HP Laserjet 5L printing problem

[news]

Could anybody please advise me what the problem could be with my 5L.

Often when printing complex docs the yellow light will come on flashing and
I have to accept (reset) the error it then prints that page on two pages
with each page having bits of the page so that the two together would make
the complete page.

I have tried everything changing toner cartridge and upgrading drivers.

I wonder if this is a printer unfixable faul or something that someone else
perhaps has had and fixed.

I would be obliged for any help on this

many thanks

Colin White

 

[Alan]

Could anybody please advise me what the problem could be with my 5L.

Often when printing complex docs the yellow light will come on flashing and
I have to accept (reset) the error it then prints that page on two pages
with each page having bits of the page so that the two together would make
the complete page.

The clue is "complex documents". You've overflowed the available
printer memory.
The 5L normally runs at 600 dpi. You can reduce this to 300 (in
printer properties), which should use about 1/4 as much memnory.
Unless you're using lots of greyscale, this should look almost as good
as 600 dpi. (You could create two printer icons, one set at 300, one
at 600, and select the 300 one when necessary.)

The other solution is to buy some more memory. The 5L comes with 1 MB.
There is one slot free which can hold a 4 or 8MB memory card.
See <http://www.ec.kingston.com/ecom/configurator/modelsinfo_disc.asp?SysID=+3046>
and
<http://www.kingston.com/support/install/memory/HP.asp> which has info
on how to upgrade.

Kingston doesn't make these cards any more, but you can find them
online elsewhere. The HP 4M card is named "C3148A", Kingston's is
"KTH5L/4" and "KTH5L/8" for 8 MB. Search for these codes; there's one
4M on eBay at the moment.

 

[Edgar A Pearlstein]

I haven't had the same problem, but here's what I do when my 5L acts up:

(1) Pull the plug on the printer and leave it off for at least 15
minutes.
(2) Open the front and remove, then replace, the toner cartridge.
(3) Reboot the computer.
I don't know whether all of these are necessary,

My rationale is that (1)the various capacitors need time to discharge and
(2)(3)that the interlock circuits need to be reset.


news ([email protected]) wrote:
: Could anybody please advise me what the problem could be with my 5L.
:
: Often when printing complex docs the yellow light will come on flashing and
: I have to accept (reset) the error it then prints that page on two pages
: with each page having bits of the page so that the two together would make
: the complete page.
:
: I have tried everything changing toner cartridge and upgrading drivers.
:
: I wonder if this is a printer unfixable faul or something that someone else
: perhaps has had and fixed.
:
: I would be obliged for any help on this
:
: many thanks
:
: Colin White
:
:

 

[news]

Thanks to both for the responses much appreciated

colin

 

[magpie]

The clue is "complex documents". You've overflowed the available
printer memory.
The 5L normally runs at 600 dpi. You can reduce this to 300 (in
printer properties), which should use about 1/4 as much memnory.
Unless you're using lots of greyscale, this should look almost as good
as 600 dpi. (You could create two printer icons, one set at 300, one
at 600, and select the 300 one when necessary.)

The other solution is to buy some more memory. The 5L comes with 1 MB.
There is one slot free which can hold a 4 or 8MB memory card.
See <http://www.ec.kingston.com/ecom/configurator/modelsinfo_disc.asp?SysID=+3046>
and
<http://www.kingston.com/support/install/memory/HP.asp> which has info
on how to upgrade.

Kingston doesn't make these cards any more, but you can find them
online elsewhere. The HP 4M card is named "C3148A", Kingston's is
"KTH5L/4" and "KTH5L/8" for 8 MB. Search for these codes; there's one
4M on eBay at the moment.