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Printer troubleshooting problems and solutions
Printer keeps going offline
If your printer keeps going offline, it can be frustrating. You want to print a bunch of documents and have them ready for the meeting you’re going to an hour from now, but nothing is happening because it keeps going offline. Regardless of how much time you spend online looking for the causes and solutions, nothing seems to work.
Here are some of the most common reasons that printers go offline as well as what you can do about it:
- Unplugged connection cord: Plug in the power cord or cable back into your computer or printer and then into an outlet nearby.
- Low ink: Replace your ink cartridges or toner.
- Poorly installed software: Uninstall and reinstall your printer driver.
- Network issues: Try restarting your wireless router, unplugging it for a few minutes and then plugging it back in.
- Computer issues: Run a virus scan on your computer.
- Software or driver issues: Update the software and driver on your computer.
- Conflicting programs or devices: If you’re having trouble with other devices or computers, resolve them before you attempt to print again.
Note that if none of these solutions work for you, you may want to consider contacting customer service for help resolving the issue.
For more printer problems, see our How to solve printers that aren’t working article. The problem you’re having can be covered in one article.
If you can’t print, your printer is actually offline so leave the computer on and plug the power cord into a wall socket near your computer. If this fixes your printer, then you’ll know it’s just an issue with your wireless network or router and not with your computer itself.
Leave your printer off all day and try printing again the next day. This can help you determine if there is a problem with your computer or network. If it still doesn’t work, then find out what’s causing the problem such as:
- Other programs running on your computer
- Changes in settings (printer driver, firewall, antivirus software)
- Cables unplugged or plugged directly into printer
- Bad connection to the printer or device itself
Read here: Best Printers under 10000 You can buy in India for Home & Office Uses
If none of these work for you: Try removing all obstacles from between you and the device that’s causing the issue. Use only computer cables when connecting to a printer and never use an extension cord. When you’re unable to print because your printer has gone offline, plug it into an outlet near your computer and make sure you are using a proper cord.
Sometimes, computers will go offline even when they shouldn’t. You can sometimes fix this issue by turning off all programs or by unplugging the power cord from the printer’s outlet then plugging it back in. If this happens, wait a few seconds, then turn on the power button on your computer and the printer. If the problem persists, you may want to try rebooting your entire computer instead of just restarting your specific program.
If all else fails and no matter what you do your printer keeps going offline, you’ll need to contact customer service for help.
Also read: Reviews of Best Printer Under 5000 in India
Error messages in printers
Printers are a daily necessity for most office environments, and when they malfunction, people’s frustrations can skyrocket. Half of job occupations require the use of printers at some point during their work day in order to do things such as create professional correspondence or presentations. The printer is an important tool for many different careers–and when it breaks it can be incredibly frustrating. Most print jobs will often have errors with them that range from minor inconvenience to major frustration. In this article we will address common printer error messages and how to fix them.
In order to troubleshoot your printer, the first thing you will need to do is figure out what software you are using. Most computers have pre-installed applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and Power Point that can all be used for word processing and presentations. When you try to print out a document from this program, the software may give you an error code or error message if there is a printer malfunction. The following list contains some of the most common software printer errors and how to fix them.
- Access Denied – This error occurs when the computer system is trying to access a file that it should not have access to. This may be because of the application that is being used to create the document, or a virus infection that has caused the computer system to become corrupt. This error can often guard against viruses and corrupt files since if you do not have access to a file, you will not be able to open the document in your program.
- Bad printer driver – Many printers come with their own operating system embedded in a file on a CD-ROM or hard drive. The problem is that these drivers may have expired causing them to no longer work with your computer system. You will first need to locate the CD-ROM containing your operating system and then follow these steps and reinstall the software driver for your specific printer model.
- Corrupt Printer Spooler – The spooler is the part of the computer system that takes the data from your program and doesn’t print it, but stores it in memory until the printer is ready to process it. It will also monitor how much data your printer can hold at one time. When this file becomes corrupt, you will get an error message informing you that it has become corrupted. You need to delete this file and create a new one that reads the correct amount of data for your printer.
- Hardware or driver problem – This error message means that there is a problem with either your computer hardware or with a specific device driver. This could be a problem with your mother board, your video card, or a driver problem that is shared by all the devices on the computer. You will need to figure out which device is causing this issue and then install updated software drivers.
- Ink failure – The ink is the lifeblood of your printer and when it fails to print or print correctly then you may get an error message informing you of an ink failure. You will need to replace any empty ink cartridges that are causing this issue
- Print page not found – This message is self-explanatory; there is either a page missing in the document or something has happened within the document that prevents it from printing properly. The message will tell you what page you are trying to print out and what it should be referring to. You can then fix the error by re-creating the page that is missing or from the document that caused it.
- Printer error – This error message will come up when there is a problem with the printer itself. This may be a paper jam, clogged ink cartridge, or an issue with a specific paper size or print head. You will need to check all of your printer settings in order to find out what is causing this issue.
- Printer not responding – The printer has lost power for some reason and has lost its ability to print instantaneously. You will need to turn it back on and then wait for your computer to send the document once again. Some printers get confused when they lose power and do not know where they last left off in the print job.
Related post: Best Printers You Can Buy under 15000 in India 2021
Unknown error – This error might be caused by either a computer problem or an internal printer malfunction. You will need to check your computers memory settings and see if it is just overloaded. If this does not work, you should restart your computer to see if that will help resolve the problem.
If you are unable to troubleshoot any of these issues by yourself, you will need to find an expert, such as American Computer Services , in order to fix all of these errors for you. If you can not find a solution, this is the only way to resolve it.
Printer not printing text
Do you know what it means when your printer isn’t printing text? It’s a warning that your printer is having an issue, and you need to take care of it. However, there are many different issues that can contribute to this problem. To help you solve the problem and avoid future hassles, we’ve compiled a list of the 3 most common issues with printers not printing text as well as some potential solutions for these problems.
- 1) Printer Cartridges: Whenever the ink or toner in both cartridges run out, this can lead to an error with printer not printing text. To solve this problem, you need to replace your printer’s ink and toner cartridges with a new set. If you think that the problem is because the new set is not working properly, you should first try to replace the old cartridges with a new one. If that doesn’t work, it’s likely a problem with either the printer or your computer.
- 2) Printer: You may have a problem with your printer if it is giving you errors when printing text such as: “monitor not found” or “printer not responding.” If your printer is not working, it’s likely that the problem is either with the printer’s hardware or software. You should detect whether you have any of these problems by checking the status of your printer in the Control Panel.
- 3) Computer: After checking to see if there are any problems with your printer, it’s a good idea to try to print something from your computer. If you are able to print documents from your computer, this means that there is a problem with the drivers for your computer and not with your actual printer. To fix this problem, you need to update the drivers for both of your computers operating systems and then reboot both of them.
Read here: Reviews of Best Wireless Printer in India 2021
Other issues that can cause printer not printing text:
One of the most common issues that can cause this problem is if you are using a pirated version of Windows 10. If you are using Windows 10 with a pirated license, your printer likely will no longer be recognized by your computer. To fix this problem, you need to purchase a new legal copy of Windows. If you have already tried this and it didn’t work, it’s likely that the issue is with your printer or computer.
If the printers are old, they could be running out of ink or toner and simply not working correctly at all anymore. This could also explain why your printers aren’t printing text correctly. If you think that the problem is your printer, then it’s a good idea to try replacing it with a new one. If you are using a pirated version of Windows, it may be beneficial for you to try installing an original version of Windows.
Printer not printing black
If you’ve been experiencing printer not printing black, the first step is to see if you’re running out of ink. If your cartridge’s still got some left in it then it’s possible that black ink is just dry. To get around this problem, try cleaning the printer head by following these four steps:
- 1) Open your printer head cover and wait for any mist or loose pieces to fall.
- 2) Open a new sheet of paper and place one strip at least an inch away from the edge of the paper tray. You will need this paper to catch any ink that spills during cleaning process.
- 3) Now your printer should be clean. Turn off your printer and unplug it from the power source.
- 4) Gently remove the ink cartridge from you printer head and insert it again with the opposite orientation. You should hear a click if you have inserted it properly.
Now print an article, spreadsheet or presentation to see if your problem has been solved. If not then try replacing your cartridge with a fresh one that matches your printer brand and model number. You can find them on the cartridge brand’s website.
Relevant reading: How Does a 3d Printer Work
Why is my printer printing blank pages
There seem to be many different reasons why you might be getting blank pages printed, and not just from the printer. It is possible that there may be a clog or restricted air flow in the machine. You might also want to check with the manufacturer for recommendations on how to clean out excess ink or paper in your printer, as this could also make it difficult to get a clear copy of your work.
These are just three of the more common explanations for printing blank pages, but each one can be easily resolved with some time and patience.
To help separate the three major problems from the minor ones you may encounter, here are a few more possible problems of blank pages in your printer, and their solutions.
Poor Quality Paper – This is a common cause for missing printouts in your printer. Make sure all your paper is compatible with your specific model of printer, and that you have not just inadvertently selected the wrong paper setting.
To make sure that you are using compatible paper, try loading up a few sheets of various kinds of paper into your printer, and see which one gives you clear printing results. Also try loading the same number of sheets onto each different colour paper (this might be black if you are using black ink). Now compare the results you obtained by using each different paper to see if any of them deliver better printing results.
If your printer has a separate tray for each colour of ink, you might have one that allows you to select your preferred kind of paper. This is also a good way to see what type paper the machine is using by seeing which colours are printed on the stack and which still remain blank when printed.
Dirty or Flaky Ink – If your printer gives out a constant chalky print, there is probably an issue with the ink in the cartridge. When this happens, it can result in virtually blank prints as well, but there are some ways around this problem without having to replace the cartridges altogether.
Reset the Printer – It is possible that some of the ink inside your printer may have solidified over time. If it has, then you will need to reset your printer so that it can stir up the clogged ink cartridges again. Check with your printer manual for specific instructions on how to do this.
Clean Your Cartridges – You may find that cleaning off the excess ink from the cartridges themselves can also help to improve things in this department. This is not usually a thorough fix, as it is likely that there will still be clogs within each cartridge, but it does help to improve things a bit until you decide on a more permanent solution to this problem.
Depending on your specific model of printer, you will need to gather some materials on how to accomplish this. Find these instructions online or in your printer manual, and follow them carefully. In most cases, it will simply involve running a piece of cloth over the cartridges and wiping off the residue from them.
Check Your Accessories – If you are running a laptop or tablet computer that has an inkjet printer attached to it, make sure that you have inserted all the necessary accessories into the machine. Your computer may have a hard time printing if any essential accessories are missing from your set up, so check and see if they are all in place before trying to print.
Clean the Printer Head – If you have used your printer for a while, then it may be time to give the printer head a good cleaning. This will ensure that your ink is properly distributed throughout the machine, and not just stuck on one spot.
Related post: How to Share a Printer on a Network
To do this, make use of another piece of cloth (a new one is best), and place it over a flat surface (like the table where you print out paper). Flip up the side of your printer that reveals the ink cartridge and head, then spray some distilled water onto it.
The aim here is to just soak up some of this water into the cloth itself by gently wiping over it with pressure. Then take your cloth and press it against the printer head. You will notice that the extra water will absorb into the cloth.
Next, pull the cloth away and rub over the printer head with a little pressure to purge it of clogged ink. Turn off your printer, allow it to sit for about 10 minutes, then turn on again. Try printing out a few blank pages now to see if there have been any improvements in your printing results.
Sometimes this is all you need to fix any issues that you are having; however, if you still continue to see blank pages printed out after performing this cleaning process, then you might want to try replacing some of your ink cartridges (if any appear clogged or misshaped). You should make sure that you purchase the ink cartridges in a compatible manner, so that they fit into your particular set up. Once the new ink cartridge is in, then it might be time to try printing out again.
Do not wait too long before you decide on your next step in fixing this problem; if one of your ink cartridges is damaged and cannot print out properly, then it will need to be replaced along with replacing the other defective units as soon as possible. If your printer is still working well, then you may need to purchase a new printer altogether; there are some affordable models available nowadays, so make sure that you have checked for any discounts available on those and that they will work with your current set up.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why Should I Consider a 4K Monitor?
4K monitors offer an incredibly detailed experience because they require three times more pixels in their screens compared to 1080p monitors. With 4K monitors, you’ll be able to see even minor details and colors on your screen without much effort. They are also much better for multitasking compared to 1080p monitors.
What Do I Need to Make My Monitor a Dual Monitor?
If you want to make your monitor into a dual monitor, then you have come to the right place. There are multiple solutions that can allow you to do this, and each of them has its advantages and disadvantages. Let’s start with the most popular version of multi-monitor setups: using an HDMI splitter to connect two monitors together and using a separate video card for each monitor. This is the cheapest way of doing things but it has too many issues. First, you can’t use the two monitors at the same time. Second, there are quality issues associated with using this type of setup. The second way is to connect your computer to a graphic card that has multiple outputs so that you can connect multiple monitors. This setup allows you to use more than one monitor at once and also have access to each of them simultaneously, which is much more convenient because it allows you to use both monitors for different tasks.
