My HP LaserJet 4LSeries issue

My HP LaserJet 4LSeries bought in 1995 has been faithfully printing
crisp letter perfectly until recently. Now words are like this:

Should be ":My name is Sandy. I am a student." would print like
"My nam eis Sandy. I am as tudent".

What's happening? What should I do? I do not have the original drive
sotware that comes with the printer. XP has the driver already anyway.

wrote:

My HP LaserJet 4LSeries bought in 1995 has been faithfully printing
crisp letter perfectly until recently. Now words are like this:

Should be ":My name is Sandy. I am a student." would print like
"My nam eis Sandy. I am as tudent".

What's happening? What should I do? I do not have the original drive
sotware that comes with the printer. XP has the driver already anyway.

For starters:
Check that the cable is fastened well at both ends. Try a different cable.

Google is your friend. Try it. Search this group for old posts on your
printer.

Lou

wrote:
My HP LaserJet 4LSeries bought in 1995 has been faithfully printing
crisp letter perfectly until recently. Now words are like this:

Should be ":My name is Sandy. I am a student." would print like
"My nam eis Sandy. I am as tudent".

What's happening? What should I do? I do not have the original drive
sotware that comes with the printer. XP has the driver already anyway.

As Lou suggests try replacing the cable.
Questions - does the windows test page print OK?
Does the internal printer test page print OK (briefly press the front pannel
button).
If the internal printer test page is OK and the windows test page is OK the
problem is probably application or XP relates and you need to re-install the
application and consider a XP repair installation.
If the Windows test page is bad but the internal printer test page is OK then a
driver re-install is appropriate.
If neither test page is OK then it is either the PC parallel port, the cable or
the printer formatter (in the latter case a new printer is cheaper than repair
unless you can get a second hand 4L and swap formatters) or you could have a
failed memory module in the printer, does the printer have extra memory (what
does the test page say about the amount of memory in the printer?)?
The only other cause I can think of is a possible PC memory failure, you can
download some free memory tests, google and try one of those.
Please post a follow up.
Tony

Tony wrote:
wrote:
My HP LaserJet 4LSeries bought in 1995 has been faithfully printing
crisp letter perfectly until recently. Now words are like this:

Should be ":My name is Sandy. I am a student." would print like
"My nam eis Sandy. I am as tudent".

What's happening? What should I do? I do not have the original drive
sotware that comes with the printer. XP has the driver already anyway.

As Lou suggests try replacing the cable.
I just did (used a new one) and tested it. It's worse now - I rpinted
omething from notepad - printing with big font.

Questions - does the windows test page print OK?

How to do this?

Does the internal printer test page print OK (briefly press the front pannel
button).

It was and it is with the new cable.

If the internal printer test page is OK and the windows test page is OK

I need to do windows test page before proceeding. Sorry that I got
busy and couldn;t come back earlier.




the
problem is probably application or XP relates and you need to re-install the
application and consider a XP repair installation.
If the Windows test page is bad but the internal printer test page is OK then a
driver re-install is appropriate.
If neither test page is OK then it is either the PC parallel port, the cable or
the printer formatter (in the latter case a new printer is cheaper than repair
unless you can get a second hand 4L and swap formatters) or you could have a
failed memory module in the printer, does the printer have extra memory (what
does the test page say about the amount of memory in the printer?)?
The only other cause I can think of is a possible PC memory failure, you can
download some free memory tests, google and try one of those.

Please post a follow up.

Will do.

Tony

On 26 Mar 2006 09:25:27 -0800, wrote:



Questions - does the windows test page print OK?

How to do this?


Go to start menu and click on printers and faxes.
Select printer and right click on it
Select properties
Print test page should be an option on the general tab.

Peter Johnson wrote:
On 26 Mar 2006 09:25:27 -0800, wrote:



Questions - does the windows test page print OK?

How to do this?


Go to start menu and click on printers and faxes.
Select printer and right click on it
Select properties
Print test page should be an option on the general tab.

Thnaks. I just did it and it's bad.

Tony wrote:
wrote:
My HP LaserJet 4LSeries bought in 1995 has been faithfully printing
crisp letter perfectly until recently. Now words are like this:

Should be ":My name is Sandy. I am a student." would print like
"My nam eis Sandy. I am as tudent".

What's happening? What should I do? I do not have the original drive
sotware that comes with the printer. XP has the driver already anyway.

As Lou suggests try replacing the cable.
Done.

Questions - does the windows test page print OK?
I just etsted it. The answer is "No".

Does the internal printer test page print OK (briefly press the front pannel
button).

Yes.

If the internal printer test page is OK and the windows test page is OK the
problem is probably application or XP relates and you need to re-install the
application and consider a XP repair installation.

If the Windows test page is bad but the internal printer test page is OK then a
driver re-install is appropriate.

I want to try this now. I don't have the original driver that comes
with the printer and in fact, with XP, I haven't needed to install the
driver for this printer specifically. SO how would I go about it?



The questions below (except the last one) are not pertinent at this
point but will be useful for my knowledge.

If neither test page is OK then it is either the PC parallel port, the cable or
the printer formatter (in the latter case a new printer is cheaper than repair
unless you can get a second hand 4L and swap formatters)

Wonder which peice is formatters in this 4L.

or you could have a failed memory module in the printer,
does the printer have extra memory (what does the test page say about the amount of memory in the printer?)?

As far as I know, no extra memory. According to the internal printer
test page result, RAM is 1024K bytes. On the last line of thest page
result, I noticed the following:

Control Errors: 5 I/O

Is that error code referring to what's happening now?



The only other cause I can think of is a possible PC memory failure, you can
download some free memory tests, google and try one of those.
Please post a follow up.
Tony

wrote:
Tony wrote:
wrote:
My HP LaserJet 4LSeries bought in 1995 has been faithfully printing
crisp letter perfectly until recently. Now words are like this:

Should be ":My name is Sandy. I am a student." would print like
"My nam eis Sandy. I am as tudent".

What's happening? What should I do? I do not have the original drive
sotware that comes with the printer. XP has the driver already anyway.

As Lou suggests try replacing the cable.
Done.

Questions - does the windows test page print OK?
I just etsted it. The answer is "No".

Does the internal printer test page print OK (briefly press the front pannel
button).

Yes.

If the internal printer test page is OK and the windows test page is OK the
problem is probably application or XP relates and you need to re-install the
application and consider a XP repair installation.

If the Windows test page is bad but the internal printer test page is OK
then a
driver re-install is appropriate.

I want to try this now. I don't have the original driver that comes
with the printer and in fact, with XP, I haven't needed to install the
driver for this printer specifically. SO how would I go about it?



The questions below (except the last one) are not pertinent at this
point but will be useful for my knowledge.

If neither test page is OK then it is either the PC parallel port, the cable
or
the printer formatter (in the latter case a new printer is cheaper than
repair
unless you can get a second hand 4L and swap formatters)

Wonder which peice is formatters in this 4L.

or you could have a failed memory module in the printer,
does the printer have extra memory (what does the test page say about the
amount of memory in the printer?)?

As far as I know, no extra memory. According to the internal printer
test page result, RAM is 1024K bytes. On the last line of thest page
result, I noticed the following:

Control Errors: 5 I/O

Is that error code referring to what's happening now?



The only other cause I can think of is a possible PC memory failure, you can
download some free memory tests, google and try one of those.
Please post a follow up.
Tony

Amanda
Delighted you have fixed your problem, well done.
The formatter is a circuit board inside the printer, it converts computer speak
to printer speak ( sorry that's technical speak ;-) ).
The control error 5 I/O has nothing to do with your problem and I would just
ignore it, to tell the truth I don't know what it means and I have not
researched it but it is probably a one off communications error or something
similar.
And the RAM (1024K) is standard for your printer.
Tony

Tony wrote:
[..]


Amanda
Delighted you have fixed your problem, well done.
The formatter is a circuit board inside the printer, it converts computer speak
to printer speak

( sorry that's technical speak ;-) ).
That's okay. I am not that technical illiterate. I just don't know the
hardware thing much.

In an A+ book, it talks about Laser Printer and I learned that with
laser printer, everytime I changed the cartridge, I get most of the
maintenance work done because replacement are incorprated in the
cartridge. BTW, one time, I tried using the generic brand from Office
Depot and it was a waste of money. I think I didn''t get even 50 % of
the usuage. The ink started smearing. So I only buy HP brand.

What do you think about cartrige refill on these laser printer
cartridges? Are these even refillable? If so, of course, it should not
be done unless I know how to do other maintennance work which I don't
even want to bother.

The control error 5 I/O has nothing to do with your problem and I would just
ignore it, to tell the truth I don't know what it means and I have not
researched it but it is probably a one off communications error or something
similar.
And the RAM (1024K) is standard for your printer.

Do people add additonal memory or the additional memory comes as option
from the manufacturers? What's the best laser printer for home use
these days? And office jet?

In fact, I have an HP office jet 6110 All-in-one that needs cartridge
alignment - I hardly got to use it to fax and make copies but failed to
act on getting a replacement during 1 year manufacturing warranty
period when the alignment problem occured when I replace the
cartriadge. Long story why.

It was within 3 mos after purchase (purchase in June 2004 and got a
really good price with 7110 already out) that when I replaced the
cartridge, the alignment problem occured. It wasn't until almost 12
months that I contacted HP and was guided to resolve the problem. (I
don't have that instruction now though I remember asking her to send me
in email.)

Before I contacted HP, I went to an office depot store and told them
about it how I hardly got to use it - a couple of time to fax and
making just a few copies. The guy told me to contact HP and if it
didn't work to bing it back to the store. He was willing to give me a
replacement. I probably should have just taken it back and get a
replacement if this alignmnet problem was going to occur constantly.
It happened when the warrnty was over. Do you think it is a defect?

Anyway, I will start a new thread on getting this alignment problem
solved. I am not sure whether HP would help since the manufacturing
warranty period is over. I didn't buy extra warranty because a friend
of mine had it and he was very happy with it. It has all the features I
need occasinally.


Tony

"amanda" wrote:
Tony wrote:
[..]


Amanda
Delighted you have fixed your problem, well done.
The formatter is a circuit board inside the printer, it converts computer
speak
to printer speak

( sorry that's technical speak ;-) ).
That's okay. I am not that technical illiterate. I just don't know the
hardware thing much.

In an A+ book, it talks about Laser Printer and I learned that with
laser printer, everytime I changed the cartridge, I get most of the
maintenance work done because replacement are incorprated in the
cartridge. BTW, one time, I tried using the generic brand from Office
Depot and it was a waste of money. I think I didn''t get even 50 % of
the usuage. The ink started smearing. So I only buy HP brand.

What do you think about cartrige refill on these laser printer
cartridges? Are these even refillable? If so, of course, it should not
be done unless I know how to do other maintennance work which I don't
even want to bother.

The control error 5 I/O has nothing to do with your problem and I would just
ignore it, to tell the truth I don't know what it means and I have not
researched it but it is probably a one off communications error or something
similar.
And the RAM (1024K) is standard for your printer.

Do people add additonal memory or the additional memory comes as option
from the manufacturers? What's the best laser printer for home use
these days? And office jet?

In fact, I have an HP office jet 6110 All-in-one that needs cartridge
alignment - I hardly got to use it to fax and make copies but failed to
act on getting a replacement during 1 year manufacturing warranty
period when the alignment problem occured when I replace the
cartriadge. Long story why.

It was within 3 mos after purchase (purchase in June 2004 and got a
really good price with 7110 already out) that when I replaced the
cartridge, the alignment problem occured. It wasn't until almost 12
months that I contacted HP and was guided to resolve the problem. (I
don't have that instruction now though I remember asking her to send me
in email.)

Before I contacted HP, I went to an office depot store and told them
about it how I hardly got to use it - a couple of time to fax and
making just a few copies. The guy told me to contact HP and if it
didn't work to bing it back to the store. He was willing to give me a
replacement. I probably should have just taken it back and get a
replacement if this alignmnet problem was going to occur constantly.
It happened when the warrnty was over. Do you think it is a defect?

Anyway, I will start a new thread on getting this alignment problem
solved. I am not sure whether HP would help since the manufacturing
warranty period is over. I didn't buy extra warranty because a friend
of mine had it and he was very happy with it. It has all the features I
need occasinally.


Tony

Laser cartridge refilling is OK for home users but there are some traps, it is
important to empty the waste toner compartment and in most cartridges only one
refill is possible before drum replacement is done. In fact some cartridges
need drum replacement every refill (not your cartridge however). There are
other components that wear in the cartridges.
Professional commercial remanufacturers manage all of these things and they
only buy high quality toner, replacement drums, rollers and blades. Refilling
toner cartridges at home is not for the faint hearted but can save lots of
money if you are prepared to put in the research. Alternatively, remanufactured
cartridges are available and are cheaper than OEM versions - in general they
are every bit as good as OEM.
Tony