[PLUG] HP all-in-one printer issue

Tue Jul 19 21:58:43 UTC 2011

dont have system with printer where Im at but something like this

in cron run script once a day

check the timestamp on a file, if older then 7 days lpr the squirt
file to the printer
touch the file

the test file is a zero length file in /var, the squirt file is HP
code to print four rectangles
high enough to ensure all nozzles are being used. I used something like gimp to
create them. Made the height just enough to where it took two passes
of the print head.

Their width was like 1/10 inch or something like that

On Tue, Jul 19, 2011 at 1:41 PM, wes <plug at the-wes.com> wrote:
> you could always put the activity-page back in the feed tray whenever you
> see it in the output tray.
>
> I really like this idea. any chance you would be willing to share your
> script?
>
> -wes
>
> On Tue, Jul 19, 2011 at 1:36 PM, Pete Lancashire <pete at petelancashire.com>wrote:
>
>> Any inkjet is not going to like going for a long time without
>> printing. BTW a 970 is
>> a great work horse, and comes apart so one can clean the 'drip pan'. I have
>> two
>> of them.
>>
>> I have a little init job that checks to see if the printer has done
>> anything i a week and
>> if not prints a little test line of a few vertical bars. That took
>> care of the clogging sadly
>> at the expense of paper.
>>
>> Before that a little soak on a wet paper towel for a couple minutes
>> always fixed things
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Jul 19, 2011 at 1:23 PM, Denis Heidtmann
>> <denis.heidtmann at gmail.com> wrote:
>> > On Tue, Jul 19, 2011 at 12:43 PM, Keith Lofstrom <keithl at kl-ic.com>
>> wrote:
>> >
>> >> On Tue, Jul 19, 2011 at 09:40:01AM -0700, Denis Heidtmann wrote:
>> >> > > Thanks  for all the replies.  The printer is sitting not connected
>> to
>> >> any
>> >> > computer.  It goes through the alignment test, where the carriage
>> moves
>> >> > across the paper and a light shines down.  I assume that this is
>> locating
>> >> > the paper edge.  It then goes back and forth a couple of times, then
>> >> > abruptly changes to self-test.  After 10 or 20 more seconds it changes
>> >> > to Initializing, ejects the paper, then goes back to the alignment
>> test
>> >> with
>> >> > a request for loading paper.  No ink appears on the paper.  This
>> endless
>> >> > loop gives me no opportunity to try anything other than power-off.
>>  This
>> >> > leads me to discount computer drivers, etc. as the issue.
>> >>
>> >> This is surprisingly like the behavior of my HP2605 color
>> >> laserjet after we moved.
>> >>
>> >> The BIG MISTAKE was moving it with the toner cartridges in it.
>> >> ( Three moves equals one fire, as the saying goes, things get
>> >> broken and lost in the chaos of moving ).  The second mistake
>> >> was using a refurb toner cartridge from Office Max, which
>> >> spewed little grains of red toner everywhere.
>> >>
>> >> Most importantly, a grain got into an optical calibration path,
>> >> a pair of millimeter-diameter holes running through one of the
>> >> plastic assemblies to an LED and a phototransistor.  IIRC, my
>> >> laser printer has four of these, and uses them to detect paper
>> >> size and make tiny dots on the paper, which are measured to
>> >> precisely align the colors.
>> >>
>> >> I am insane, so I took it apart down to the hundreds of pieces
>> >> level ( color laser printers are complicated ), cleaned
>> >> everything, and got it working again.
>> >>
>> >> Before cleaning the holes, the printer would calibrate repeatedly,
>> >> then give up, with the colors misaligned by 5mm.  After cleaning,
>> >> it is lined up within a hairwidth.
>> >>
>> >> I doubt there are as many sensors on a cheap inkjet, but optical
>> >> sensors are easier than switches, so HP may be using the same
>> >> trick (and have the same vulnerabilities).  If the former owner
>> >> has dust or shedding cats, then the blockage may be something
>> >> besides dried ink in a cartridge.
>> >>
>> >> Consider asking free geek if they will loan or sell you some
>> >> partly used cartridges for this beast, for testing.
>> >>
>> >> But first you may want to do a deep cleaning.   Cut-apart egg
>> >> cartons double-stickied onto a board can hold all the little
>> >> fiddly bits.  These compartments correspond with notes in a
>> >> notebook.  HP sometimes has detailed service manuals.  I've
>> >> considered making many digital photos during disassembly,
>> >> but so far sketches in a repair notebook have been adequate.
>> >>
>> >> Keith
>> >
>> >
>> > Interesting.  The Free Geek idea is worth a try.  Taking this thing apart
>> > with the idea of getting it back together is a daunting prospect.  I used
>> to
>> > be very clever at such tasks, but my short-term memory is getting too
>> short,
>> > so I would need a video with instant replay to make a success of the
>> > project.  The lack of ink on the paper puts plugged cartridges high on
>> the
>> > list.
>> >
>> > A related question (if this printer never gets resuscitated) is what
>> color
>> > printers are on the recommended list?  As a measure of our usage rate, we
>> go
>> > through cartridges on our present Deskjet 970 at the rate of one of each
>> > type every 1 1/2 years.  A pair of cartridges costs about $67.  A combo
>> > scanner-printer would be nice.  Copy and Fax would likely not be used
>> much,
>> > if at all.
>> >
>> > -Denis
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>> >
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