HP 3820

[slushfund]

Bought a printer off of Ebay. A supposedly working HP 3820.
When I got it, it powered up but wouldn't print anything. Tried installing
numerous times but same result. Also tried to hook it up to my daughters
laptop and my desktop just to make sure it wasn't my laptop causing the
problem. Same result on all machines.
Final price was quite low so not too inclined to return it. Also it
has
to go back to Canada and it's an act of Congress to get mail back there.
Anything specific I should look for to get this baby up and working?
Not afraid to take it apart if need be. As I said it powers up and all
the lights flash like there supposed to but when it comes to printing, nada.

 

[Andrew Rossmann]

Bought a printer off of Ebay. A supposedly working HP 3820.
When I got it, it powered up but wouldn't print anything. Tried installing
numerous times but same result. Also tried to hook it up to my daughters
laptop and my desktop just to make sure it wasn't my laptop causing the
problem. Same result on all machines.
Final price was quite low so not too inclined to return it. Also it
has
to go back to Canada and it's an act of Congress to get mail back there.
Anything specific I should look for to get this baby up and working?
Not afraid to take it apart if need be. As I said it powers up and all
the lights flash like there supposed to but when it comes to printing, nada.

If possible, check it on another computer. Try another cable.

From a command prompt, try something like this:
DIR > LPT1 (assuming it's on a parallel port.)

If it's USB, it's harder to test.

On many HP printers, holding down the paper-feed button for several
seconds will print out a demo sheet.

 

[Turbo]

Try the tests on the link below there are 4 tests the first 3 will test tte
printer without being conected to a computer.

http://h20015.www2.hp.com/hub_search/document.jhtml?lc=en&docName=bpd09370

Turbo

 

[slushfund]

Thanks for the info, people. Will try your suggestions ASAP.

 

[Angelo Campanella]

Anything specific I should look for to get this baby up and working?

The 3820 prints reluctantly, taking a minute or more at times to do
anything. I think is is confused and knows not who it is. Have you gone
through setup a-la the meagre furnished software? I can make mine
understand plain DOS, but it takes up to a minute (via Windows XP). But
I now routinely use it to print from my remaining DOS software apps,
though it's bloody slow in reacting to WXP "commands".

Keep trying.

Angelo Campanellla.

 

[slushfund]

Yes I know it takes its time to print something out. It seems as though the
whole document is being spooled then bang;
before I know it, it spits out perfect printed documents. I've had
experience with this model before since my daughter uses
an HP 3820 at college which is part of the reason why I purchased this one
on Ebay. I tried pretty much all the troubleshooting procedures that are
documented and still no luck. Haven't tried through DOS though. Not sure
how?
When I use my daughters when she comes home, I love the fact that it
can print pretty close to the stated PPM whether we're talking color or B&W.
It just flies compared to the Lexmark hooked up to the home PC.
As I stated before, if I have to take this apart to make it work I
will. Not scared to do that since I just took the Playstation 2 apart to
adjust the laser and got it back together and working fine.
Have yet to try the fixes suggested by Turbo since the print cartridges
from the machine were "borrowed by my daughter"


thanks

 

[Angelo Campanella]

Yes I know it takes its time to print something out. It seems as though the
whole document is being spooled then bang;

That part scares me. It seems like it's preparing to shoot me!

experience with this model before since my daughter uses
an HP 3820 at college which is part of the reason why I purchased this one

Bring it to her or vice versa and swap and see if it plays.

on Ebay. I tried pretty much all the troubleshooting procedures that are
documented and still no luck. Haven't tried through DOS though. Not sure
how?

Open a DOS window (aka "cursor" or MSDOS or Command or Cmd.exe). (I
seriously believe that Bill Gates has rigged all 2K+ systems to
assassinate DOS on sight, so little wonder all those alias's are
spawning.) If all else fails, use windows explorer to find Command, and
that will be it. In that window:

Change directories back to c:\
Identify a small file that you want to print.
I used to use AUTOEXEC.BAT, but WXP does not show that.
But I did find a tiny BOOT.INI file that contains just a few lines.

key out the following line:

type boot.ini

then hit enter. That file will show on your screen, so you know what to
look for next.

then recall that keyed line (press and hold right arrow).

then add to that content:

LPT1

The > redirects the file directly to the printer (lpt1 in this case).

The 3820 should, after its lately introduced delays, pulls up the paper,
delays again (who knows why?), flashes the orange 'resume' light, which
you dutifully press, and eventually the file content will be printed and
presented to you.

As convoluted as all of this is, it does provide a positive way to
verify that DOS printing is feasible.

You should then be able to print from any DOS application,
notwithstanding all the silly delays and button pushing that occurs to
harass us.

Angelo Campanella

 

[Timothy Lee]

Yes I know it takes its time to print something out. It seems as though the
whole document is being spooled then bang;
before I know it, it spits out perfect printed documents. I've had
experience with this model before since my daughter uses
an HP 3820 at college which is part of the reason why I purchased this one
on Ebay. I tried pretty much all the troubleshooting procedures that are
documented and still no luck. Haven't tried through DOS though. Not sure
how?[/QUOTE]

Assuming you are in some form of Windows, in the printer properties
there should be a spool settings menu which probably points to 'start
printing after last page is spooled' as opposed to 'start printing after
first page is spooled'

 

[Angelo Campanella]

Assuming you are in some form of Windows, in the printer properties
there should be a spool settings menu which probably points to 'start
printing after last page is spooled' as opposed to 'start printing after
first page is spooled'

It's a lot worse than that. The 3820 has some serious timining
difficulties. Ther is no way to print immediately as we used to do in DOS.

True, its "production rate" is high (time to print a batch of pages,
once begun), but that contasts severely to the setup time which seems to
approach a minute.

There is no explanation and possibly no cure. I have tried all settings
with always the same result, so the delaying fault is hidden.

I use the HP3820 only to print DOS app outputs, there being no other
feasible alternative. All else, I print with my old Canon BJC2100 whose
black ink I replenish easily.

Angelo Campanella