HP Photosmart Pro B8850 User Manual

							6.On the desktop, open the CD-ROM and then double-click HP Installer.
7.Follow the onscreen instructions and the instructions provided in the Setup Guide that came with the
HP Photosmart.
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							5 Troubleshooting and support
The printer is designed to be reliable and easy to use, but if you have any problems, refer to this section for possible
solutions.
If any of the indicator lights on the printer control panel are flashing, see 
Error states and indicator light behavior for
more information. For additional troubleshooting information, see the onscreen Help.
Printer software installation problems
NOTE:Before contacting HP support, read this section for troubleshooting tips or go to the online support
services at 
www.hp.com/support. The name of HP support services may vary by country/region.
If the printer software did not install successfully or if the printer and computer are not communicating properly after
software installation, check this section for possible solutions.
Before proceeding, check all cable connections between the printer and computer, and ensure that you are using
the most recent version of the printer software.
The System Requirements dialog box is displayed during installation
Cause:A component of the computer system does not meet minimum system requirements.
Solution:Upgrade the component to the minimum system requirement and then reinstall the printer software.
The computer could not read the HP Photosmart CD
Solution:Make sure the CD is not dirty or scratched. If other CDs work but the HP Photosmart one does not,
you might have a damaged CD. You can request a new CD from HP support. If other CDs do not work, you
might need to service the CD-ROM drive.
The installation software does not start automatically when the CD is inserted (Windows only)
Solution:From the Windows Start menu, select Run. Click Browse, and then navigate to the CD drive where
you inserted the HP Photosmart CD. Double-click the setup.exe file.
The Found New Hardware wizard appears on computer (Windows only)
Cause:You might have connected the USB cable before completing the software installation.
Solution:Unplug the USB cable, click Cancel on the Found New Hardware wizard, and then restart the
software installation. Do not connect the USB cable until prompted during software installation.
The Found New Hardware wizard cannot locate the drivers on the CD (Windows only)
Solution:Unplug the USB cable, click Cancel on the Found New Hardware wizard, and then restart the
software installation. Do not connect the USB cable until prompted during software installation.
The computer stops responding during software installation
Cause:Virus protection software or another software program is running in the background and slowing down
the installation process.
Troubleshooting and support 29
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							Solution:Wait while the software finishes copying files; this might take several minutes. If, after several
minutes, the computer is still not responding, restart the computer, pause or disable any active virus protection
software, quit all other software programs, and then reinstall the printer software.
Printer hardware setup problems
If you are having problems related to printer hardware setup, check this section for possible solutions. If your issue
is related to software setup, see 
Printer software installation problems. If any of the indicator lights on the printer
control panel are flashing, see 
Error states and indicator light behavior for more information.
NOTE:For complete troubleshooting assistance on printer setup, see the animated Quick Start Tutorial on the
HP Photosmart software CD. To view the Tutorial, follow these steps:
Windows: Insert the CD into your computer and click View Quick Start Tutorial.
Mac: Insert the CD into your computer, double-click the HP Software icon, and then double-click the HP
Installer icon.
The animated Quick Start Tutorial on the CD provides instructions for setting up the printer and installing software
along with troubleshooting information. To access the troubleshooting information, click Need help? on the
bottom-left corner of the Quick Start Tutorial screen.
The printer is plugged in but will not turn on
Solution
• The printer might have drawn too much power. Unplug the printer power cord from the back of the printer.
Wait about 30 seconds, and then plug the cord back in. Turn on the printer.
• The printer might be plugged into a power strip that is turned off. Turn on the power strip, and then turn on
the printer.
• The power cord could be defective.
I do not know where to insert the printheads
Solution:Make sure the blue printhead assembly cover is open all the way. Pull the blue handle forward to
unlatch it, and then raise the cover all the way. The printhead slots will then be visible. For more information,
see the Insert the printheads section of the animated Quick Start Tutorial.
I cannot remove the output tray
Solution
• Pull the output tray straight towards you. Do not lift the forward edge upwards as you pull. It may take some
force to pull the tray out.
• Make sure you are not pulling the main tray (beneath the output tray) as you pull the output tray out.
Nothing happens when I press the Resume button
Solution:Make sure all four printheads and all eight ink cartridges are installed correctly. Check that both
doors and the specialty media tray are closed. Wait for the Resume light to start flashing quickly, and then try
pressing the Resume button again. If the printer calibration does not begin, there might be a paper jam. For
more information on clearing paper jams, see 
Error message: There is a paper jam. Clear jam then press the
Resume button on the printer.
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							The Resume light is not on or flashing
Solution:The printheads or the cartridges are missing or not installed correctly. Make sure all four printheads
and all eight ink cartridges are installed correctly. For more information, see the onscreen Help or the animated
Quick Start Tutorial.
Printing problems
NOTE:Before contacting HP support, read this section for troubleshooting tips or go to the online support
services at 
www.hp.com/support. The name of HP support services may vary by country/region.
TIP:View the How do I? animations available from the HP Solution Center to see how to load paper in the
main tray or the specialty media tray, how to clear a paper jam, and how to install and replace ink cartridges and
printheads.
The printer makes noises when I turn it on, or starts making noises after sitting unused for a
while
Solution:The printer might make noises after a period of inactivity or when its power supply has been
interrupted and then restored. This is normal operation. The printer is performing an automatic maintenance
procedure to ensure it produces the best quality output. For more information, see 
Leave the printer plugged
in.
Printing is very slow
Cause:You might be printing a PDF or a project containing high-resolution graphics or photos. Large, complex
projects containing graphics or photos print slower than text documents.
Solution:Consider using lower resolution graphics in the project, if possible, or allow for longer print times in
your workflow.
Paper does not feed into the printer correctly from the main tray
Solution
• If you are using non-HP brands of glossy media or thick media in the main tray, and the printer does not
feed the paper or feeds multiple sheets through at once, try reducing the number of sheets in the main tray
to 20, or use the specialty media tray to print on one sheet at a time.
• Remove the main tray from the printer and check that the paper stack is lying flat in the tray, and has not
been pushed up over the paper stops. When you replace the tray, be sure to push the tray into the printer
until it is seated correctly.
• There might be too much paper loaded in the tray. Check that the paper is not stacked above the height of
the paper-length guide. If it is, remove some paper and try printing again.
• The paper guides might not be adjusted correctly. Make sure the paper-width and paper-length guides fit
close to the edges of the paper without bending the paper.
• Two or more pieces of paper might be sticking together. Remove the paper from the main tray, fan the edges
of the stack to separate the sheets of paper, and then reload the paper and try printing again.
• If the paper is wrinkled or bent, try using different paper.
• The paper might be too thin or too thick. Use HP inkjet paper for best results. For more information, see
Choose the right paper or other media.
TIP:For more information on loading paper, see Choose the right paper or other media or view the How
do I? animations available from the HP Solution Center.
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							Printed pages are dropping off of the output tray
Solution:Always extend the output tray extension and flip up the paper catch when you print.
The printout is rippled or curled
Solution
• Check that the media type setting in the printer software matches the type of media loaded in the tray.
• Try a different print quality setting such as Normal or Best.
The document printed at an angle or is off-center
Solution:The paper might not be loaded correctly. Reload the paper, making sure it is correctly oriented in
the tray and that the paper-width and paper-length guides fit close to the edges of the paper. For more information
on loading paper, see 
Choose the right paper or other media or view the How do I? animations available from
the HP Solution Center.
Colors are not printing satisfactorily
Solution
• The color management settings of the printer might not be set properly. For more information, see 
Color
management.
• Check that the media type setting in the printer software matches the type of media loaded in the tray.
• Check if one or more of the ink cartridges are low on ink. For more information, see 
Check the ink levels.
• The printer color may need to be calibrated. For more information, see 
Align and calibrate the printer.
• Some of the ink nozzles on the printheads are clogged. Clean the printheads. See 
Clean the printheads
automatically.
A blank page came out of the printer
Solution
NOTE:Check to make sure that the document you are printing does not have blank pages.
• You might have begun printing and then cancelled the process. If you cancelled the process before printing
started, the printer might have already loaded paper in preparation for printing. The next time you print, the
printer ejects the blank page before starting the new printing project.
• The printer picked two or more pages at once. Fan the paper stack before loading in main tray to separate
the individual pages or reduce the number of sheets loaded.
The printer ejects the paper when preparing to print
Solution:Direct sunlight could be interfering with the operation of the automatic paper sensor. Move the printer
out of direct sunlight.
Print quality is poor
Solution
• Use photo paper designed for the printer. For best results, use HP Advanced Photo paper.
• You might be printing on the wrong side of the paper. Make sure the paper is loaded in the main tray with
the side to be printed facing down or in the specialty media tray with the side to be printed facing up.
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							• You might have selected a low-resolution setting on the digital camera. Reduce the print size of the image
and try printing again. For better results in the future, set the digital camera to a higher photo resolution.
• There might be a problem with a printhead. Print a test page to check the condition of the printheads. For
more information on printing a test page, see 
Print a test page.
◦If the test page indicates the printheads need to be aligned, align the printheads. See 
Align and calibrate
the printer.
◦If the test page indicates the printheads need to be cleaned, run an automatic cleaning procedure from
the printer control panel. For more information, see 
Clean the printheads automatically.
◦If automatic cleaning does not resolve the problem, try manually cleaning the nozzles on the printheads.
For more information on cleaning the printheads manually, see the onscreen Help.
• Calibrate the printer color and check the color management settings. See 
Align and calibrate the printer and
Color management for more information.
• If you are printing from a large file (for example, printing a large image at high dpi), and your system has
insufficient RAM and/or a processor of insufficient speed, your print quality may be poor. Try the following
workarounds, or increase your system processor speed and physical memory size (RAM). Please visit
www.hp.com/support (search keyword: Photosmart Pro B8800) for more information on this issue. To
optimize print quality for slow computers:
◦Close all applications except the application you are printing from. Make sure there are no processes
running in the background.
◦Change your color management strategy to “Managed by Application,” or disable color management.
See 
Color management for more information.
◦If you are printing a landscape image, rotate it into portrait orientation and select portrait orientation in
the driver before printing.
For detailed troubleshooting information on print quality problems, see the onscreen Help.
Scrapes, scratches, or white lines are appearing in my prints
Solution
• Make sure the media you are using is flat. To flatten a sheet of media before printing, place the media in a
plastic bag and gently bend it in the opposite direction of the curl. If the problem still occurs, try a different
sheet of media.
• If you are using glossy HP Advanced Photo paper or HP Professional Satin Photo paper, try using the Photo
Thick paper-type setting in the printer driver.
• Try cleaning the printheads. For more information, see 
Clean the printheads automatically.
• Try using the Maximum dpi print quality setting. For more information, see the onscreen Help.
Error messages
Error messages that are displayed on the printer screen can be divided into the following types:
•
Paper errors
•
Ink cartridge and printhead errors
Paper errors
Before contacting HP support, read this section for troubleshooting tips or go to the online support services at
www.hp.com/support. The name of HP support services may vary by country/region.
TIP:View the How do I? animations available from the HP Solution Center to see how to load paper in the
main tray or the specialty media tray, how to clear a paper jam, and how to install and replace ink cartridges and
printheads.
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							Error message: Remove media
Solution:When you print on certain types of media using the specialty media tray, the printer does not fully
eject the media from the printer. If the computer prompts you to remove media from the printer, grasp the media
with both hands and gently pull it from the front of the printer.
Error message: There is a paper jam. Clear jam then press the Resume button on the printer
Solution:Try the following steps to clear the paper jam:
1.Open the top door and clear the printer of any paper obstructing the paper path. If needed, gently move the
printhead assembly to one side to remove the paper.
2.Press the two releases on either side of the rear door to remove it and gently remove the jammed paper
from the printer, then replace the rear access door.
3.Try pulling out the main tray and replacing it in the printer, making sure to push the tray in as far as it will go,
until it is fully seated.
4.Press Resume after clearing a paper jam.
NOTE: 1If you were printing labels, make sure a label did not become unglued from the label sheet while
going through the printer.
NOTE: 2Dry conditions can cause paper to curl, which can cause paper jams, so store expensive specialty
media in a plastic bag rather than in the main tray.
Error message: Out of paper
Solution:Load paper in the tray from which the print job was initiated, and then press the  button to print
again. For paper-loading instructions, see 
Print from the main tray or Print from the specialty media tray (single-
sheet feed).
Error message: Paper mismatch
Cause:The size of the paper in the tray does not match the photo size selected in the printer driver.
Solution:Press Cancel on the printer control panel, and re-start the print job, making sure to select the correct
paper size in the driver or load paper that matches the driver paper-size setting.
Ink cartridge and printhead errors
Before contacting HP support, read this section for troubleshooting tips or go to the online support services at
www.hp.com/support. The name of HP support services may vary by country/region.
TIP:View the How do I? animations available from the HP Solution Center to see how to load paper in the
main tray or the specialty media tray, how to clear a paper jam, and how to install and replace ink cartridges and
printheads.
Error message: Cartridge problem
Cause:The specified ink cartridges are missing or damaged.
Solution:Make sure all eight ink cartridges are installed. If there are no ink cartridges missing, try removing
the indicated cartridges and then reinstalling them. If this does not work, you might have a damaged ink cartridge.
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							Check to see if your ink cartridge is still under warranty:
• If the end of warranty date has been reached, purchase a new ink cartridge.
• If the end of warranty date has not been reached, contact HP support. For more information, see
HP support.
Error message: Cartridges nearly expired --OR-- Cartridges expired
Cause:The ink in the indicated cartridges is near or at the expiration date.
Solution:Each ink cartridge has an expiration date. The purpose of expiration is to protect the printing system
and to ensure ink quality. When you receive a Cartridges expired message, remove and replace the expired
ink cartridge, and then close the message. You can also continue printing without replacing the ink cartridge,
by following the instructions on the product or the ink cartridge expiration message on your computer screen.
HP recommends replacing the expired ink cartridges. HP cannot guarantee the quality or reliability of expired
ink cartridges. Device service or repairs required as a result of using expired ink will not be covered under
warranty.
Error message: Replace cartridges soon
Cause:The indicated ink cartridges are estimated to be low on ink.
Solution:The indicated ink cartridges may need to be replaced soon.
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 ink cartridges until you are prompted to do so.
Error message: Cannot print
Cause:The ink in the indicated cartridges has been depleted.
Solution:Replace the indicated ink cartridges. For more information, see 
Replace the ink cartridges.
Error message: Printhead problem
Cause:The indicated printheads are missing, not detected, incorrectly installed, or damaged.
Solution:Try reinstalling the indicated printheads. Press firmly on each printhead until it snaps into place and
make sure the assembly cover is closed properly and the printer top door is closed. If the error message still
appears, contact HP support for special instructions on troubleshooting printhead problems.
Error message: Incompatible printheads
Solution:Replace the indicated printheads with the appropriate printheads for the device. To determine the
reorder number for all the printheads that the printer supports, see the back cover of this guide.
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							HP support
If you still have a problem, follow these steps:
1.Check the documentation that came with the HP Photosmart.
2.Visit the HP online support Web site at 
www.hp.com/support. HP online support is available to all HP customers.
It is the fastest source for up-to-date device information and expert assistance and includes the following
features:
• Fast access to qualified online support specialists
• Software and driver updates for the HP Photosmart
• Valuable HP Photosmart and troubleshooting information for common problems
• Proactive device updates, support alerts, and HP newsgrams that are available when you register the
HP Photosmart
3. For Europe only: Contact your local point of purchase. If the printer has a hardware failure, you will be asked
to bring the printer to where you purchased it. Service is free during the printer limited warranty period. After the
warranty period, you will be quoted a service charge.
4.Call HP support. Support options and availability vary by device, country/region, and language.
NOTE:For a list of support phone numbers, see the phone number list on the inside of the back cover.
Regulatory model identification number SDGOA-0842
For regulatory identification purposes, the product is assigned a Regulatory Model Number. The Regulatory Model
Number for the product is SDGOA-0842. This regulatory number should not be confused with the marketing name
(HP Photosmart Pro B8800 series) or product number (Q7161A, Q7161-64001).
Environmental statements
For Environmental Stewardship information, see the onscreen Help. To learn how to access the onscreen Help, see
Find more information.
Chapter 5
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							A Error states and indicator light
behavior
The lights on the printer flash to inform you about the printer status and various error conditions. Refer to this table
to determine what the flashing lights mean or to solve your error condition based on which lights are on or flashing.
For detailed information on troubleshooting, see the onscreen Help or the animated Quick Start Tutorial.
1Resume light
2Toolbox light
3On light
4Ink cartridge lights
5Printhead light
NOTE:If all indicator lights are off, then the printer is off. Press the On button to turn on the printer.
LightStatusMeaning
On lightOnThe printer is on and ready to print.
Flashing quicklyThe specialty media tray or one or more printer doors are open.
Solution: Close the tray and the printer doors before printing.
Flashing slowlyThe printer is busy printing, processing information, or powering on or
off.
Resume lightFlashing quickly•Paper is not loaded in the main tray or the specialty media tray.
Solution: Load paper in the tray from which the print job was
initiated.
•The printer cannot feed paper from the paper tray specified for the
current print job.
Solution: Make sure the Paper Source setting in the printer driver
is set correctly. If you are printing from the main tray, the specialty
media tray must be raised.
•The printer might have a paper jam.
Solution: Clear the paper jam. For information see Errormessage: There is a paper jam. Clear jam then press the Resumebutton on the printer.
•There is a paper-size mismatch.
Solution: Make sure the paper-size setting in the driver matches
the media size loaded in the tray.
Ink cartridge lights OnThe corresponding ink cartridges may be low on ink.
Solution: You may need to replace the indicated ink cartridges soon.
For more information, see 
Error message: Replace cartridges soon.
FlashingThe corresponding ink cartridges may be depleted of ink, damaged,
missing, or incompatible.
Error states and indicator light behavior 37
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