Any Printer experts on board?

[Milton]

I have an HP Deskjet 5740 connected to my computer.It recently stopped printing in color.The color cartridge is relatively new.I have run test pages ,alignment pages and checked and re-checked the color setup.I have physically removed the color cartridge and cleaned the ink contact surfaces(which helps a very little bit for a very short time) and I still get no color.Any suggestions on what to do or re-do/recheck?

 

[cmort666]

Delete that printer from "Printers and Faxes" and reinstall from scratch, either from the install disk, or (preferably) by downloading the latest driver from HP.

Remember, if it's a USB printer, install the driver with the cable DISCONNECTED. Connect the cable, either when the install program tells you to or after the install is finished and you've rebooted the computer.

Printer drivers get corrupted sometimes. When they do, the printer may either stop working entirely or lose features.

 

[venomballistics]

when you say relatively new cartridge .. do you mean you got it say ... a month ago or new as in you installed it last year and didnt use it?

you might want to take said cartridge out and blot its print head surface on a folded wad of wet paper towel a few times to see if it leaves little square rainbow blots behind ... if it dont, and you cant get it to, the cartridge is a DOA ... if it does leave foot prints ... its the printer itself

 

[Rule3]

HP Deskjet 5740 Printer series -  Troubleshoot a problem - HP Business Support Center

 

[Alpo]

when you say relatively new cartridge .. do you mean you got it say ... a month ago or new as in you installed it last year and didnt use it?

you might want to take said cartridge out and blot its print head surface on a folded wad of wet paper towel a few times to see if it leaves little square rainbow blots behind ... if it dont, and you cant get it to, the cartridge is a DOA ... if it does leave foot prints ... its the printer itself

Now, that's a thought. I got one that I hadn't used in close to a year, and when I tried, it wouldn't print. Printers are cheap enough that I could toss it and buy a new printer, but I've got 4 brand-new ink cartridges, and them things are expensive.

I'll have to give that "blotting" thing a try. See if my ink has dried up.

 

[H Richard]

While we are on the subject of printers, I have an "old" HP Deskjet 930C that has served me through 3 omputers and still doing great. I recently got a laptop for travel and use it quite a bit at home also. Is there a way to get this old printer to work wirelessly with my laptop? While I get along fair using computers, when it gets to adding software etc. I am not very proficient. I grew ups with manual typwriters and adding machines.

 

[cmort666]

While we are on the subject of printers, I have an "old" HP Deskjet 930C that has served me through 3 omputers and still doing great. I recently got a laptop for travel and use it quite a bit at home also. Is there a way to get this old printer to work wirelessly with my laptop? While I get along fair using computers, when it gets to adding software etc. I am not very proficient. I grew ups with manual typwriters and adding machines.

What kind of interface does it use, parallel or USB?

My mother has a laptop in her living room. She didn't have a printer, so I bought her one. She didn't think she needed one rolleyes and didn't want cables across the carpet. I bought her a wireless print server when I bought the printer. The printer sits out of sight in the entertainment center underneath her TV. The printer plugs into the print server, which is about the size of a large paperback book. The print server works with her wireless router, just like the laptop.

You can get print servers which work with parallel, USB or both. I'd get an HP external JetDirect. They sell these things at places like BestBuy, OfficeMax, and Staples. You can also get them online at a bunch of places.

 

[DeadAye]

You can set the printer to print ONLY in Black and White.
Could be that option was accidentally set....

 

[Milton]

Sorry I haven't returned to the post but I have been Christmas shopping !!!!!!! I checked the color cartridge with a damp paper towel and got a rainbow of colors on the towel.I removed the printer from my system and properly loaded the newest drivers and re-booted.The printer will print with black ink but still no color.The color cartridge is about a year old and to be honest is not used that much but I need it now!

 

[JcMack]

I use CNET as a reference. I'd buy a new printer.

HP Deskjet 5740 Overview & User Reviews - Inkjet Printers - CNET Reviews

There's a lot of technology in an inkjet printer. The thing heats the ink at the orifice's to the point it's atomized and sprayed on the paper. If you use refilled cartridges there's no telling how many times they've be refilled. Refilled cartridges breakdown and can ultimately break your printer. The first thing they'll tell you is "try another cartridge". So another $60 and it still doesn't work. I can fix laser printers. I won't touch an inkjet.

 

[Rule3]

When I run out of ink, I go to the Epson refurbished clearance center and buy a "new" one for about the price of the 6 individual ink cartridges. Free shipping and the warranty is the same. The available ones change often

Example, all in one for $79.00 shipped.

Epson WorkForce 520 All-in-One Printer - Refurbished - Product Information - Epson America, Inc.

 

[Indiana George]

Amazing! My HP 5740 just started acting up last week! (As in locked up)

Thanks for all the tips. I'll try 'em before I use it for target practice!

 

[JcMack]

Amazing! My HP 5740 just started acting up last week! (As in locked up)

Thanks for all the tips. I'll try 'em before I use it for target practice!

Take the ink cartridges out, and unplug the printer from the A.C. and the p.c.. See if you can move the print cartridge carrier back and forth by hand. If it moves freely back n forth, put the cratridges back in plug it into A.C. only and shut the lid and turn it on. (it may just turn on when you apply A.C.) The thing will try to move the cartridges to the "home position" (usually all the way to the left). Home position is the start for all printing and the printer uses a position tachometer, or a clear strip with vertical black lines on it to count columns as the print head goes back n forth. Try blowing the area out with canned air just under the print head and the length of the space the print head travels back n forth. A lot of printers will do a test print if you press line feed or whatever button is available and apply A.C..

 

[Indiana George]

Thanks my neighbor to the North! (JcMack)

I'll give that a try.

I've been meaning to get a new can of compressed air anyway . . . for when the resident cat climbs into the kitchen cabinet or pantry. He's immune to a spray bottle full of water!

 

[Milton]

Thanks for all the help!! I will give the suggestions a try again and then she goes to the range!!! I like the Epson comments!!