HP LaserJet 5100 Printer series - Troubleshooting Flowchart

ENWW

Chapter 4: Problem Solving

73

2

Can you print a configuration page?

Go to step

3

.

YES

NO

A

configuration

page does not

print.

A blank

page prints.

A message other

than

READY

or

PRINTING

CONFIGURATION

is displayed.

Go to page 63.

Print a configuration page to verify
that the printer is feeding paper
correctly (page 80).

Check that all trays are properly
loaded, adjusted, and installed in
the printer. (See the sections on
loading paper, starting on page 24.)

From the computer, check the print
queue or print spooler to see if the
printer has been paused. If there
are problems with the current print
job, or if the printer is paused, a
configuration page will not print.
(Press

[Cancel Job]

and try Step 2

again.)

Check that the sealing tape is not still
in the print cartridge. (See the start
guide or the instructions that came
with the print cartridge.)

The print cartridge might be empty.
Install a new print cartridge.

74

Chapter 4: Problem Solving

ENWW

3

Can you print from a software application?

Go to step

4

.

YES

NO

The job will

not print.

A page of

commands

prints.

If the job will not print, and a message is displayed, see page 63.

The printer might
have received
PostScript code.

Print a short document from a software
application.

From the computer, check to see if the printer has been paused.

Check the interface cable connections. Disconnect and reconnect the cable at the
computer and the printer.

Test the cable by trying it on another computer (if possible).

Make sure the cable is IEEE-1284 compliant.

To verify that it is not a computer problem, print from another computer (if possible).

Make sure the print job is being sent to the correct port (LPT1, or network printer
port, for example).

Check that you are using the proper printer driver (page 16).

Reinstall the printer driver. (See the start guide.)

Check that the port is configured and working properly. (One way to check this is to
connect another printer to that port and print.)

From the Configuration Menu in the printer’s control panel, make sure that

PERSONALITY=AUTO

(page B-11).

You might be missing a printer message that could help you solve the problem. From
the Configuration Menu in the printer’s control panel, temporarily turn the Clearable
Warnings and Auto Continue settings off (page B-13) and then print the job again.

ENWW

Chapter 4: Problem Solving

75

4

Does the job print as expected?

continued

YES

NO

Print is garbled

or only a

portion of the

page prints.

Printing

stops in the

middle of

the job.

Print speed is

slower than

expected.

A control panel

setting is not
taking effect.

Check that you are using the proper
printer driver (page 17).

Check the interface cable
connections. Test the cable by trying
it on another computer (if possible).

Replace the printer cable with a
high-quality cable (page 7).

[Cancel Job]

might have been
pressed.

Simplify the print
job.

Add more
memory to the
printer
(page C-1).

Check settings in
the printer driver
or software
application.
(Printer driver
and software
commands
override control
panel settings.)

Check that the
power supplied to
the printer is
steady, and
meets printer
specifications
(page A-14).

The data file sent to the printer might
be corrupt. To test, try printing it on
another printer (if possible), or try a
different file.

Reduce the job’s complexity, print at
a lower resolution (page B-6), or
install more printer memory
(page C-1).

You might be missing a printer
message that could help you solve
the problem. From the Configuration
Menu in the printer’s control panel,
temporarily turn the Clearable
Warnings and Auto Continue
settings off (page B-13) and then
print the job again.

76

Chapter 4: Problem Solving

ENWW

Does the job print as expected? (continued)

Go to step

5

.

YES

NO

The print

job is not

formatted

correctly.

Pages are

not fed

correctly or are

damaged.

There are

print quality

problems.

Check that you are using the proper
printer driver (page 17).

Try a different font.

Make sure the setting of the dial in
the tray matches the size of the
paper loaded in the tray.

Adjust the print
resolution
(page B-6).

Check the software settings. (See
the software help.)

If

TRAY 1=FIRST

is set in Paper

Handling Menu, the printer pulls
paper from Tray 1, regardless of size.

Make sure paper is loaded correctly
and that the guides are not too tight
or too loose against the paper stack.
(See the sections on loading paper,
starting on page 28.)

If you are trying to print A4 paper, the
side guides in the tray might have
slipped out of place. (Make sure the
side guides are locked into position.)

If you are having problems printing
custom-size paper, see page 40.

If pages are wrinkled or curled, or if
the image is skewed on the page,
see page 71.

Check that REt is
on (page B-6).

Go to page 71.

ENWW

Chapter 4: Problem Solving

77

5

Does the printer select the proper trays and

output locations?

For other

problems,

check the

Contents, the

Index, or

the printer

software help.

YES

NO

The printer

pulls from the

wrong tray.

A message

other than

READY

is

displayed.

Make sure paper trays are correctly
configured for paper size and type
(page 47). Print a configuration page
to see current tray settings
(page 80).

If you do not want to print from Tray 1,
remove any paper loaded in the tray
or change the

TRAY 1 MODE

setting

to

CASSETTE

(page 45). By default,

paper loaded in Tray 1 will be printed
first.

If you want to print from Tray 1, but
cannot select the tray from a
software application, see page 45.

Go to page 63.

Make sure the tray selection (or
paper type) in the printer driver or
software application is set correctly.
(The printer driver and software
application settings override the
printer’s control panel settings.)