- Paper jams
Paper jam describes the condition when paper becomes stuck in the printer feed and is unable to eject. The printer is rendered inoperative until the paper is removed.
- Blank paper
The printer ejecting blank sheets of paper when printing can be caused by a variety of things An empty or defective toner cartridge or one in which the sealing tape or tab was not removed a new toner cartridge are common causes. Make sure the print head nozzles are not clogged by first running the printer through a cleaning cycle. If the issue remains, make sure the sealing tape has been removed from the toner cartridge, or if necessary, replace the cartidge. If you're running Windows, make sure the proper printer is selected as the default printerand that you have selected the correct paper size.
If every other page is blank, the issue may be the result of improper margin settings on the page layout or possibly a corrupt printer driver. Check the settings for the page layout and if necessary, reinstall the printer drivers.
What to do if the Printer is Printing Strange Characters or Blank or Partial Pages
- Error codes
Whenever the printer is switched on, it automatically performs a series of internal self-tests and initialization sequences. If any of the tests fail, a system error or a system warning will typically be displayed on the LED display of printer. Whether it's a number or a term displayed, printer error codes inform the user as to what is not functioning properly.
- Out of memory error
The "Out of Memory" message means the memory capacity of the unit has been exceeded. The amount of memory used depends on the amount or type of data on the documents being faxed, copied or printed. Documents with graphics and/or color will use more memory. Out of memory errors can sometimes be resolved by rebooting the computer or installing additional memory.
More on Out of Memory Errors
- Lines and smearing
Sharp vertical lines appearing on the page can be an indication of scratches on the photosensitive drum inside the toner cartridge. The toner cartridge itself may need replacing.
Vertical lines that appear smeared may be the result of a fuser assembly that needs replacing.
Toner smears usually indicate a failure of the fusing mechanism. The fusing mechanism uses a combination of heat and pressure to adhere, or fuse toner to the paper. If toner on the paper is loose or can be wiped off easily, the fuser assembly may be damaged.
If toner smears appear on the leading edge of the paper, the paper guides may be dirty.
Laser printer print defects - Toner smear
- Garbage printout
A print job that prints garbled text or is otherwise not legible could be a sign of a corrupt or incompatible printer driver. Most printers will have driver software bundled with the Windows CD, but a printer that was released at a later date may not. Under such circumstances, you may need to load the printer driver software manually. If you cannot find the proper printer driver on any of the disks that came with the printer, check the manufacturer's web site.
If a printer continues to produce gibberish printing after updating the driver, check for cable or port damage.
- Ghosted image
Faint, repeating images from a laser printer that is equal to the circumference of the photosensitive drum can be the result of a faulty cleaning blade, erase lamp, or a problem with the corona causing residual toner to stick the drum.
If the distance between images is equal to the circumference of one of the fuser rollers, then the fusing may not be complete due to damaged rollers or an incorrect temperature setting.
What Ghosting Is And How It Can Waste Printer Ink
- No connectivity
Printer connectivity issues can be the result of a variety of issues and may not necessarily be the fault the printer. It is important to first determine the source of the issue in order to correct it.
How to Troubleshoot Computer to Printer Connections
Troubleshoot network printer problems
