General Copying Issues and Solutions

Copying problems can occur for a variety of reasons. The following list addresses some common solutions to questions or copying problems. More complete information on specific errors may be covered in other documents.

Nothing happens when either copy button is pressed

Automatic document feeder (ADF) does not function

Verify that the unit recognizes the Automatic Document Feeder. Print a self-test page to check this:

1. Press MENU three times to display self-test page, then press SELECT/RESUME. On the third line of the self-test page should be the ADF status. This should read Active.
2. If ADF Status is not "Active", turn off the unit and then unplug the power cord and the ADF cable.
   Figure 1: Checking the ADF cable
   
3. Verify that the ADF cable connector does not have any bent pins and then plug in the ADF cord securely.
4. Plug the power cable back in and then turn the unit back on and run a self-test Page to verify the Status of the ADF. Once the ADF is active, the unit should perform the copying functions properly.

Copy output is slanted or skewed

The rear access door not being in the locked position is the most common reason for skewed or crooked printing and copying. Verify that it is in the fully locked position. The following steps will further minimize the chance of crooked or skewed output:

1. Proper loading and handling of the paper can minimize skew. Make sure the paper is loaded evenly against the right wall of the main media tray.
2. Make sure the paper width and length adjusters fit snugly against the left and bottom edges of the paper stack so the paper is being fed "squarely" into the printer.
3. Try using a stack of paper, approximately a .5-inch stack, or 50 sheets.
4. Use envelopes with rectangular flaps rather than triangular flaps.
5. Load only one type of media (paper or transparency) in the input tray. Some types of paper and pre-printed forms or letterhead can impact print skew.
6. Remove the rear access door and clean the rollers with a damp cloth. Turn the knob on the rear access door a quarter-turn counter clockwise to the unlocked position to release the door. Remove the rear access door and clean the rollers with a damp cloth. You can manually turn the rollers either direction with your fingers.

Clean the paper pick rollers:

1. Dust and fiber on the paper pick rollers may cause the paper to load unevenly. Use a lint-free cloth moistened with water to wipe off the rollers.
2. Switch off the unit and remove the power cable from the electrical outlet.
3. Remove the paper from the input tray.
4. Open the front access door.
5. Locate the rubber paper pick rollers and wipe them with the lint-free cloth.
6. Close the front access door.
7. Put the paper stack in the Input Tray.
8. After the paper pick rollers have dried, put the power cable in the electrical outlet and switch the unit on.

Check the paper pressure plate attached to the input tray:

1. Lift the Output Tray.
2. Remove the paper from the Input Tray.
3. Pull out the Input Tray.
4. In the input tray, locate the button to disassemble the input tray. The button is U-shaped and resides at 5 cm from the right and at 20 cm from the front end of the input tray.
   Figure 2: Red arrow points the location of the U-shaped button
   
5. While pressing the U-shaped button, pull the input tray completely out of the unit.
6. Move the pressure plate assembly up and down to check for any obstructions. The pressure plate assembly is a rectangular part at the end of the input tray with a square cork.
7. Check if the pressure plate assembly is crooked or bent. If the surface of the pressure plate is not even, the paper will skew when it is the paper pick rollers will take the paper. This may occur when there is not a lot of paper in the input tray.
8. If the pressure plate is bent or obstructed, call for service.

Lines through the copy

There are several things that may cause lines in a copy. Some of these include: dried ink in the ink cartridge nozzles, folds or creases in the original, dirty scanner glass or backing, ink cartridges nearly empty and buildup on the underside of the ink cartridge. Check or do the following:

Scanner System Failure error message

This error can occur for a number of reasons. The unit monitors the temperature of the scan bulb. If the temperature is too low, this error will be displayed. This error can be caused by the following:

• Low ambient temperature in the room where the unit is being used. To verify that this is the cause, move the unit to a warmer area. The error may be ignored if this is the cause.
• Low voltage or improper grounding. Do not plug the unit into a surge suppressor or power strip. The unit's external power supply module provides adequate surge suppression. Plug the unit directly into a wall outlet and see if the error message goes away. Sometimes just unplugging the unit and plugging it back in will make the error go away. Be sure to plug it into a grounded outlet using the three-prong plug provided. Never cut the ground prong off of the power plug.
• Try moving the unit to a different room or building to verify that the building (or room) is grounded properly and that a low power condition does not exist.
• Dirty scanner glass or scan backing cover. Make sure these are clean. Use a soft rag dampened with soapy water to clean the scanner glass and scan backing.
• Models equipped with a automatic document feeder should follow these steps:
  1. Power down the unit and unplug it from power.
  2. Unplug the automatic document feeder cable from the back of the base of the unit.
  3. Reconnect the unit to power. If the error goes away, power down the unit and reconnect the automatic document feeder cable. Power the unit back up when the cable is reconnected and see if the error comes back. If it does, contact HP Customer Care to obtain a new automatic document feeder assembly.
  4. If the error cannot be cleared and is not the result of operating in low temperatures, contact HP Customer Care to have the unit serviced.

False paper jam errors

Try the following:

1. Verify that the paper path is free of obstructions by opening the rear access door (as shown above) and checking for foreign objects such as paper clips and staples.
2. Remove the rear access door and clean the rollers with a damp cloth. Turn the knob on the rear access door a quarter-turn counter clockwise to the unlocked position to release the door. Remove the rear access door and clean the rollers with a damp cloth. You can manually turn the rollers either directions with your fingers.
3. If the copier gets a hard paper jam every time a Fast mode copy is attempted, try making a copy in Best mode. If a copy can be made in Best Mode but not in Fast mode, there is a problem with the paper feed motor power module. Please contact HP Customer Care for assistance.

Copy is too slow

The Clone or AutoFit feature does not work

Try the following solutions:

• Clean the scanner/copier glass with glass cleaner. If there is any foreign material on the glass, the scanner will see it and include it as part of the whole image.
• Open the cover and look for a white background. This white background is directly under the cover or document feeder and is a large, flat rectangular plastic sheet on foam. Clean the white background with normal glass cleaner and a clean lint-free cloth. It should be all white with no visible marks.
• The page to be cloned or AutoFit must lay flat on the glass and the lid must be fully closed. These features will probably fail on copies from books and magazines because the center crease will show up.
• Place blank sheets of paper over the photo being copied to cover all the glass area.
• Models with an automatic document feeder should verify that the unit recognizes the Automatic Document Feeder. Print a self-test page to check this:
  1. Press MENU three times to display self-test page, and then press SELECT/RESUME. On the third line of the self-test page should be the ADF status. This should read Active.
  2. If ADF Status is not "Active", turn off the unit and then unplug the power cord and the ADF cable.
  3. Verify that the ADF cable connector does not have any bent pins and then plug the ADF cord in securely.
  4. Plug the power cable back in and then turn the unit back on and run a self-test page to verify the status of the ADF. Once the ADF is active, the unit should perform the copying functions properly.

Colors are lighter than original

Copy colors are darker than original

Colors are not correct

Black is not black

The unit will perform mono (or black) copies using the color cartridge to create a composite black in Normal and Best modes. This is necessary to create the correct grayscale shades.

Copy has a shaded area around it

The copy not lying flat normally causes this problem.

• Make sure that the copy lays flat. It may be necessary to apply light pressure to the top of the unit lid if the original is badly wrinkled or was folded.
• The page to be cloned must lay flat on the glass and the lid must be fully closed. The clone feature will probably fail on copies from books and magazines because the center crease will show up.
• Place blank sheets of paper over the photo being copied to cover all the glass area.

The rollers show on the copy

Edges of copy are cut off

The unit has a printable region that it must stay within (see the Printable Regions, Minimum Margins documents). This is true of all Inkjet printers. The unit must have paper to grip to feed it past the ink cartridges (this is why the bottom margin is the largest). The most important reason is that ink sprayed into the print mechanism causes smudges on future pages and will damage the unit when it gets onto the components. Having a printable region makes it difficult for this to happen. Laser printers do not have this problem because they use a completely different technique to print that does not have the same concerns. To copy the entire page:

• Press REDUCE/ENLARGE and select Entire 91% from the menu.

T-shirt transfers are reversed

Blank pages print out when making a poster