Windows 10 HP 6040 Printer Prints Colors Very Darkly with New HP Cartridges

[skeezix]

For the last 1.5 years I have used an HP 6940 printer with my Windows 10 machine. When I got my Win 10 computer I did not use the CD that came with it, I used whatever the OS gave me to install it and it printed nicely. When it finally ran out of ink I installed a new HP black cartridge and a new HP color cartridge. Now when I print in color, the colors are very, very dark (almost black).

I have the HP CD that came with the printer, but being written in 2008 it will not work with Windows 10, and thus I no longer have the printer utilities. What can I do to get my colors back?

 

[Peru Bob]

See if something here helps:
https://www.google.com/search?q=HP+...9i57j69i64.13441j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

I wonder if a Windows update changed the printer driver?

 

[skeezix]

Thank you for the link.

Over a period of about 1/2 hour I went through the HP maze of drivers and help. Although I didn't find what I was looking for (HP's Printer Toolbox), and after going through the process a few times (with errors and such), I hit upon one spot that at least got the printer to print nice colors again. I think it was after I downloaded HPPSDR.exe version 5.1.1. BWDIK

Overall, HP hardware is really good. But their software maintenance - well, not so good...

 

[Peru Bob]

I once had a 13 hour support call to HP as a new printer would not be recognized with multiple drivers. After finally being escalated to level 3, I was talking to a person in the US who did solve the problem. I wish I could remember what it was, but it was something simple.

 

[Abraham Andres Luna]

13 hours of tech support? Nice war story to tell