Photosmart Premium C309 User Manual

							I received a message that an Unknown Error has occurred
Solution:Uninstall the software completely, and then reinstall it.
To uninstall the software and reset the product
1.Disconnect and reset the product.
To disconnect and reset the product
a. Make sure the product is turned on.
b. Press the On button to turn off the product.
c. Disconnect the power cord from the back of the product.
d. Reconnect the power cord to the back of the product.
e. Press the On button to turn on the product.
2.Uninstall the software completely.
NOTE:It is important that you follow the uninstall procedure carefully to ensure you have removed the
software completely from the computer, before reinstalling it.
To uninstall the software completely
a. On the Windows taskbar, click Start, Settings, Control Panel, (or just Control Panel).
b. Double-click Add/Remove Programs (or click Uninstall a program).
c. Remove all the items that are related to the HP Photosmart Software.
CAUTION:If the computer is manufactured by HP or Compaq, do not remove any applications
other than those listed below.
• HP Imaging device functions
• HP Document Viewer
• HP Photosmart Essential
• HP Image Zone
• HP Photo and imaging gallery
• HP Photosmart, Officejet, Deskjet (with the product name and software version number)
• HP Software update
• HP Share to Web
• HP Solution Center
• HP Director
• HP Memories Disk Greeting Card Creator 32
d.Go to C:\Program Files\HP or C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard (for some older
products) and delete the Digital Imaging folder.
e.Go to C:\WINDOWS and rename the twain_32 folder to twain_32 old.
3.Turn off programs that run in the background.
NOTE:When the computer is turned on, a software group called the Terminate and Stay Resident
(TSR) programs automatically loads. These programs activate some of the computer utilities, such as
the anti-virus software, but are not required for the computer to function. Occasionally, TSRs prevent
the HP software from loading so that it does not install properly. In Windows Vista and Windows XP, use
the MSCONFIG utility to prevent TSR programs and services from starting up.
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							To turn off programs that run in the background
a. On the Windows taskbar, click Start.
b. Depending on your operating system, do one of the following:
• In Windows Vista: In Start Search, type MSCONFIG, and then press Enter.
When the User Account Control dialog box appears, click Continue.
• In Windows XP: Click Run. When the Run dialog box appears, type MSCONFIG, and then press
Enter.
The MSCONFIG utility application appears.
c.Click the General tab.
d.Click Selective Startup.
e. If there is a check mark next to Load Startup Items, click the check mark to remove it.
f.Click the Services tab, and select the Hide All Microsoft Services box.
g.Click Disable all.
h.Click Apply, and then click Close.
NOTE:If you receive a message stating Access is denied while making changes, click OK and
continue. The message will not prevent you from making the changes.
i.Click Restart to apply the changes to the computer during the next restart.
After the computer restarts, the You’ve used system configuration utility to make changes to the
way windows starts message appears.
j. Click the check box next to Do not show this message again.
4.Run the Disk Cleanup utility to delete temporary files and folders.
To run the Disk Cleanup utility
a. On the Windows taskbar, click Start, click Programs or All Programs, and then click Accessories.
b.Click System Tools, and then click Disk Cleanup.
The Disk Cleanup analyzes the hard drive and then presents a report with a list of components to delete.
c. Select the appropriate check boxes to remove the unnecessary components.
More information about the Disk Cleanup utility
The Disk Cleanup utility frees hard disk space on your computer by doing the following:
• Deleting temporary Internet files
• Deleting downloaded program files
• Emptying the Recycle Bin
• Deleting files from your temporary folder
• Deleting files created by other Windows tools
• Removing optional Windows components that you do not use
d. After selecting the components to remove, click OK.
5.Install the software.
To install the software
a. Insert software CD into the CD-ROM drive of the computer.
The software installation will start automatically.
NOTE:If the installation does not run automatically, from the Windows Start menu, click Start
Search (or Run). In the Start Search (or Run dialog box), type d:\setup.exe, and then press
Enter. (If your CD-ROM drive is not assigned to drive letter D, enter the appropriate drive letter.)
b. Follow the prompts on the computer screen to install the software.
6.Try using the product again.
Cause:The source of the error was unknown.
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							The registration screen does not appear
Solution:You can access the registration (Sign up now) screen from the Windows taskbar by clicking Start,
pointing to Programs or All Programs, HP, Photosmart Premium Fax C309 series, and then clicking Product
Registration.
Cause:The registration screen did not launch automatically.
Uninstall and reinstall the software
If your installation is incomplete, or if you connected the USB cable to the computer before prompted by the software
installation screen, you might need to uninstall and then reinstall the software. Do not simply delete the
HP Photosmart application files from your computer. Make sure to remove them properly using the uninstall utility
provided when you installed the software that came with the HP Photosmart.
To uninstall and reinstall the software
1.On the Windows taskbar, click Start, Settings, Control Panel (or just Control Panel).
2.Double-click Add/Remove Programs (or click Uninstall a program).
3.Select HP Photosmart All-In-One Driver Software, and then click Change/Remove.
Follow the onscreen instructions.
4.Disconnect the product from your computer.
5.Restart your computer.
NOTE:It is important that you disconnect the product before restarting your computer. Do not connect the
product to your computer until after you have reinstalled the software.
6.Insert the product CD-ROM into your computer’s CD-ROM drive and then start the Setup program.
NOTE: 1If the Setup program does not appear, locate the setup.exe file on the CD-ROM drive and double-
click it.
NOTE: 2If you no longer have the installation CD, you can download the software from www.hp.com/
support.
7.Follow the onscreen instructions and the instructions provided in the Start Here guide that came with the product.
When the software installation is complete, the HP Digital Imaging Monitor icon appears in the Windows system
tray.
Print quality troubleshooting
Use this section to solve these print quality problems:
•
Wrong, inaccurate, or bleeding colors
•
Ink is not filling the text or graphics completely
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							•The printout has a horizontal band of distortion near the bottom of a borderless print
•
Printouts have horizontal streaks or lines
•
Printouts are faded or have dull colors
•
Printouts seem blurry or fuzzy
•
Printouts have vertical streaks
•
Printouts are slanted or skewed
•
Ink streaks on the back of the paper
•
The text edges are jagged
Wrong, inaccurate, or bleeding colors
If your printout has one of the following print quality problems, try the solutions in this section for help.
•Colors look different than what you expected.
For example, the colors in your graphic or photo look one way on your computer screen but print out differently,
or magenta was replaced with cyan in your printout.
•Colors run into each other, or look like they are smeared on the page. The edges might have a feathering
appearance instead of being sharp and defined.
Try the following solutions if the colors appear wrong, inaccurate, or bleed into each other.
•
Solution 1: Make sure you are using genuine HP ink cartridges
•
Solution 2: Check the paper loaded in the input tray
•
Solution 3: Check the paper type
•
Solution 4: Check the ink levels
•
Solution 5: Check the print settings
•
Solution 6: Align the printer
•
Solution 7: Clean the printhead
•
Solution 8: Contact HP support
Solution 1: Make sure you are using genuine HP ink cartridges
Solution:Check to see if your ink cartridges are genuine HP ink cartridges.
HP recommends that you use genuine HP ink cartridges. Genuine HP ink cartridges are designed and tested
with HP printers to help you easily produce great results, time after time.
NOTE:HP cannot guarantee the quality or reliability of non-HP supplies. Product service or repairs required
as a result of using a non-HP supply will not be covered under warranty.
If you believe you purchased genuine HP ink cartridges, go to:
www.hp.com/go/anticounterfeit
Cause:Non-HP ink cartridges were being used.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 2: Check the paper loaded in the input tray
Solution:Make sure the paper is loaded correctly and that it is not wrinkled or too thick.
•Load paper with the side you want to print on facing down. For example, if you are loading glossy photo
paper, load the paper with the glossy side down.
•Make sure the paper lays flat in the input tray and is not wrinkled. If the paper is too close to the printhead
during printing, the ink might be smeared. This can happen if the paper is raised, wrinkled, or very thick,
such as a mailing envelope.
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							For more information, see:
•
Load media
Cause:The paper was loaded incorrectly, or it was wrinkled or too thick.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 3: Check the paper type
Solution:HP recommends that you use HP papers or any other paper type that is appropriate for the product.
Always make sure the paper you are printing on is flat. For best results when printing images, use HP Advanced
Photo Paper.
Store photo media in its original packaging inside a resealable plastic bag on a flat surface in a cool, dry place.
When you are ready to print, remove only the paper you plan to use immediately. When you have finished
printing, return any unused photo paper to the plastic bag. This will prevent the photo paper from curling.
For more information, see:
•
Recommended papers for printing
•
Information on paper
Cause:The wrong kind of paper was loaded in the input tray.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 4: Check the ink levels
Solution:Check the estimated ink levels in the cartridges.
NOTE:Ink level warnings and indicators provide estimates for planning purposes only. When you receive
a low-ink warning message, consider having a replacement cartridge available to avoid possible printing
delays. You do not need to replace the cartridges until print quality becomes unacceptable.
For more information, see:
•
Check the estimated ink levels
Cause:The ink cartridges might have insufficient ink.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 5: Check the print settings
Solution:Check the print settings.
•Check the print settings to see if the color settings are incorrect.
For example, check to see if the document is set to print in grayscale. Or, check to see if advanced color
settings such as saturation, brightness, or color tone, are set to modify the appearance of colors.
•Check the print quality setting and make sure it matches the type of paper loaded in the product.
You might need to choose a lower print quality setting, if colors are running into each other. Or, choose a
higher setting if you are printing a high-quality photo, and then make sure photo paper such as HP Advanced
Photo Paper, is loaded in the input tray.
NOTE:On some computer screens, colors might appear differently than they do when printed on paper.
In this case, there is nothing wrong with the product, print settings, or ink cartridges. No further
troubleshooting is required.
Cause:The print settings were set incorrectly.
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							If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 6: Align the printer
Solution:Align the printer.
Aligning the printer can help ensure excellent print quality.
To align the printer from the HP Photosmart Software
1.Load letter, A4, or legal unused plain white paper into the input tray.
2.In the HP Solution Center, click Settings.
3.In the Print Settings area, 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 Features tab, and then click Printer Services.
The Printer Toolbox appears.
4.Click the Device Services tab.
5.Click Align the Printer.
The product prints a test page, aligns the print head, and calibrates the printer. Recycle or discard the page.
Cause:The printer needed to be aligned.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 7: Clean the printhead
Solution:If the previous solutions did not resolve the issue, try cleaning the printhead.
To clean the printhead from the control panel
1.Press Setup.
2.Press the down arrow button to highlight Tools, and then press OK.
3.Press the down arrow button to highlight Clean Printhead, and then press OK.
The product cleans the printhead.
4.Press any button to return to the Tools menu.
After cleaning the printhead, print a print quality report. Evaluate the print quality report to see if the print quality
problem still exists.
To print a print quality report
1.Load letter or A4 unused plain white paper into the input tray.
2.Press Setup.
3.Press the down arrow button to highlight Tools, and then press OK.
4.Press the down arrow button to highlight Print Quality Report, and then press OK.
The product prints a print quality report that you can use to diagnose print quality issues.
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							To evaluate the print quality report
1.Check the ink levels shown on the page. If a cartridge shows very low ink levels and you find the print quality
unacceptable, consider replacing that ink cartridge. Print quality typically deteriorates as cartridges run out
of ink.
NOTE: 1If the print quality report is not legible, you can check the estimated ink levels from the control
panel or HP Photosmart Software.
NOTE: 2Ink level warnings and indicators provide estimates for planning purposes only. When you
receive a low-ink warning message, consider having a replacement cartridge available to avoid possible
printing delays. You do not need to replace the ink cartridges until print quality becomes unacceptable.
2.Look at the color bars in the middle of the page. The bars should have sharp edges and be solid extending
with uniform color all the way across the page.
Color bars - expected result
• If any of the color bars are irregularly streaked, lighter on one side, or contain one or more streaks of a
different color, refer to the following steps.
Color bars - irregularly streaked or faded bar (top bar)
Color bars - color mixing (yellow bar contains magenta streaks)
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							◦Check the estimated ink levels in the cartridges.
◦Remove the cartridge corresponding to the streaked bar and clean the cartridge electrical contacts.
◦Reinstall the cartridge and make sure all of the cartridges are properly installed.
◦Clean the printhead, and then print this diagnostic page again.
◦If cleaning the printhead does not solve this print quality issue, replace the cartridge corresponding
to the streaked bar.
NOTE:If replacing the cartridge does not solve this print quality issue, contact HP support for
service.
• If any of the color bars show regular white streaks, align the printer. If the issue persists, clean the
printhead, and then print this diagnostic page again.
NOTE:If cleaning the printhead does not solve this print quality issue, contact HP support for
service.
3.Look at the large text above the alignment pattern. The type should be sharp and clear.
Sample text area - expected result
• If the type is jagged, align the printer, and then print this diagnostic page again.
Sample text area - jagged text
• If the text is uneven, streaked, or smeared, clean the printhead, and then print this diagnostic page again.
Sample text area - uneven ink distribution
Sample text area - streaks or smears
4.Look at the alignment pattern above the color bars. The lines should be straight and sharp.
Alignment pattern - expected result
• If the lines are jagged, align the printer, and then print this diagnostic page again.
Alignment pattern - jagged lines
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							NOTE:If aligning the printer does not solve this print quality issue, contact HP support for service.
Cause:The printhead needed to be cleaned.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 8: Contact HP support
Solution:Contact HP support for service.
Go to: 
www.hp.com/support.
If prompted, choose your country/region, and then click Contact HP for information on calling for technical
support.
Cause:There was a problem with the printhead.
Ink is not filling the text or graphics completely
Try the following solutions if the ink is not filling the text or image completely so that it appears that parts are missing
or blank.
•
Solution 1: Make sure you are using genuine HP ink cartridges
•
Solution 2: Check the ink levels
•
Solution 3: Check the print settings
•
Solution 4: Check the paper type
•
Solution 5: Clean the printhead
•
Solution 6: Contact HP support
Solution 1: Make sure you are using genuine HP ink cartridges
Solution:Check to see if your ink cartridges are genuine HP ink cartridges.
HP recommends that you use genuine HP ink cartridges. Genuine HP ink cartridges are designed and tested
with HP printers to help you easily produce great results, time after time.
NOTE:HP cannot guarantee the quality or reliability of non-HP supplies. Product service or repairs required
as a result of using a non-HP supply will not be covered under warranty.
If you believe you purchased genuine HP ink cartridges, go to:
www.hp.com/go/anticounterfeit
Cause:Non-HP ink cartridges were being used.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 2: Check the ink levels
Solution:Check the estimated ink levels in the cartridges.
NOTE:Ink level warnings and indicators provide estimates for planning purposes only. When you receive
a low-ink warning message, consider having a replacement cartridge available to avoid possible printing
delays. You do not need to replace the cartridges until print quality becomes unacceptable.
For more information, see:
•
Check the estimated ink levels
Cause:The ink cartridges might have insufficient ink.
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							If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 3: Check the print settings
Solution:Check the print settings.
•Check the paper type setting to make sure it matches the type of paper loaded in the input tray.
•Check the print quality setting and make sure it is not set too low.
Print the image with a high print quality setting, such as Best or Maximum dpi.
Cause:The paper type or print quality settings were set incorrectly.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 4: Check the paper type
Solution:HP recommends that you use HP papers or any other paper type that is appropriate for the product.
Always make sure the paper you are printing on is flat. For best results when printing images, use HP Advanced
Photo Paper.
Store photo media in its original packaging inside a resealable plastic bag on a flat surface in a cool, dry place.
When you are ready to print, remove only the paper you plan to use immediately. When you have finished
printing, return any unused photo paper to the plastic bag. This will prevent the photo paper from curling.
For more information, see:
•
Recommended papers for printing
•
Information on paper
Cause:The wrong kind of paper was loaded in the input tray.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 5: Clean the printhead
Solution:If the previous solutions did not resolve the issue, try cleaning the printhead.
To clean the printhead from the control panel
1.Press Setup.
2.Press the down arrow button to highlight Tools, and then press OK.
3.Press the down arrow button to highlight Clean Printhead, and then press OK.
The product cleans the printhead.
4.Press any button to return to the Tools menu.
After cleaning the printhead, print a print quality report. Evaluate the print quality report to see if the print quality
problem still exists.
To print a print quality report
1.Load letter or A4 unused plain white paper into the input tray.
2.Press Setup.
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