Troubleshooting Printer Problems Flashcards

1
Q

On-printer test page

A
  • This checks the printer operation without any OS or application
  • May be a power-on process or menu option
  • If the printer’s test page doesn’t work, the printer is the problem
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2
Q

Windows printer test page

A

• Print a test page from the Windows printer properties
• A bad Windows printer test page may be related to a driver,
cable, interface, or connection

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3
Q

Streaks and blurs

A
  • Inkjet - Clean the print heads

* Laser - Check for scratches on the photosensitve drum

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4
Q

Faded prints

A
  • Low toner and low ink

* Poor quality toner or ink

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5
Q

Ghost images

A
  • The laser printer optical drum may not be cleaning properly
  • Print shows ghost or “shadow” from previous drum rotation
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6
Q

Color prints in wrong color

A
  • Low ink in one cartridge

* Other colors should print normally

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7
Q

Laser printer smudging

A
  • The toner isn’t fusing to the paper
  • The fuser unit may not be heating
  • May require replacing the fuser unit
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8
Q

Paper jam

A
  • Tray problem or bad pickup rollers may not feed paper properly
  • Creased paper may cause problems in the paper path
  • Check the paper weight with printer manufacturer specifications
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9
Q

Printer network issues

A
  • No connectivity - Check for power and cabling
  • Wireless printers may require additional configuration
  • Check Windows printer security tab for rights and permissions
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10
Q

Garbled output

A
  • Bad printer driver (PCL vs. PostScript)
  • The application may be sending bad data
  • Confirm the printer health with an on-printer test page
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11
Q

Operating System issues

A
  • Printer driver installation issues may be related to OS permissions
  • Make sure the correct driver is installing (32 bit vs. 64 bit)
  • Queue may not be moving, print jobs “stuck” in the queue
  • The print spooler may have crashed or not working
  • Restart the spooler from the Windows Services
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12
Q

Error messages

A
  • Visible on the printer display console
  • Low memory problems are related to laser printer RAM
  • Complex images and graphics consume more memory
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13
Q

No output

A
  • Run a test print
  • Check the connectivity
  • Print from a different program
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