HP DeskJet 870 CXI and banding....

[CylonRed]

Printer is prining horribly with lots of banding. Need to know if I
can have the printer to perform the "Cartridge Cleaning" without using
the software (I have GOT to believe this is possible). I have no idea
where the CD is and can't find the software by itself on HP's site (I
have no CD burner in my work PC and I need to take it across town so
downloading is not a real possiblilty either). It seems that as far
as I can tell you can't do the Cartridge Cleaning OR the align the
cartridge without the software....

I have tried to clean the electrical contacts and the ink cartridge
has been replaced 3 times by others as well and it still has the
problem. I can't see anything in the ink cartridge assembly
either....

 

[Bob Headrick]

Printer is prining horribly with lots of banding. Need to know if I
can have the printer to perform the "Cartridge Cleaning" without using
the software (I have GOT to believe this is possible). I have no idea
where the CD is and can't find the software by itself on HP's site (I
have no CD burner in my work PC and I need to take it across town so
downloading is not a real possiblilty either). It seems that as far
as I can tell you can't do the Cartridge Cleaning OR the align the
cartridge without the software....

You do not mention whether it is the color or black that is banding. If the
black you might check the spittoon as shown at the following:
http://www.hp.com/cposupport/printers/support_doc/bpa02019.html

Otherwise, print a diagnostic self test page (the 5 tap version) as shown at
the following:
http://www.hp.com/cposupport/printers/support_doc/bpd07098.html#P94_3211 If
there are randomly located missing areas in the diagnostic print then run the 7
tap cleaning as shown on that same page. If the missing areas are regular then
it is probably an electrical issue. Try cleaning the cartridge contacts as
shown at the following:
http://www.hp.com/cposupport/printers/support_doc/bpa02060.html If there are
while lines in the color bars through all three colors, and they are in pairs
with two closely spaced white lines, fine color, then two more closely spaced
white lines you have a cartridge electrical problem caused by one cartridge
that could make the other appear bad. I may be able to diagnose some of the
electrical issues by performing the 5 tap diagnostic test shown above. Near
the middle of the page should be a "Cartridge status" line. A properly
functioning cartridge should have a status of something like N 0 A 0 P 0.
Let me know what the cartridge status is and it may point to an answer if the
above do not solve your problem.

Note that it is possible for certain electrical problems in one cartridge to
cause printing issues with the other cartridge; for example, a bad color
cartridge may affect black printing or vice versa.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, not speaking for my employer HP

 

[CylonRed]

Hi Bob - I did 3 tests of the 5 tap test. On 1 of the tests the
Cartridge status was simply - ok (nothing else). On 2 of the tests
the Status was: Color Error P (possibly D)0x200 A0x0. My assumption
is that the color cartridge is screwed up...

Brian

 

[Bob Headrick]

Hi Bob - I did 3 tests of the 5 tap test. On 1 of the tests the
Cartridge status was simply - ok (nothing else). On 2 of the tests
the Status was: Color Error P (possibly D)0x200 A0x0. My assumption
is that the color cartridge is screwed up...

OK, I would try cleaning the cartrdige contacts as shown at the following:
http://www.hp.com/cposupport/printers/support_doc/bpa02060.html Give the
contacts a good scrubbing.....

Regards,
Bob Headrick

 

[CylonRed]

I had already cleaned the cartridge contacts even though I could not
see anything on them. I changed the color cartridge and the B&W is
still messed up. I need to clean the spittoon next.

Any chance the driver for the 870 CXi printer will work well with a HP
697C printer???

Thanks for the info BTW....

Brian

 

[Bob Headrick]

I had already cleaned the cartridge contacts even though I could not
see anything on them. I changed the color cartridge and the B&W is
still messed up. I need to clean the spittoon next.

Any chance the driver for the 870 CXi printer will work well with a HP
697C printer???

Probably not, but you could download drivers for the 697C from the following:
http://h20015.www2.hp.com/en/softwareCategory.jhtml?lc=en&pagetype=software&prodId=dj697c&sw_lang=en

Instructions for cleaning the spittoon can be found at the following:
http://www.hp.com/cposupport/printers/support_doc/bpa02019.html You should be
able to easily tell if the spittoon is a problem - if the top of the ink in the
spittoon has been flattened then the carriage has been dragging and the
spittoon needs to be cleaned. This will probably only be needed every few
years. Be sure not to drop the ink sludge on your desk or carpet .

Regards,
Bob Headrick