Color ink out. Replace color ink cartridge. Press Enter to continue.

[Orak Listalavostok]

A few months ago, I purchased three HP 14 c5010a tri-color ink
cartridges and three black c5011a ink cartridges and placed them all in
service in an HP d145 officejet all-in-one printer on the same day
(rotating them in sequence).

Leaving just one of the HP14 black and tri-color cartridges in place,
I've been printing ever since (ever so sporadically as I prefer my B&W
HP laser printer).

Tonight, Christmas Eve, when trying to print the kid's cards for their
presents, I get the warning from the Hewlett Packard d145 printer:
"Color ink out. Replace color ink cartridge. Press Enter to continue."

Not to worry. I put the second color ink cartridge (never used except
that first day a few months ago). Guess what? Same message. Huh? How
can that be?

So, I put the third color ink cartridge in the HP d145 office jet.
Again. The same thing. Color ink out. Even though the ink was used a
few months ago for a single sheet of paper and the tape put back over
the holes and it was sealed in a baggie the whole time.

What is going on?
Can anyone explain this madness?

 

[Donna Michaelson]

So, I put the third color ink cartridge in the HP d145 office jet.
Again. The same thing. Color ink out. Even though the ink was used a
few months ago for a single sheet of paper and the tape put back over
the holes and it was sealed in a baggie the whole time.

I just ran a search for you.
See this article at http://hardware.mcse.ms/message36090-3.html
Mayby you can remove the HP d145 battery for an hour.

That battery is visible (with a flashlight) if you open the cover
(like you do to replace the HP 14 ink cartridges).

Look way left against the sidewall.
A battery the size of a quarter is held in with a clip
on a black plastic shell on a small brown circuit board.

It's hard to get your head in there but I just tried and was
able to remove the battery (with some difficulty) using just
a large paper clip. I used the paper clip to pull back on the
surprisingly long spring and then used my fingernail to pry
the battery out at the 11 o'clock and 1 o'clock detents provided
in the black plastic battery holder for this purpose.

I was glad I previously pulled the plug as the batter fell
down and I had to remove everything I could from the printer
and then shake the d145 printer upside down to get the
battery back.

Use needlenose pliars or equivalent so you don't lose
that battery like I did. One good thing came of shaking
the printer in that a few shreds of crumpled paper fell out.
I have no idea where *they* were hiding!

 

[Donna Michaelson]

Look way left against the sidewall.
A battery the size of a quarter is held in with a clip
on a black plastic shell on a small brown circuit board.

I forgot to mention the battery was installed with the
MINUS side down (toward the circuit board) with the
PLUS side facing your head as you peek inside.

For my HP OfficeJet d145 printer, it's the stock HP
PANASONIC CR2032 3V battery (made in Indonesia).

Now I've got to get wrapping my kids presents too!
I hope you get your HP printer to behave before dawn.
Good luck and Merry Christmas.

Donna

 

[Sharon Rumsburg]

I forgot to mention the battery was installed with the
MINUS side down (toward the circuit board) with the
PLUS side facing your head as you peek inside.

For my HP OfficeJet d145 printer, it's the stock HP
PANASONIC CR2032 3V battery (made in Indonesia).

Now I've got to get wrapping my kids presents too!
I hope you get your HP printer to behave before dawn.
Good luck and Merry Christmas.

Donna

Maybe this will help.
www.alotofthings.com/supportforrefillers/resettingthehpC5010A5011A.html

Disabling or resetting the C5010A & C5011A ink Level Indicators.
(HP #14 ink cartridges)


Overriding the ink level gauge is a method developed by Hewlett Packard
for those who wish to refill or use recycled ink jet cartridges.
We recommend viewing your HP owners manual for your particular model to
determine the best method for you particular model and firmware version.
Information on disabling ink level gauge can be found either in your
owners manual or can be downloaded from Hewlett Packard web site.
(www.hp.com).
For printer models not listed below please refer to your owners manual
for disabling/overriding ink level gauge.

Refilled ink cartridges:
To install a refilled HP ink cartridge, you must override the Ink Level
Gauge.


HP INK JET MULTI-FUNCTIONS D125 / D135 / D145 / D155
Overriding the Ink Level Gauge disables the printer’s ink level tracking
feature, but allows you to use a refilled cartridge.

Caution! If you use the override sequence described below, you will
disable the Ink Level Gauge for your ink cartridge. If you choose to
continue printing with an ink cartridge that has had its Ink Level Gauge
disabled, you will not know when the cartridge is running low or empty.
Printing with an empty cartridge may seriously damage your print heads.
Damage that results from continued use of an ink cartridge with a
disabled Ink Level Gauge is not the responsibility of Hewlett-Packard.
Damage that results from the use of non-HP ink is not the responsibility
of Hewlett-Packard.

The Ink Level Gauge is automatically reset when a different ink cartridge
is installed in the printer. Overriding the Ink Level Gauge does not
affect ink cartridge expiration dates. The printer cannot use an expired
ink cartridge.

Follow these steps to override the Ink Level Gauge:
To override the ink level gauge for the black ink cartridge
1 On the keypad press LEFT ARROW and RIGHT ARROW at the same time, then
release.
2 On the keypad, press in order, 7, 8, 9.
3 When the prompt appears asking if you want to override the ink level
gauge, press 1 for Yes, or 2 for No.

To override the ink level gauge for the tri-color ink cartridge
1 On the keypad press LEFT ARROW and RIGHT ARROW at the same time, then
release.
2 On the keypad, press in order, 4, 5, 6.
3 When the prompt appears asking if you want to override the ink level
gauge, press 1 for Yes, or 2 for No.

Always install an ink cartridge before performing an Ink Level Gauge
override.

To restore factory defaults
You can restore the original factory settings to what they were when you
purchased your HP OfficeJet. Choosing to restore your factory defaults
restores all settings, except copy settings, speed-dial entries, date,
and fax header information. You can perform this process from the front
panel only.

1 Press Menu.
2 Press 7, then press 5. This selects the Status and Maintenance menu,
then selects the Restore Factory Defaults option. The factory default
settings are restored.

 

[Orak Listalavostok]

It's late on Christmas morning and nothing worked yet.
What infernal logic has HP foisted upon us?

Removing the battery didn't work (even after an hour).

When I replaced the full OEM cartridge of HP ink, the printer said:
Color in out. Replace color ink cartridge. Press Enter to continue.

WHERE IS HP STORING this totally erroneous ink setting?
How do we get this darn HP printer to accept its own ink?
Are there any printer experts out there who can help?

Help,
Orak

 

[Arthur Entlich]

I do believe some HP printers read cartridge dates, and may not print
under conditions where the cartridge is beyond expiry date.

However, I suspect it is only HP printers that have semi-permanent heads
which are separate from the ink cartridge. Otherwise, it makes no
real difference in operations, if the cartridge is too old or not, since
if it is, the self contained head can't be "reused" nor is HP concerned
about damage to it, since they don't wish you to refill the cartridge
anyway, so I can't understand why they would have a head-contained
cartridge have a fail-safe or time bomb built in.

I would try very gently cleaning all the contacts for the cartridge on
both the printer side and the cartridge itself, making sure any tape or
adhesive residue is cleaned off. Then make sure the head/cartridge fits
securely in place. Make sure you are following whatever procedures HP
suggests for cartridge replacement in terms of the status of the printer
when it is done.

Again, hopefully, our friendly and helpful HP knowledgeable person will
be back on this group soon to rescue you.

Art

 

[Orak Listalavostok]

Actually, the wierdness doesn't have anything to do with "expired" ink.

The inexplicable HP situation is why did all three HP14 tri-color
ink cartridges say COLOR INK OUT (when 2 of 3 are chock full of
HP OEM original ink filled at the HP factory in Singapore)?

Further wierdness is why didn't, on Christmas eve, a battery
removal reset the low-ink situation (the date on the D145 LCD
display now says "Jan 00 00 00:00a" & it is not changing).

More wierdness occurred this morning.
I received a Christmas gift (of sorts) from HP.

This morning, Christmas day, one of the new (completely full) HP14
c5010a tri-color ink cartridges still said "Color ink out"; but,
wierdly, the ORIGINAL cartridge now allowed printing (albeit with
low cyan easily seen by the redness of the results)! Huh?

How can this be?
Can a printing expert explain this?

Strangely, what got me full-quality printing again (at least for now)
was immediately dripping a few ml of ink into each of the tri color
felt sponges at the bottom of the HP14 c5010a ink tanks
(done with the HP14 c5010a ink tanks upside down).

Of course I had already tried this fill-'er-up remedy 12 hours ago;
and it didn't work then; but it just worked now. What is going on?

I suspect that the HP d145 burns the DATE into each HP14 c0150a
tri-color ink cartridge at the TIME OF INITIAL INSTALLTION (which
was the same for all three HP14 tri-colors). This, I suspect,
CONFUSED the HP d145 printer who (I guess) thought all three
were the SAME CARTRIDGE. That's all I can think of to explain
why all three would show up as "COLOR INK OUT" when two were,
in fact, totally full of HP ink and never used except for that
first day put in service in October 2004.

As for the original HP 14 c1050 cartridge now working, I cannot
explain. I guess my hypothesis is that the one-hour cmos battery
removal actually worked (but then why didn't it work for the
other cartridge which was decidedly full of original HP ink)?

It would be great for an HP expert (Bob Headrick?) to explain
how this situation can possibly occur (as indeed it did).
Orak Listalavostok

 

[Orak Listalavostok]

The unexplained HP engineering is why did three HP14 c5010a ink
tanks (all of which were placed in service on the same date with
all but one of which were immediately removed from service) report
"COLOR INK OUT" (even when 2 of the 3 were full of HP OEM ink!)?

.... twas the night before Christmas ... my HP ink level sank ...
.... not a printer was printing ... nary one of 3 tanks ...

The good - We're back printing beautifully (better than before) scores of prints
- Using (strangely) the original HP14 c5010a tri-color cartridge
- Which previously exhibited the correct "COLOR INK OUT" message!

The bad - I have no idea what particular event "cleared" the HP "memory"

The lessons learned:
- Switching the three cartridges Dec 24 had no effect on COLOR INK OUT
- Filling the one empty cartridge also had no effect on COLOR INK OUT
- Removing the CR2032 3V CMOS battery had no immediate effect ...

The day after:
- Yet, about 12 hours later (on Christmas day)
- The completely full cartridge was removed ...
- And then replaced with the original empty cartridge ...

And it printed without error!
After subsequent refilling ... the original PRINTER INK OUT HP14
tri-color ink cartridge is printing beautifully vibrant photos even
after scores of sheets of paper (and multiple refills).

I guess it's the first Christmas present from HP to all of us.
I can't explain it; if you can - please do!

Orak Listalavostok

 

[Bob Headrick]

A few months ago, I purchased three HP 14 c5010a tri-color ink
cartridges and three black c5011a ink cartridges and placed them all in
service in an HP d145 officejet all-in-one printer on the same day
(rotating them in sequence). [snip]
What is going on?
Can anyone explain this madness?

I cannot explain it. Why would *anyone* open six new cartridges and put them
in a printer, only to immediately take four of them out and put them in a
plastic bag for months? Regardless of the other issues it seems this is a bad
idea as the cartridges will start to dry out.

- Bob Headrick

 

[Bob Headrick]

I do believe some HP printers read cartridge dates, and may not print under
conditions where the cartridge is beyond expiry date.

However, I suspect it is only HP printers that have semi-permanent heads
which are separate from the ink cartridge. Otherwise, it makes no real
difference in operations, if the cartridge is too old or not, since if it is,
the self contained head can't be "reused" nor is HP concerned about damage to
it, since they don't wish you to refill the cartridge anyway, so I can't
understand why they would have a head-contained cartridge have a fail-safe or
time bomb built in.

The D series all-in-one units use separate ink supplies and printheads. The
failure to print with an empty ink supply is designed to prevent damage to the
relatively long life printhead.

- Bob Headrick

 

[Bob Headrick]

It would be great for an HP expert (Bob Headrick?) to explain
how this situation can possibly occur (as indeed it did).

Sorry Orak, I am an expert in the integrated printhead side of the HP printer
line, I only have a passing knowledge in the separate ink and silicon designs.
I would expect that each supply would have a unique serial number, in addition
to information stored in the ink cartridge about its installation date and
expiration date. If the message had been that the cartridges had expired it
would make more sense to me, but a message that they are out on ink is a puzzle
to me.

- Bob Headrick, not speaking for my employer HP

 

[Tom Umbiak]

The D series all-in-one units use separate ink supplies and printheads. The
failure to print with an empty ink supply is designed to prevent damage to the
relatively long life printhead.

Hi Bob,

Whilst this may be true, the OP noted he refilled the original ink cartridge
and he put two new originals which were (he said) "chock full" of ink so the
print heads were never in danger.

I had a similar problem when I saw the low ink message for a few sheets of
paper. Then one sheet came out totally reddish and the next one refused to
print. Geez. It sure runs out fast. The one sheet before was fine and the next
was all red.

When I put a new cartridge in, my HP Office Jet d series printer also said low
ink. I was dumfounded. Being about fifty years old, I remember the good old
tube-tv days, so I banged the sides of the printer with the palm of my hands.

After a few of those persuasive hits, the low ink out message on my HP printer
went away. I didn't even have to turn the printer off and remove the battery!

It worked for me but only experts like you can explain why it worked.

Tom

 

[Bill Williams]

A few months ago, I purchased three HP 14 c5010a tri-color ink
cartridges and three black c5011a ink cartridges and placed them all in
service in an HP d145 officejet all-in-one printer on the same day
(rotating them in sequence). [snip]
What is going on?
Can anyone explain this madness?

I cannot explain it. Why would *anyone* open six new cartridges and put them
in a printer, only to immediately take four of them out and put them in a
plastic bag for months? Regardless of the other issues it seems this is a bad
idea as the cartridges will start to dry out.

- Bob Headrick

Bob,
Regarding your seemingly valid question:
Q: Why would anyone open four new cartridges and put them in an HP printer
only to immediately take three of them out and put them in a plastic bag
for months?

I did it too. Unfortunately.
Why would I do a crazy thing like that?
I was actually following you (I think someone suggested it was your
original) instructions.
I will bet a lot of people who read usenet have followed suit.

I just ran a quick google groups search but I couldn't find your original
suggestion that cycling the HP ink cartridges reset the expiration date,
but only after three (or was it two) had been cycled (due to HP memory).

I just looked again on google groups (http://groups.google.com) and did a
search. I didn't find the one where you suggested it (I think) but I did
find this thread below which tells us to do this.

Unfortunatly, it didn't work for me on my d135.
I wonder if I should now use up all that ink somehow before it goes bad?

Anyway, here is at least one article which tells us to cycle HP cartridges!
....

Newsgroups: comp.periphs.printers,comp.sys.hp.hardware,rec.photo.digital,
misc.consumers.frugal-living,comp.periphs
From: (e-mail address removed) (Toni Tagalario)
Date: 11 Jul 2004 11:05:08 -0700
Local: Sun, Jul 11 2004 11:05 am
Subject: Re: HP OfficeJet 145 Black/color ink old. 8 days to expire.
Printing will stop.

Two approaches will easily defeat almost any HP ink expiry date.
1) Cycle 3 HP c501x ink cartridges (even epired cartridges work well).
2) Remove the CMOS battery from the MPU board; short; reinstall.

The first method entails momentarily replacing the existing expiring
HP c5010 & c5011 officejet d145 ink cartridges with an existing ink
cartridge (this second HP ink cartridge can be expired or not); then
cycling the power on the Hewlett Packard Office Jet d145 all-in-one
printer. Repeat with a third HP c5011 & c5010 ink cartridge (expired
or not). Replace the original after the obligatory cycling of the
power on the HP OfficeJet d145 all-in-one printer.

That stuff about print heads being destroyed by running out of ink is
pure unadulterated HP FUD (hey, he filled the ink - it never ran the
ink dry so dry print heads is not of concern in this excellent ng
thread).

The second method entals repairing the HP Office Jet d145 printer by
removing the restriction on date altogether. Simply disconnect the MPU
board CMOS battery (just remove it from the clips momentarily); short
the terminals of the MPU board battery connector (with the 120v power
off, of course); then re-connect.

The HP OfficeJet d145 boot-up sequence (which normally occurs only at
the factory) will go through a series of questions such as:
- What is the current date & time?
(change it by a year or two but not three!)
- How many sheets of paper for the B&W ink low-ink message?
- How many sheets of paper for the color ink low-ink message?

This proves HP is counting paper sheets - not ink drops or ink
levels!.

These methods have worked for thousands of successful HP printer
homeowners to eliminate the Hewlett Packard illegal restriction on
refilling HP printer ink cartridges. They will work for you too!

 

[Arthur Entlich]

I'm not an HP expert, and I certainly don't speak for the company, but I
am suspecting a bad contact. I don't know how the cartridge informed
the printer of its ink level, but there must be some sort of electronic
contact somewhere in there between cartridge and printer.

Art

 

[Olin K. McDaniel]

(After snipping much)

I just ran a quick google groups search but I couldn't find your original
suggestion that cycling the HP ink cartridges reset the expiration date,
but only after three (or was it two) had been cycled (due to HP memory).

My input probably does not apply, except for the sentence above. I
used an HP PhotoSmart P-1000 printer for a couple of years, and my
comments refer to its cartridges specifically. They the HP 45 and the
HP 78, neither of which have a date chip, as far as I know. However
when you run either one dry, and refill it, there is stored in memory
somewhere that cartridge identification number. So, even though
refilled it will keep on refusing to work. One solution suggested
back then was to have on hand at least 2 other cartridges of the same
type, and cycle them through. This was adequate to blow the stored
memory and the refilled cartridge would now work. There was another
alternative method involving taping over specific contacts, but I no
longer remember that procedure. It did work, but cycling thru the 3
cartridges was much easier.

Incidentally, I had so many crappy pictures out of that printer, even
with brand new cartridges - I swore off all HP printers forever. That
P-1000 printer and several cartridges and bottles of ink are still in
my junk collection, should just take to the dump, I guess.

Olin McDaniel

 

[Bob Headrick]

Hi Bob,

Whilst this may be true, the OP noted he refilled the original ink cartridge
and he put two new originals which were (he said) "chock full" of ink so the
print heads were never in danger.

Yes, I believe the behavior described is a bug in the identification algorithm,
perhaps caused by putting in the three cartridges in the same day. I was just
pointing out that there is a valid reason for not printing if ink is low.

- Bob Headrick

 

[Bob Headrick]

I did it too. Unfortunately.
Why would I do a crazy thing like that?
I was actually following you (I think someone suggested it was your
original) instructions.
I will bet a lot of people who read usenet have followed suit.

It was not my suggestion. I may have commented at times on other folks posting
of this method. The method described works integrated printehad systems (all
the DeskJet's and Photosmarts with ink level sensing), but it is not really
necessary in those cases as those printers do not stop printing due to a low on
ink signal. Anyone that claims that they had to do this to allow the printer
to think it had ink so it would allow printing was mistaken.

I just ran a quick google groups search but I couldn't find your original
suggestion that cycling the HP ink cartridges reset the expiration date,
but only after three (or was it two) had been cycled (due to HP memory

I just looked again on google groups (http://groups.google.com) and did a
search. I didn't find the one where you suggested it (I think) but I did
find this thread below which tells us to do this.

Unfortunatly, it didn't work for me on my d135.
I wonder if I should now use up all that ink somehow before it goes bad?

Anyway, here is at least one article which tells us to cycle HP cartridges!

The following contains a great deal of misinformation, starting with the
suggestion to rotate the three cartridges in the D series. The discussion that
"running the printheads dry is just FUD" is also total BS, as is the suggestion
that the D series does its low on ink calculations based on counting pages
rather than counting drops. Unfortunately it can be difficult on Usenet to
tell truth from fiction as both can be presented convincingly.

I hope that you contacted HP and they resolved your issue with the incorrectly
identified cartridges.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, not speaking for my employer HP

 

[Bob Headrick]

My input probably does not apply, except for the sentence above. I
used an HP PhotoSmart P-1000 printer for a couple of years, and my
comments refer to its cartridges specifically. They the HP 45 and the
HP 78, neither of which have a date chip, as far as I know. However
when you run either one dry, and refill it, there is stored in memory
somewhere that cartridge identification number. So, even though
refilled it will keep on refusing to work.

Your comments are true up to the last sentence. The Photosmart P100 (and all
the DeskJet and Photosmart products with integrated printheads) do not refuse
to work because a cartridge is empty. The printer would continue to signal
the cartridge is low on ink, but this in no way would affect printing.

- Bob Headrick, not speaking for my employer HP

 

[Bob Ward]

Your comments are true up to the last sentence. The Photosmart P100 (and all
the DeskJet and Photosmart products with integrated printheads) do not refuse
to work because a cartridge is empty. The printer would continue to signal
the cartridge is low on ink, but this in no way would affect printing.

- Bob Headrick, not speaking for my employer HP

On my Photosmart 7760, if you continue to print after the black
cartridge indicates empty, the printer says it will switch to
simulating black using the tricolor cartridge.

 

[Bob Headrick]

On my Photosmart 7760, if you continue to print after the black
cartridge indicates empty, the printer says it will switch to
simulating black using the tricolor cartridge.

No, I think it will suggest that you are low on ink and may want to switch to
reserve mode. It will not make the switch automatically, actually you will
have to remove the low on ink cartridge to invoke reserve mode. If you leave
the low cartridge in the printer you can print until the cartridge is empty and
beyond.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, not speaking for my employer HP