Information Technology

Frequently Asked Questions - Printers

What is causing my printer to print black streaks, dark spots or marks on my printout?
How do I clear the print queue when there is a problem?
Why are the letters on my printout faded?
Why did my printout come out blank with no visible print?
Why is there deletions forming narrow lines or horizontal lines on my printout?
Why is the print blurred or spotted on my printout?
Why is my printout have creases, torn or wrinkled?
Why does my printer keep jamming?

NOTE: If you continue to experience problems with your printer please contact AV Repair at 742-6005.

What is causing my printer to print black streaks, dark spots or marks on my printout?
Some possibility are:

• The paper path my be contaminated with toner. Try printing several blank sheets of paper to remove the toner accumulations.
• The print cartridge may be defective or at the end of its life so you should replace the cartridge. If the problem continues, then remove and repackage the new cartridge. Reinstall the original cartridge and then replace the maintenance kit.
• The fuser may be defective and needs to be replaced.
• The transfer roller may be defective and needs to be replaced.

How do I clear the print queue when there is a problem?
If it is a print job you sent to the printer, you can purge the print job. The fastest way to stop a printer job is to double-click its icon that appears on your screen to open up the printer queue folder then highlight the document and press Delete key. Or from the Start Menu, choose Settings, then Printers. Double-click on the printer to view the print jobs. Highlight the the document and press Delete key (or right click on the print job and choose Cancel.

How can I cancel a printer job that just keeps printing?
Try these steps:

• Double-click its icon that appears on your screen to open up the printer queue folder then highlight the document and press Delete key. Or from the Start Menu, choose Settings, then Printers. Double-click on the printer to view the print jobs. Highlight the the document and press Delete key (or right click on the print job and choose Cancel.
• If that step didn't work try it again one more time. Sometimes your computer wasn't paying attention and the first try doesn't take.
• If that doesn't work then shut off the power to the printer. Using the printer's switch is the best way to go for this one. Yanking the cord from the wall surprises the printer and may make a simple problem a bigger one.
• Shut down and restart your computer. Remember to save whatever you were working on first. That will usually kill any print job. If you get a warning about possibly losing a print job, acknowledge it and continue to shut down. When the computer comes back to life, you may find it asking you if you want to dump the printer job - say yes.
• If none of the above works, don't jerk the printer cable from the back of your computer, contact the IT Helpdesk at 742-4615.

Why are the letters on my printout faded?
This is a symptom of low toner. Remove the toner cartridge and shake it.  Place the toner cartridge back in the printer. If the toner is still faded then replace the toner cartridge. Also, if the paper feels a bit damp then replace the paper in your tray.

Why did my printout come out blank with no visible print?
If you just installed a new print cartridge, the sealing tape my still be in place so pull out the cartridge from the printer and remove the tape. Another possibility would be that multiple sheets may have been fed from the paper tray at the same time. Remove the paper from the paper tray and fan it. Also, ensure that the paper is correctly loaded in the tray.

Why is there deletions forming narrow lines or horizontal lines on my printout?
The print cartridge may not be installed correctly so remove and re-install the print cartridge. Or the print cartridge may be defective or at the end of its life so replace the cartridge. Another possibility could possibly be the transfer roller may be defective which will need to be replaced. One more thing, the paper may be defective with creases, folds, etc.; replace the paper.

Why is the print blurred or spotted on my printout?
The paper may be in poor condition or damp. You should replace the paper. Don't reuse blank sheets that the computer spits out. Or the print cartridge may be defective or at the end of its life and needs to be replaced.

Why is my printout have creases, torn or wrinkled?
Some reasons may be:

• The paper is not loaded correctly in the appropriate tray. Verify that the paper is correctly loaded.
• The paper may be in poor condition. Don't reuse blank sheets that the computer spits out. Replace the paper with a new ream.
• The paper may be damp. Replace the paper.
• The fuser may be defective and needs to be replaced.

Why does my printer keep jamming?
There are three primary causes of printer jams:

• There are sometimes small pieces of paper stuck in the paper path. To fix this remove all paper pieces. If you are unable to remove all paper, please contact AV Repair at 742-6005.
• The rollers may be worn. 
• The paper may be sticking together. Dampness and static can cause this to happen. Keep your paper stored in a dry location. To eliminate static buildup, remove paper and fan it out, then reload the paper try.

Other physical problems with the printer can also cause jamming so please contact AV Repair at 742-6005.