Xerox Phaser 3124 User Manual
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9.1 9 Troubleshooting This chapter provides helpful information for what to do if you encounter an error while using your printer. This chapter includes: • Clearing paper jams • Troubleshooting checklist • Understanding the LEDs • Solving general printing problems • Solving print quality problems • Common Windows problems • Common PostScript problems (Phaser 3125/B, 3125/N only) • Common Macintosh problems (Phaser 3125/B, 3125/N only) Clearing paper jams When a paper jam occurs, the Error LED lights red. Open and close the front cover. The jammed paper automatically exits the printer. In the paper feed area In the standard tray 1Remove the jammed paper by gently pulling it straight out. Make sure that all of the paper is properly aligned in the standard tray. If the paper does not move when you pull, or if you do not see the paper in this area, check the fuser area around the toner cartridge. See page 9.2. 2Open and close the front cover to resume printing the document from failed pages. Note • When removing paper that is jammed in the printer, if possible always pull the paper in the direction that it normally moves so as not to damage internal components. Always pull firmly and evenly; do not jerk the paper. If the paper tears, ensure that all fragments of paper are removed; otherwise a jam will occur again. Downloaded From ManualsPrinter.com Manuals
9.2 In the manual tray 1Remove the jammed paper in the manual tray by gently pulling it straight out. If the paper does not move when you pull, or if you do not see the paper in this area, check the fuser area around the toner cartridge. See page 9.2. 2Open and close the front cover to resume printing the document from failed pages. Around the toner cartridge 1Open the front cover and pull the toner cartridge out. Note • The fuser area is hot. Be careful when removing paper from the printer. 2If necessary, pull the manual tray out. 3Remove the jammed paper by gently pulling it out. If you do not see the jammed paper or if there is any resistance removing the paper, stop pulling and go to the paper exit area. See page 9.3. 4If necessary, reinsert the manual tray. 5Replace the toner cartridge and close the front cover. Printing automatically resumes. Caution • To prevent damage to the toner cartridge, do not expose it to light for more than a few minutes. Cover it with a piece of paper, if necessary. • Do not touch the green surface underside of the toner cartridge. Use the handle on the cartridge to avoid touching this area. Downloaded From ManualsPrinter.com Manuals
9.3 In the paper exit area 1Open and close the front cover. The jammed paper is automatically ejected from the printer. 2Gently pull the jammed paper out of the output tray. If you do not see the jammed paper or if there is any resistance when you pull, stop pulling and go to the next step. 3Open the top cover and inner cover. Caution • When removing the jammed paper, be careful not to touch the heat roller (located underneath the inner cover). It is hot and could cause burns! • The top and inner cover themselves may also be hot due to the heat roller. Allows the printer to cool before opening the covers. 4Loosen the jammed paper if it is caught in the heat roller. Then gently pull the jammed paper out. 5Close the inner cover and top cover. Printing automatically resumes. Tips for avoiding paper jams By selecting the correct print media types, most paper jams can be avoided. When a paper jam occurs, follow the steps outlined on page 9.1. • Follow the procedures on page 5.4. Ensure that the adjustable guides are positioned correctly. • Do not overload the tray. • Do not remove paper from the tray while your printer is printing. • Flex, fan, and straighten paper before loading. • Do not use creased, damp, or highly curled paper. • Do not mix paper types in the tray. • Use only recommended print media. See page 5.1. • Ensure that the recommended print side of print media is facing up in the tray. Downloaded From ManualsPrinter.com Manuals
9.4 Troubleshooting checklist If the printer is not working properly, consult the following checklist. If the printer does not pass a step, follow the corresponding suggested solutions. ConditionSuggested solutions Make sure that the Online LED on the control panel lights green.• If the Online LED is off, check the power cord connection. Check the power switch. Check the power source by plugging the power cord into another outlet. Print a demo page to verify that the printer is feeding paper correctly. See page 2.1.• If a demo page does not print, check the paper supply in the tray. • If the paper jams in the printer, see page 9.1. Check the demo page to see if it printed correctly.If there is a print quality problem, see page 9.7. Print a short document from a software application to verify that the computer and printer are connected and are communicating correctly.• If the page does not print, check the cable connection between the printer and the computer. • Check the print queue or print spooler to see if the printer has been paused. • Check the software application to ensure that you are using the proper printer driver and communication port. If the page is interrupted during printing, see page 9.5. If completing the checklist does not resolve the printer problem, check the following troubleshooting sections.• “Understanding the LEDs” on page 9.4. • “Solving general printing problems” on page 9.5. • “Common Windows problems” on page 9.9. • “Common PostScript problems (Phaser 3125/B, 3125/N only)” on page 9.9. • “Common Macintosh problems (Phaser 3125/B, 3125/N only)” on page 9.10. Understanding the LEDs LEDStatusDescription Error Red On • A paper jam has occurred. To solve the problem, see page 9.1. • The cover is open. Close the cover. • There is no paper in the tray. Load paper in the tray. • The printer has stopped printing due to a major error. • The toner cartridge is not installed. Install the toner cartridge. • Your system has some problems. If this problem occurs, contact your service representative. Blinking • A minor error is occurring and the printer is waiting for the error to be cleared. When the problem is cleared, the printer resumes printing. • The toner cartridge is low. Order a new toner cartridge. You can temporarily improve print quality by redistributing the toner. See page 8.3. • The toner is totally exhausted. Remove the old toner cartridge and install a new one. See page 8.4. • The toner cartridge reached the end of its life. Online Green On • The printer is in power save mode. • The printer is on-line and can receive data from the computer. Blinking • Blinks slowly indicates that the printer is receiving data from the computer. • Blinks quickly indicates that the printer is printing data. Downloaded From ManualsPrinter.com Manuals
9.5 Solving general printing problems For problems with the operation of your printer, refer to the table for suggested solutions. ConditionPossible causeSuggested solutions The printer does not print.The printer is not receiving power.Check the power cord connections. Check the power switch and the power source. The printer is not selected as the default printer.Select Xerox Phaser 3124, Xerox Phaser 3125 PCL 6 or Xerox Phaser 3125 PS as your default printer. The printer cover is not closed.Close the printer cover. Paper is jammed. Clear the paper jam. See page 9.1. No paper is loaded.Load paper. See page 5.4. The toner cartridge is not installed.Install the toner cartridge. The printer may be in manual feed mode and out of paper.Add paper to the manual tray, and press the Cancel button on the control panel. The connection cable between the computer and the printer is not connected properly.Disconnect the printer cable and reconnect it. The connection cable between the computer and the printer is defective.If possible, attach the cable to another computer that is working properly and try to print a document. You can also try using a different printer cable. The port setting is incorrect.Check the Windows printer setting to make sure that the print job is sent to the correct port. If the computer has more than one port, make sure that the printer is attached to the correct one. The printer does not print. (Continued)The printer may be configured incorrectly. Check the printer properties to ensure that all of the print settings are correct. The printer driver may be incorrectly installed.Reinstall the printer driver; See the Software Section. Try printing a test page. The printer is malfunctioning.Check the LEDs on the control panel to determine if the printer is indicating a system error. Printer selects print media from the wrong paper source.The paper source selection in the printer properties may be incorrect.For many software applications, the paper source selection is found under the Paper tab within the printer properties. Select the correct paper source. See the Software Section. Paper does not feed into the printer.Paper has not been loaded correctly.Remove paper from the tray and reload it correctly. Check that the adjustable guides are set correctly. There is too much paper in the tray.Remove excess paper from the tray. The paper is too thick.Use only paper that meets printer specifications. Print job is extremely slow.The job may be very complex.Reduce the complexity of the page(s) or try adjusting the print quality settings. To adjust the print quality settings, reduce the resolution. If you have set the resolution to 1200 dpi (Best), change it to 600 dpi (Normal). See the Software Section. Change the port setting to the USB or network port to improve print speed. Your printer prints A4-sized paper at 24 ppm and letter- sized paper at 25 ppm. ConditionPossible causeSuggested solutions Downloaded From ManualsPrinter.com Manuals
9.6 Print job is extremely slow. (Continued)If using Windows 98/Me, the Spooling Setting may be set incorrectly. From the Start menu, choose Settings and Printers. Right- click the Xerox Phaser 3124, Xerox Phaser 3125 PCL 6, or Xerox Phaser 3125 PS printer icon, choose Properties, click the Details tab, and then choose the Spool Settings button. Select the desired spool setting. The computer may have insufficient random-access memory (RAM). Simplify the page layout and remove any unnecessary graphics from the document. Half the page is blank.The page layout is too complex.Simplify the page layout and remove any unnecessary graphics from the document. The page orientation setting may be incorrect.Change the page orientation in your application. See the Software Section. The paper size and the paper size settings do not match.Ensure that the paper size in the printer driver settings matches the paper in the tray. Or, ensure that the paper size in the printer driver settings matches the paper selection in the software application settings you use. The paper keeps jamming.There is too much paper in the tray.Remove excess paper from the tray. If printing on special print media, use the manual tray. An incorrect type of paper is being used.Use only paper that meets printer specifications. If printing on special print media, use the manual tray. There may be debris inside the printer.Open the front cover and remove the debris. ConditionPossible causeSuggested solutions The printer prints, but the text is wrong, garbled, or incomplete.The printer cable is loose or defective.Disconnect and reconnect the printer cable. Try a print job that you have already printed successfully. If possible, attach the cable and printer to another computer and try a print job that you know works. Finally, try a new printer cable. The wrong printer driver was selected.Check the application’s printer selection menu to ensure that your printer is selected. The software application is malfunctioning.Try printing a job from another application. The operating system is malfunctioning.If printing from Windows (any version), exit to a DOS prompt and verify functionality with the following command: At a C:\ prompt, type Dir LPT1, and press Enter. (This assumes you are connected to LPT1.) Exit Windows and reboot the computer. Turn the printer off and then back on again. Pages print, but are blank.The toner cartridge is defective or out of toner.Redistribute the toner cartridge. See page 8.3. If necessary, replace the toner cartridge. See page 8.4. The file may have blank pages.Check the file to ensure that it does not contain blank pages. Some parts, such as the controller or the board, may be defective.Contact a service representative. The illustrations print incorrectly in Adobe Illustrator.The setting in the software application is wrong.Select Download as Bitmap in the Advanced Options window of the graphic properties. Print the document again. ConditionPossible causeSuggested solutions Downloaded From ManualsPrinter.com Manuals
9.7 Solving print quality problems Dirt inside of the printer or improper paper loading may reduce print quality. See the table below to troubleshoot problems. ConditionSuggested solutions Light or faded printIf a vertical white streak or faded area appears on the page: • The toner supply is low. You may be able to temporarily extend the toner cartridge life. See page 8.3. If this does not improve print quality, install a new toner cartridge. • The paper may not meet paper specifications (for example, the paper is too moist or too rough). See page 5.3. • If the entire page is light, the print resolution setting is too light or toner save mode is on. Adjust the print resolution and toner save mode in the printer properties. See the Software Section. • A combination of faded or smeared defects may indicate that the printer needs cleaning. See page 8.1. • The surface of LSU may be dirty. Clean the LSU. See page 8.2. To n e r s p o ts• The paper may not meet specifications (for example, the paper is too moist or too rough). See page 5.3. • The transfer roller or paper path may be dirty. See page 8.1. DropoutsIf generally rounded, faded areas occur randomly on the page: • A single sheet of paper may be defective. Try reprinting the job. • The moisture content of the paper is uneven or the paper has moist spots on its surface. Try a different brand of paper. See page 5.3. • The paper lot is bad. The manufacturing processes can cause some areas to reject toner. Try a different kind or brand of paper. • The toner cartridge may be defective. See “Vertical repetitive defects” on the next column. • If these steps do not correct the problems, contact a service representative. Vertical linesIf black vertical streaks appear on the page: • The drum inside the toner cartridge has probably been scratched. Install a new toner cartridge. See page 8.4. If white vertical streaks appear on the page: • The surface of the LSU part inside the printer may be dirty. Clean the LSU. See page 8.2. Gray backgroundIf the amount of background shading becomes unacceptable, the procedures below may fix the problem. • Change to lighter weight pages. See page 5.3. • Check the printer’s environment; low humidity (lower than 20% RH) or high humidity (higher than 80% RH) conditions can increase the amount of background shading. • Remove the old toner cartridge and install a new one. See page 8.4. Toner smear• Clean the inside of the printer. See page 8.1. • Check the paper type and quality. See page 5.2. • Remove the toner cartridge and install a new one. See page 8.4. Ve r t ic a l repetitive defectsIf marks repeatedly appear on the printed side of the page at even intervals: • The toner cartridge may be damaged. If a repetitive mark occurs on the page, install a new toner cartridge. See page 8.4. • Parts of the printer may have toner on them. If the defects occur on the back of the page, the problem will likely correct itself after a few more pages. • The fusing assembly may be damaged. Contact a service representative. ConditionSuggested solutions Downloaded From ManualsPrinter.com Manuals
9.8 Background scatterBackground scatter results from bits of toner distributed on the printed page. • The paper may be too damp. Try printing with a different batch of paper. Do not open packages of paper until necessary so that the paper does not absorb too much moisture. • If background scatter occurs on an envelope, change the printing layout to avoid printing over areas that have overlapping seams on the reverse side. Printing on seams can cause problems. • If background scatter covers the entire surface area of a printed page, adjust the print resolution through your software application or via the printer properties window. Misformed characters• If characters are improperly formed and producing hollowed images, the paper stock may be too slick. Try a different paper. See page 5.3. Page skew• Ensure that the paper is loaded properly. • Check the paper type and quality. See page 5.2. • Ensure that the paper is loaded correctly and the adjustable guides are not too tight or too loose against the paper stack. Curl or wave• Ensure that the paper is loaded properly. • Check the paper type and quality. Both high temperature and humidity can cause paper curl. See page 5.2. • Turn over the stack of paper in the tray. Also try rotating the paper 180° in the tray. ConditionSuggested solutions Wrinkles or creases• Ensure that the paper is loaded properly. • Check the paper type and quality. See page 5.2. • Turn over the stack of paper in the tray. Also try rotating the paper 180° in the tray. Back of printouts are dirty• The transfer roller may be dirty. See page 8.1. • Check for leaking toner. Clean the inside of the printer. Solid black pages• The toner cartridge may not be installed properly. Remove the cartridge and reinsert. • The toner cartridge may be defective and need replacing. Install a new toner cartridge. • The printer may require repair. Contact a service representative. Loose toner• Clean the inside of the printer. • Check the paper type and quality. See page 5.2. • Install a new toner cartridge. See page 8.4. • If the problem persists, the printer may require repair. Contact a service representative. Character voidsCharacter voids are white areas within characters that should be solid black: • If you are using transparencies, try another type of transparency. Because of the composition of the transparency, some character voids may be normal. • You may be printing on the wrong surface on the paper. Turn over the paper in the tray. • The paper may not meet paper specifications. See page 5.3. ConditionSuggested solutions Downloaded From ManualsPrinter.com Manuals
9.9 Common Windows problems Horizontal stripesIf horizontally aligned black streaks or smears appear: • The toner cartridge may be installed improperly. Remove the cartridge and reinsert. • The toner cartridge may be defective. Install a new toner cartridge. See page 8.4. • If the problem persists, the printer may require repair. Contact a service representative. CurlIf the printed paper is curled or paper does not feed into the printer: • Turn over the stack of paper in the tray. Also try rotating the paper 180° in the tray. An unknown image repetitively appears on a next few sheets or loose toner, light print or contamination occurs.Your printer is probably being used at an altitude of 2,500 m (8,200 ft) or above. The high altitude may affect the print quality such as loose toner or light imaging. You can set this option through Printer Settings Utility or Printer Tab in printer driver’s properties. Refer to the Software Section for details. ConditionSuggested solutions “File in Use” message appears during installation.Exit all software applications. Remove all software from the StartUp Group, then restart Windows. Reinstall the printer driver. “Error Writing to LPTx” message appears.• Ensure that the cables are connected correctly and the printer is on. • If bi-directional communication is not turned on in the driver, it will also cause this message. “General Protection Fault”, “Exception OE”, “Spool32”, or “Illegal Operation” messages appear.Close all other applications, reboot Windows, and try printing again. ConditionSuggested solutions Common PostScript problems (Phaser 3125/B, 3125/N only) The following situations are PostScript language specific and may occur when several printer languages are being used.“Fail To Print,” “A printer timeout error occurred,” messages appear.These messages may appear during printing. Just keep waiting until the printer finishes printing. If the message appears in standby mode or after printing has been completed, check the connection and/or whether an error has occurred. Note • Refer to Microsoft Windows 98/Me/NT 4.0/2000/XP(32/64 bit)/ 2003 User’s Guide that came with your PC for further information on Windows error messages. Note • To receive a printed or screen displayed message when PostScript errors occur, open the Print Options window and click the desired selection next to the PostScript errors section. ConditionPossible causeSuggested solutions PostScript file can not be printed.The PostScript driver may not be installed correctly.• Print a configuration page and verify that the PostScript version is available for printing. • Install the PostScript driver; to installing the PS printer driver, see the Software Section. • If problem consists, contact a service representative. “Limit Check Error” message appears.The print job was too complex.You might need to reduce the complexity of the page. A PostScript error page prints.Print job may not be PostScript.Make sure that the print job is a PostScript job. Check to see whether the software application expected a setup or PostScript header file to be sent to the printer. When print a document in Macintosh with Acrobat Reader 6.0 or higher, colors print incorrectly.The resolution setting in the printer driver may not be matched with that in Acrobat Reader.Make sure that the resolution setting in your printer driver matches that in Acrobat Reader. ConditionSuggested solutions Downloaded From ManualsPrinter.com Manuals
9.10 Common Macintosh problems (Phaser 3125/B, 3125/N only) ConditionSuggested solutions The printer does not print a document from Acrobat Reader.Change the Print Method option to Print as Image when you print from Acrobat Reader. The document has printed, but the print job has not disappeared from the spooler in Mac OS 10.3.2.Update your Mac OS to OS 10.3.3 or higher. The printer does not print a document from Illustrator on IPP printing.Change the Data type option in the Adobe Illustrator print menu to Binary. Or, you can use Appletalk printing. Downloaded From ManualsPrinter.com Manuals