Computer Help Thread #2 (Printer)

[Gina]

Hello! I'm having some serious Printer Problems and since Hewlett Packard won't help me, I thought maybe one of you guys had some jewels of knowledge for me.

Here's my printer: HP Deskjet 610CL
Here's my problem: Turn on, the ink cartridge thingee moves back and forth then stops on the right side. Both lights blink. If I open the top/lid, the ink cartridges do not come to center, therefore I am not out of ink, correct?

I have already done all of HP's suggested fixes. Cleaning rollers, looking for paper jam, aligning that plastic arm thingee on the left, everything...

This printer worked just fine until I had it in storage (in original box) for 3 months of summer. Brought out of box, Blinky Dead Monster!!!

What can I do?

Option #1: Pay HP $$$ to fix it.
Option #2: Buy a new/used one ($50 in my research)
Option #3: Take it apart to see what's inside, throw it out the window and watch it smash (hey, I'm on the 5th floor!), then proceed to Option #2

Any other Options? Thanks

 

[Raceit]

I just wanted to cover some obvious ground here....

Does it do that when there is paper in there?
Sorry, had to ask, but serisously, try like just 20 or so sheets and then try while it's filled up. I know all the HP deskjets I've messed with are real picky if some part isn't put back in just right. See if it still does it with no paper and take out as much of the paper tray as you can. To see if the cartridiges are hitting on anything.

Other then that I don't have any ideas. It is weird that the ink cartridges don't go to the center. Didn't they usually do that before you put it in storage?

 

[01EB5.0]

Gina, Your in rochester, MI? Where's that?? Is it anywhere near Grand Rapids? WHat school are you at?

Sounds like it has a problem "parking" over on the rubber pads all the way to the right. is there somehting there blocking it? Do you have the correct cartrage in the correct slot?
there was one like that here at school that had t be taken apart to fix

 

[rustytr]

Hmm, when my lights were blinking on mine I just jiggled the paper a bit and held the button in for about 5 seconds and it was fixed. I like those easy problems.

 

[01EB5.0]

One other thing..make sure th ecartrage is tighly pushe din and not just jiggling around. One person on my floor had the same problem because the cartrage was loose

 

[ChuckyD]

what i would do... i would take the printer put it under my desk and use it as a foot rest and buy a new printer considering how cheap they are!! but thats just what i would do. 610cl? sounds like its about at least 2-3 years old right? You got some good use out of it!!


OH YEAH ..... OPTION 3 OPTION 3 OPTION 3 OPTION 3

 

[rpenner54]

Ah the lovely HP Deskjet problem. It has to do with the paper pick-up device. It needs to be flipped back up more then likely. The two of these printers I have had both have done this. Drives me nuts! The paper puller upper is flipped up and it needs to be flipped down. Hard to describe but it seems to happen a lot.

 

[01EB5.0]

LOL..even that confused me...so should it be flipped up or down?!?!

If you buying a new one many people here have the new HP 900 seris printers. they are all pretty easy to use and we haven't had any problems yet. mine is a HP 990 CSE, maybe more expensive then what you need, but like a 932 or something would be good.

 

[ChuckyD]

rpenner54... its called a pickup roller...

as far as the type of printer to buy, you might not even have to get a 930 series printer just look for the cheapest HP out there thats new.. it will most likely be better then the one you have have so long as the printer you have is in fact 2-3 years old.

Go to www.pricewatch.com and look there, alot of good deals and very very cheap, i buy alot of stuff off of there. i have spent at least a thousand dollars on various PC parts and never had a problem with any of the retailers they have listed.

 

[rpenner54]

Originally posted by ChuckyD
rpenner54... its called a pickup roller...

AHA! The technical term. LOL Man it is so funny working at my office sometimes. We use the word dohicky and dodad, and the best of all "Thingy" more then the true technical terms and we all understand each other.

 

[jimbo74]

the thing for a key id tag with string is called a "pully thingy" i love all the jargon

 

[ChuckyD]

rpenner54 that is some funny stuff... we all do the same thing here where i work.. i just happen to know the name of that part cause we have to get them replaced on our printers.... allll the time... stupid HP 5L's 6L's and 1100's I hate them pieces of crap!!!

 

[01EB5.0]

I second that on pricewatch.com. I have purchased parts to build 2 entire computer off there and have never been let down except for this one company from Calif., but thats beside the point. The rest were all excellent.

 

[Harry5150]

Does the printer use an incoding strip? It's a thin clear plastic strip over the drive belt.

It actually has a bunch of tiny black lines like a bar code that tells the printer where the print head is.

If it becomes dirty, like ours did because of the dust from the crappy paper we used, the print head doesn't know where it's orginal start position is and bounces around and makes bad noises.

If you do have the encoding strip, clean it carefully with windex and a soft cloth. Power up (reset if you can) and hope for the best.

Harry

 

[Gina]

Originally posted by rpenner54
Ah the lovely HP Deskjet problem. It has to do with the paper pick-up device. It needs to be flipped back up more then likely. The two of these printers I have had both have done this. Drives me nuts! The paper puller upper is flipped up and it needs to be flipped down. Hard to describe but it seems to happen a lot.

Thanks for all the help, but my printer is still failing. The only suggestion I couldn't try is the one above from rpenner54. No comprendo. Could it be my clutch actuator arm thingee (white plastic slidy pointer on the left)? Should the pointer on it be in one of the grooves on the big black roller holder? Should the big black roller holder be up or down? I can press it down, but it springs back up.

My printer isn't actually that old. It was bought with our Dell computer in April of 2000. So, about 1.5 years old.

How does HP number their computers? My 610CL was super fast printing, but my boyfriends oldschool 694C takes like 3 hours to print a color page. If I end up buying a new/used one, should I look for one with a number of 700 or larger? Bah!

 

[99explorer5.0]

LOL in computer years 1.5 years old equals about 200 human years.

 

[01EB5.0]

Gina,
I thnk the larger the number you buy, the faster it'll be. i know at home we have a 970 CSE abd here at school i have a 990 CSE. They look similar, but the one here is a bit faster. Basically I would say new is the way to go and just get the largest number you can afford. CHeck out the printers at a store, then go on line at www.pricewatch.com and search for the model number and thatway you'll get the best deal.

 

[ChuckyD]

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one of these links may help ginagem

PS i happened to be in CompUSA today and asked what the cheapest hp printer they had was and he said 50 bucks.... not to bad if you ask me... and... just cause it comes from dell doesnt mean it wasnt leftover stock or it wasnt refurbished.