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If your Hewlett Packard Color LaserJet 2600 or 2605 prints the red (magenta) faint or not at all, the laser scanner assy needs to be stripped out of the printer and cleaned.
This fault affects the red first and is usually worse on the left hand side of the page. Before you start stripping the printer down, it’s a good idea to try another red (magenta) toner cartridge in it first.
There are two probable causes of this. Firstly, the magenta scanner sits at the bottom of the printer and will tend to collect any stray toner or dust that’s floating about inside the printer. Secondly, there is a fan situated right next to the scanner which will blow any stray dust or toner into it.
This is, briefly, how you remove the laser / scanner assembly from the printer:
- Remove the right cover; remove one screw at the back and pull the right cover off
- Remove the left cover; remove one screw at the bottom of the cover, press the clip in at the front, and pull the cover off
- Remove the nine black screws holding the metal plate on at the back of the printer and remove the metal plate
- Remove the cables connected to the two logic boards except for the flat cable connecting the two boards together and the yellow cables at the bottom of the right hand board
- Remove the cables from the black plastic cable guides
- Remove the L shaped cable guide at the right by pressing in two clips with a small screwdriver and pull the guide out
- Remove the long horizontal guide by sliding it to the left and lifting it away
- 2605 – unclip the cable guide on the left
- Remove the eleven screws from the metal plate with the two logic boards on it and lift the plate away complete with the boards
- Remove the white plastic clip holding the two flat cables from the scanner to the printer chassis
- Remove the three screws from the scanner, two at the top and one at the bottom, and lift the scanner assembly out of the printer (2605 – bottom screw has a metal spring plate covering it)
With the scanner on the bench in front of you, you can now dismantle it ready for cleaning.
Remove one screw and a spring from the front of the scanner and lift off the cover. Remove the long plastic arm which will fall out if you turn the scanner over. Remember how this arm fits.
You will see four 6 cm long red / purple coloured mirrors inside the scanner. Inspect the bottom one. Initially it will look the same as the others. Carefully wipe a small part of it with a cotton wool bud and you will see the difference it makes. It is this thin coating on the mirror that causes the fault.
Carefully blow away the dust from inside the scanner. Use the cotton wool buds to clean all the mirrors and lenses. Blow again to remove any fluff left behind by the cotton wool buds. It’s now ready for reassembling.
When you fit the scanner back into the printer, make sure it’s seated correctly. It hooks in at the top first and there are two locating lugs on the right hand side, one at the top and one at the bottom.
Be careful not to pull the two flat cables out of the scanner. When you fit the plate and logic boards back into the printer, be careful not to trap the purple wires from the top of the scanner behind the metal plate.
It’s probably best to leave the side covers and back cover off until you’re sure it’s working. Power the printer on. If you get any error messages, check all the cables are connected. Any scanner related errors are usually caused by the flat cables from the scanner coming out or the purple wires from the scanner trapped behind the metal plate.
Do a test print. It should be looking good now. If the color alignment isn’t spot on, run the calibration routine which is desribed in this post:
HP Color LaserJet 2605 – Colours Out Of Alignment
One final note. I once had one of these printers where someone had attempted to clean the outside of the lense from inside of the printer. Whatever they had used to clean it with had scratched the surface leaving it opaque instead of transparent. This required replacing the whole laser / scanner assembly to cure it.
If your Hewlett Packard Color LaserJet 2500 Attention light flashes after every page and you have to press the Go button to continue, you need to check the size of the paper in the paper tray and the size of the paper set in the printer properties.
If these are the same, print out a config page by pressing the Go and Cancel buttons together. Look for the Default Paper Size in the bottom right of the first page.
What you might find is that the paper in the paper tray is A4 and the software is set for A4, but the printer has defaulted to Letter size.
In normal use, this won’t happen or you probably won’t notice it. You’re more likely to come across this in a workshop enviroment while repairing and testing the printer. You will see it when you print a test page or config page.
Two possible causes of this are:
- You’ve replaced the formatter board and the paper size is set to the factory default Letter.
- You’ve performed an NVRAM INIT on the printer which has set the paper size to the factory default Letter.
There’s two ways to fix this. If you’ve got the original CD that’s shipped with the printer, there’s a utility on it to set the default paper size.
If you’ve not got this CD, you need to send a file to the printer to set the default paper size. This is the contents of the file with comments to explain what each line does:
←%-12345X@PJL Start PJL job
@PJL SET SERVICEMODE=HPBOISEID Enter Service mode
@PJL SET CRPAPER=A4 Set cold reset page size [=Letter/A4]
@PJL SET SERVICEMODE=EXIT Exit Service mode
@PJL RESET Perform PJL Reset
←%-12345X Exit PJL mode
The left arrow ← at the start of the first and last lines represents the Escape character. If you create this file using MS-DOS Edit, you enter the Escape character by holding down CTRL-P and pressing Esc. This will look like a left facing arrow, ←, on the screen.
There’s a good chance you’re not running a Windows 98 / MS-DOS machine with MS-DOS Edit. Whatever operating system you’re using, you will need to create a plain text file. You will also have to consult the documentation for the editor you’re using to see how to insert the Escape character.
Once you’ve created the text file, save it with any name you like but give it the pjl extension, e.g. A4.PJL. You then send this file to the printer. If you can go to an MS-DOS command line, the following will work if you are connected to the parallel port of the printer:
type a4.pjl > prn
The green light will flash for a few seconds and then the printer should go into the ready state. Print out a config page and check that the default paper size is now set to A4.
For your convenience, I’ve created A4.PJL for you which you can download by right-clicking and selecting save on the following link:
A4.PJL
The escape characters will look like squares if you open this file in Windows XP Notepad.
The symptons of this fault is that the colours appear to be out of alignment. If you look closely at a printout, you will see it is actually the black that is shifted horizontally and the other colours are ok.
You will also find that running the calibration routine in the menu makes no difference.
Just in case you don’t know how to perform the calibration, this is how it’s done:
- Press the green button with the tick on it (select)
- Press the right arrow button, System Setup shows on the display, press select
- Press right twice to show Print quality and press select
- The display will now show Calibrate Color, press select
- Calibrate Color Now will be on the display, press select
- You will now see Press √ to calibrate now, press select
- The display will briefly show Printing Document and change to Calibrating
- After a few minutes, the printer will return to Ready
You can try calibrating the printer and see if it cures the fault. If it doesn’t, the fix is to perform the Super NVRAM Initiializer.
Super NVRAM initializer
CAUTION Super NVRAM initialization will erase all network settings. Before performing Super NVRAM initialization, print a Configuration page, which contains network setting information.
When a super NVRAM init is performed, the printer enters the Generic Product Mode, which changes the language and country/region settings to “undefined.”
NOTE Super NVRAM init will erase all data stored in the protected NVRAM settings
Before performing the Super NVRAM Initializer, you will need to print out the config page, network config, and service page. You will need to print these out again after and change any settings that have been reset. The two times I’ve had to do this, I’ve been lucky and the settings have been ok.
Config Page
- Press select
- Display shows Reports, press select
- Press the right button twice
- Display shows Config Report, press select
Network Config
- Press select, on Reports, press select
- Press right four times, on Network Report, press select
Service Page
- Press select, on Reports, press select
- Press the left button, on Service Page, press select
Now you’ve printed out your settings, you can do the Super NVRAM Initializer:
- Turn printer off
- Hold down left and right arrow keys
- Turn printer on
- When you see the message Permanent storage init, release the (Left arrow) and (Right arrow) buttons
You will then be asked to select the language and location (country). When you’ve done that, the following message shows on the display:
TURN OFF
TURN OFF
You won’t have to turn the printer off and on. If you wait a few seconds, it resets itself.
When the printer is “READY”, print out another test page. You should find that the black is now aligned properly but the image might look blurred because the red is not aligned. Simply run the calibration procedure described earlier and everything should now be ok.
Don’t forget to reset any settings, especially the network settings.
If you get a grinding and knocking noise from a HP LaserJet 4250 or 4350, the problem is the swing plate assembly and / or fuser. The swing plate assembly is a metal bracket with two plastic gears on it and drives the fuser.
The problem is that the teeth on one or both of the gears wear. You might also find that the plastic clip that holds the fuser in place cracks. The new swing plate assembly is modified to reduce the wear on the gears. It is also supplied with a modified two part spring loaded fuser gear. The new fusers are also modified with a metal insert inside one of the plastic clips to stop it from breaking.
The good news is that HP will send an engineer out to repair it free of charge even if it is out of warranty. Tell them it is making a grinding noise from the back of the printer and that you have tried reseating the fuser. If they tell you the printer is out of warranty, remind them that there is a service note that covers this fault.
Update
As of January 1st 2010, HP are no longer repairing this fault free of charge so you will have to do it yourself or take your printer to someone who can do it.
If you decide to repair the printer yourself, there’s a right and wrong way to do it.
The one gear can be changed very quickly by removing the formatter cover, formatter assembly, rear door, and fuser. Behind the formatter, you will find a black screw. After removing this screw, the gear can be removed from the back of the printer.
The problem with doing it this way is the printer will still be noisy if the other gear that you can’t see is worn.
The best, and correct, way to do it is to replace the whole swing plate assembly which requires removing the power supply board and is quite a lengthy process.
Briefly, what you have to do is; remove the top cover, both side covers, rear door, and fuser. Disconnect the cables from the power supply board at the dc controller. Remove six screws and an earthing screw holding the power supply board in. Remove the power supply board from the back of the printer.
The swing plate assembly can then removed from inside the printer by removing the three black screws. These are hard to get to and can be tight and are easy to round off. The swing plate is also tricky to get in and out of the printer.
If you get a genuine HP part, it should already have some grease on it. If you get a cheap compatable part, you might need to grease it yourself.
When you tighten the screws holding the power supply in place, pull upwards on the power supply. This moves the fuser gear closer to the swing plate gear.
Fit the new fuser gear supplied in the kit onto the fuser. Don’t forget to check the plastic retaining clips on the fuser. If they are broken, the fuser will need to be replaced.
Hopefully, your printer should now work, and should be a lot quieter.
This is a common fault with the HP LaserJet P3005.
When you turn the printer on, it will hang either at the memory count or with the HP logo on the control panel display. It might also have a blank display or show a DIMM error.
Trying the usual tricks; cold reset, nvram init, hd init, and firmware update, doesn’t fix the fault. Replacing the DIMM doesn’t cure it either. If you don’t understand any of that, it doesn’t matter.
The only way to repair this fault is to replace the formatter board.
If the printer is still in warranty, there’s no problem. Just phone HP warranty support and tell them it hangs at power on with blank screen, memory count, or HP logo. Tell them you’ve tried the cold reset, nvram init, hd init, and you can’t check the firmware version because it won’t initialise.
You will probably have to ship the printer to their repair centre via their courier. If you deal with HP regularly, they might agree to send you a new formatter board for you to fit yourself.
If the printer is out of warranty, HP will still repair it free of charge as long as the printer was manufactured after march 1st 2008. Phone HP support. When they tell it’s out of warranty and start to give you the paid and free options to continue, tell them the fault is covered by a HP service note and they will still repair it free of charge.
UPDATE
This service note ends 31th January 2011. After this date, you will have to repair this fault at your own expense.
 P3005 Formatter Board Non-network |
Q7847-61006 Formatter (main logic) PC board – For HP Laserjet P3005, and P3005d series only (Non-network) |
 P3005 Formatter Board Network |
Q7848-61006 Formatter (main logic) board – For HP Laserjet P3005n, P3005dn, and P3005x series only (Network) |
Update
HP now recognise this as a manufacturing fault and have issued a service note for it. They will send you a new fuser free of charge but only until the end of 2010.
See here for more details:
HP LaserJet P4014, P4015 and P4515 Printer Series – Slow printing or No printing from Tray 2
This was an interesting fault. The paper fed normally from tray 1, the multi-purpose tray at the front. When trying to feed from cassette tray 2, the printer would run for about one minute and fifteen seconds before the paper was picked up and fed into the printer. It took around five or six seconds to pick the paper up from tray 1.
I didn’t have any idea what was causing this, apart from perhaps messed up settings, but luckily, the printer was still in HP’s warranty.
A lengthy session of fault diagnosis on the telephone with HP’s support agent in India followed. He had me change the deault paper size to Letter and the tray 2 paper type to any type. This had the expected result, it made no difference.
He then got me to update the printer’s firmware to the latest version. I thought there was slight chance that this might fix it but it didn’t.
I then had to email him the printer config page. I suspected that this was just to confirm that I had actually done the previous steps.
About a day later, he phoned me to say he was sending me a new fuser to fit in the printer. I thought this had as much chance of fixing the printer as the previous steps of changing the paper size and type but I’ve been surprised before.
Today, about a week later, the fuser arrived. I fitted it, which only took a minute. Powered the printer on, waited fot it to go ready, looked at the clock and did a test print.
I was expecting the second hand to go round past a minute but it printed almost instantly. Not believing this was the fix, I refitted the original fuser. Did another test print and got tired of waiting after two or three minutes, I took my eye off the clock and lost time, and turned it off. Refitted the new fuser again and it printed instantly.
I don’t know the theory behind this, but it fixed the fault. Picks up paper straight away from tray 1 but takes over a minute to pick up paper from tray 2. If the man was stood next to me and he said replace the fuser, I would have laughed in his face. Good job he wasn’t stood next to me.
It will be interesting to see if this is a common problem with this printer or if it is just a one off. Time will tell.
When you replace the fuser, don’t forget to update the firmware to the latest version, if you haven’t already done it, to prevent the new fuser failing with the same fault. The firmware can be downloaded from hp at www.hp.com/go/support . Select Download drivers and software (and firmware) in step 1 and in step 2 type in the printer name, LJ P4014, LJ P4015 or LJ P4515
Update
It does seem as though this is a fairly common fault with this printer, although it’s not yet recognized as a manufacturing fault by HP.
I’ve just had the second P4015 with the faulty fuser causing the printer to take a long time to print.
This time, it took over three minutes to print from both tray 1 and tray 2. I checked the settings and found tray 1 had been configured for A4 plain paper. The default setting for tray 1 is any size and any type. With the default settings, it desn’t take so long to print from tray 1 because the engine runs slower and the fuser doesn’t have to heat up to a higher temperature.
This time, the call centre guy didn’t know what the fault was so I told him last time we had this problem, they sent us a fuser and it fixed it. He sent me a new fuser and it did repair the fault again.
Just to let you know, if you’re printer is out of warranty, it’s actually cheaper to purchase a 1 year post warranty Care Pack than it is to buy a new fuser. This extends the warranty by twelve months. You might find you still have to wait a while for the fuser, they were out of stock the last time I needed one.
HP Care Pack lookup tool
 Hewlett Packard LaserJet P4015 Fuser CB506-67901 – Fusing Assembly – For 110 Vac
CB506-67902 – Fusing Assembly – For 220 Vac
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