Magenta no longer prints on HP2600N

[ayejoe]

I am having problems with the Magenta in my Color Laserjet. The Supplies Page shows that the cartridge is 98% (I replaced it along with all the other colours a week ago, for the first time since I bought it 2 years ago) but the 'bar' that shows the colour, just for the magenta tone, is extremely faint when printed and no red tone comes out on the Example Page. I have run the cleaning routine from the menu a few times but to no avail.Can anyone advise on anything else I can try ???

:confused:

[prntrfxr]

hp designed these printers with an open laser (no shutter to prevent toner from getting on the lens. Try this:

Remove cartridges and using canned air blow out any toner in the slits behind the cartridge. Especially the magenta, since that is where your problem is. Let me know if that worked.

Taking the laser scanner out of the machine is a daunting task that involves removing every cover, everything from the back to the middle of the printer and even a screw on the bottom of the machine. Not recommended for the inexperienced, those short on time (like me), or the faint of heart. Best solution - try to clean the scanner while its in the machine. :)

[ayejoe]

Hey ! Thanks for the quick response.....I'll give this a go tonight.......

[redcow]

Don't remove the laser/scanner, unless 1)you've done it before and 2) you've got the money to buy another printer because this one won't work anymore.
Actually it has a laser shutter.

I'm looking at the service manual as we speak. The scanner assembly is one piece for all 4 colours.

Try cleaning the grounds for the cartridges. See if it will allow you swap another colour cartridge into magenta's space. If it prints good...

[prntrfxr]

the laser optic lens has a shutter, but I believe all the remaining magnification lenses and mirrors are exposed to toner, which is reason for problem. I have 3 HP 2600's scheduled for disassembly next week. I'll verify that then, because I could be wrong about that.

In either case there is a DON THOMPSON tech tip available that recommends the removal and then clean procedure, but having removed a laser scanner out of that machine before I would recommend that as last course thing to try. Definately not worth money as printer is inexpensive. Blow it out.

Magenta is most likely to have the problem as it is the lowest color and all toner drops down there due to gravity.:)

[ayejoe]

I tried the compressed air cleanup but it didn't appear to work....and the toner level still keeps dropping even though it's not printing out !

Any other ideas ? I realise that the printer is relatively cheap but having just shelled out £120 for toner, I would rather it worked !!

...and.....I tried swapping the toner positions in the stack but the Printer just said they were in the wrong place !

[prntrfxr]

short of removing the scanner and opening it - cleaning it out and putting it back. nope, dont have any better ideas. I have a refurbished one, but either way you're looking at taking it out.

To take it out you have to take the formatter, dc controller out and there is a metal plate under them you have to remove. Then 3 screws in the scanner unit. 2 on top and 1 on bottom.

[redcow]

Check the cartridge in question for orange shipping tape. Make sure you pulled it all off.
The magenta cartridge sits on the bottom. Pull out the cartridge and make sure that the space under it is clear enough to allow it to sit flat once it is inserted in the guides.

I have to assume that you let the printer do a full calibration when you changed cartridges.

Was the magenta faint with the old cartridge?

[cs_steve]

Since this is such a new cartridge (2 weeks old)... my guess is, if you didn't have this problem before, the problem is with the new toner cartridge, not the machine.

Did you buy genuine HP, or "remanufactured"?
Take it back for a partial refund/exchange.