Brother DCP 120C User Manual

							
IMPORTANT INFORMATION   5 - 4
liquid of any kind on the product. Do not attempt to service this 
product yourself because opening or removing covers may 
expose you to dangerous voltage points and other risks and 
may void your warranty. Refer all servicing to a Brother 
Authorized Service Center. For the location of your nearest 
Brother Authorized Service Center, please call 
In USA: 1-800-284-4357 or  In Canada: 1-877-BROTHER. 
(See  Brother numbers  on page i.)
14Unplug this product from the AC power outlet and refer servicing 
to Authorized Service Personnel under the following conditions: 
■When the power cord is damaged or frayed.
■ If liquid has been spilled into the product.
■ If the product has been exposed to rain or water.
■ If the product does not operat e normally when the operating 
instructions are followed. Adjust only those controls that are 
covered by the operating instructions. Improper adjustment 
of other controls may result in damage and will often require 
extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the 
product to normal operation.
■ If the product has been dropped or the cabinet has been 
damaged.
■ If the product exhibits a distinct change in performance, 
indicating a need for service.
15To protect your product against power surges, we recommend 
the use of a power protection device (Surge Protector).
 
						

							
5 - 5   IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Trademarks
The Brother logo is a registered tradem ark of Brother Industries, Ltd.
Brother is a registered trademark of Brother Industries, Ltd.
Multi-Function Link is a registered trademark of Brother International 
Corporation.
© 2005 Brother Industries, Ltd. All rights reserved.
Windows and Microsoft are registered trademarks of Microsoft in the 
U.S. and other countries.
Macintosh and TrueType are registered trademarks of Apple 
Computer, Inc.
PaperPort and OmniPage OCR are registered trademarks of 
ScanSoft, Inc.
Presto! PageManager is a registered trademark of NewSoft 
Technology Corporation.
Microdrive is a trademark of International Business Machine 
Corporation.
SmartMedia is a registered trademark of Toshiba Corporation.
CompactFlash is a registered trademark of SanDisk Corporation.
Memory Stick is a registered trademark of Sony Corporation.
SecureDigital is a trademark of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.Ltd., 
SanDisk Corporation and Toshiba Corporation.
SanDisk is a licensee of the SD and miniSD trademarks.
Memory Stick Pro, Memory Stick Pro Duo, MultiMediaCard is a 
trademark of Infineon Technologies and licensed to the 
MultiMediaCard Association.
xD-Picture Card is a trademark of Fuji Film Co. Ltd., Olympus Optical 
Co. Ltd and Toshiba Corporation.
Memory Stick Duo and MagicGate are trademarks of Sony 
Corporation.
Each company whose software title is mentioned in this manual has 
a Software License Agreement specific to its proprietary programs.
All other brand and product names mentioned in this User’s 
Guide and the Software User’s Guide are registered trademarks 
of their respective companies.
 
						

							
TROUBLESHOOTING AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE   6 - 1
6
 
Troubleshooting 
Error messages
As with any sophisticated office product, errors may occur. If this 
happens, your machine identifies the problem and displays an error 
message. The most common error messages are shown below.
You can correct most problems by yourself. If you need additional 
help, the Brother Solutions Center offers latest FAQs and 
troubleshooting tips.
Visit us at http://solutions.brother.com
Troubleshooting and routine 
maintenance
ERROR MESSAGES
ERROR 
MESSAGE CAUSE ACTION
Cover is Open The scanner cover is not closed completely. Lift the scanner cover and then 
close it again.
Data RemainingPrint data remains in the machine’s memory. Re-start printing from your computer.
Print data remains in the machine’s memory. 
The USB cable was unplugged while the 
computer was sending the data to the 
machine. Press 
Stop/Exit . The machine will 
cancel the job and eject the page 
that is being printed.
Document Jam The document was not inserted or fed 
properly, or the document fed from the ADF 
was too long. See 
Using the ADF (automatic 
document feeder)  on page 1-5.
The document is jammed in the machine. See  Document jams on page 6-3.
High TemperatureThe print head is too warm. Allow the machine to cool down.
Ink Empty One or more of the ink cartridges is empty. 
The machine will stop all print operations. Replace the ink cartridges. 
(See 
Replacing the ink cartridges  on 
page 6-22.)
Low TemperatureThe print head is too cold. Allow the machine to warm up.
Media Error The media card is either corrupted, 
improperly formatted, or there is a problem 
with the media drive. Re-insert the card firmly into the slot 
to make sure it is in the proper 
position. If the error remains, check 
the media drive by inserting another 
media card that you know is 
working.
 
						

							
6 - 2   TROUBLESHOOTING AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE
Near Empty One or more of the ink cartridges are running 
out of ink. Order a new ink cartridge. 
No Cartridge An ink cartridge is not properly installed. Take out the ink cartridge and put it 
in again seating it properly. 
(See Replacing the ink cartridges  on 
page 6-22.)
No File The media card in the media drive does not 
contain a .JPG file. Reinsert the correct media card.
No Paper Fed The machine is out of paper. Add paper, and then press  Black 
Start  or Color Start .
The paper is jammed in the machine. See  Printer jam or paper jam on 
page 6-4.
Out of Memory The machine’s memory is full. (Copy operation in process)
Press Stop/Exit  and wait until the 
other operations in progress finish 
and then try again.
Paper Jam Paper is jammed in the machine. See  Printer jam or paper jam on 
page 6-4.
Unable to ChangeUnable to Clean
Unable to Init.
Unable to Print
Unable to Scan
The machine has a mechanical problem.
— OR —
A foreign obstacle such as a clip or ripped 
paper is in the machine. Open the scanner cover and remove 
any foreign obstacles inside the 
machine. If the error message 
continues, disconnect the machine 
from the power source for several 
minutes then reconnect it.
ERROR MESSAGES
ERROR 
MESSAGE
CAUSE ACTION
 
						

							
TROUBLESHOOTING AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE   6 - 3
Document jams
If the document is jammed, follow the steps below.
Document is jammed in the top of the ADF unit.
1Take out any paper from the ADF that is not jammed.
2Open the ADF cover.
3Pull the jammed document out to the right or left.
4Close the ADF cover.
Press Stop/Exit.
Document is jammed inside the ADF unit.
1Take out any paper from the ADF that is not jammed.
2Lift the document cover.
3Pull the jammed document out to the left.
4Close the document cover.
Press Stop/Exit.
 
						

							
6 - 4   TROUBLESHOOTING AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE
Printer jam or paper jam
Remove the jammed paper depending on where it is jammed in the 
machine.
Paper is jammed inside the paper tray
1Pull the paper tray out of the machine.
2Pull out the jammed paper to remove it.
Paper Tray
Jammed paper
 
						

							
TROUBLESHOOTING AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE   6 - 5
Paper is jammed inside the machine
1Remove the Jam Clear Cover. Pull the jammed paper out of the 
machine.
2Re-insert the Jam Clear Cover.
3If you can not pull out the jammed paper, lift the scanner cover 
from the right-hand side of the machine until it locks securely 
into the open position.
4Remove the jammed paper.
If the paper is jammed underneath the print head, disconnect 
the machine from the power source so you can move the print 
head and take out the paper.
Jam Clear Cover
Scanner Cover
 
						

							
6 - 6   TROUBLESHOOTING AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE
5Lift the scanner cover to release the lock. Gently push the 
scanner cover support down and close the scanner cover.
 
						

							
TROUBLESHOOTING AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE   6 - 7
If you are having difficulty with your machine
If you think there is a problem with your machine, check the chart 
below and follow the troubleshooting tips.
The Brother Solutions Center offers latest FAQs and troubleshooting 
tips.
Visit us at http://solutions.brother.com
DIFFICULTYSUGGESTIONS
Printing Difficulties
No printout Check the interface cable connection on both the machine and your  computer.
One or more ink cartridges are empty. (See  Replacing the ink cartridges 
on page 6-22.)
Check to see if the LCD is showing an error message. (See  Error 
messages  on page 6-1.)
Poor quality print. Check the print quality. (See  Checking the print quality on page 6-12.)
Make sure the Printer Driver or Paper Type setting in the menu matches 
the type of paper you are using. (For Windows
® users, see  Media Type  
on page 1-5 or for Macintosh® users, see  Media Type  on page 8-3 in the 
Software User’s Guide on the CD-ROM.)
Make sure your ink cartridges are fresh. Cartridges remain fresh for up 
to two years if kept in their original packaging, after that the ink may 
become clogged. Cartridge expiration dates are printed on the package. 
Try using the recommended types of paper. (See  About paper on page 
1-8.) 
The recommended environment for your machine is between 68°F to 
91°F (20°C to 33°C).
White horizontal lines appear 
in text or graphics. Clean the print head. (See 
Cleaning the print head on page 6-11.)
Try using the recommended types of paper. (See  About paper on page 
1-8.) 
If horizontal bands appear when using plain paper, use the ‘Enhanced 
Normal Printing’ mode to help avoid banding on some types of plain 
paper. In the printer driver ‘Basic’ tab, click ‘Settings’, and check 
‘Enhanced Normal Printing’.
If you continue to have horizontal bands, change the Media Type 
selection to ‘Slow Drying Paper’ in the printer driver ‘Basic’ tab to help 
enhance the print quality.
The machine prints blank 
pages. Clean the print head. (See 
Cleaning the print head on page 6-11.)
Characters and lines are 
stacked. Check the printing alignment. (See 
Checking the printing alignment on 
page 6-14.)
Printed text or images are 
skewed. Make sure the paper is loaded properly in the paper tray and the paper 
side guide is adjusted correctly. (See 
How to load paper, envelopes and 
post cards  on page 1-13.)
 
						

							
6 - 8   TROUBLESHOOTING AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE
Smudged stain at the top 
center of the printed page. Make sure the paper is not too thick or not curled. (See 
About paper on 
page 1-8.)
Printing appears dirty or ink 
seems to run. Make sure you are using the proper types of paper. (See 
About paper 
on page 1-8.) Don’t handle the paper until the ink is dry.
Stains appear on the reverse 
side or at the bottom of the 
page. Make sure the Printer Platen is not dirty with ink. (See 
Cleaning the 
machine printer platen  on page 6-20.)
Make sure you are using the paper support flap. (See  How to load 
paper, envelopes and post cards  on page 1-13.)
There are some dense lines. Check ‘Reverse Order’ in the Basic tab of the printer driver.
The printouts are wrinkled. In the printer driver ‘Basic’ tab, click the ‘Settings’, and uncheck the  ‘Bi-Directional Printing’.
Cannot perform ‘2 in 1 or 4 in 1’ 
printing. Check that the paper size setting in the application and in the printer 
driver are the same.
Print speed is too slow. Changing the printer driver setting may improve the print speed.  Highest resolution needs longer data processing, transfer and printing 
time. Try the other settings of quality in the printer driver ‘Basic’ tab. 
Also, click the ‘Settings’ tab, and make sure you uncheck the Color 
Enhancement.
Borderless printing is slower than normal printing. If you want to print 
more quickly, set the Borderless feature off. (See  Borderless on page 
3-13.)
Color Enhancement 
(True2Life
®) is not working 
properly. If the image data is not full color in your application (Such as 256 color), 
color Enhancement (True2Life®) will not work. Please use at least 24 bit 
color data with the Color Enhancement (True2Life®) feature.
The machine feeds multiple 
pages Make sure the paper is loaded properly in the paper tray. (See 
How to 
load paper, envelopes and post cards  on page 1-13.)
Check that more than two types of paper are not loaded in the paper tray 
at any one time.
Printed pages are not stacked 
neatly. Make sure you are using the paper support flap. (See 
How to load 
paper, envelopes and post cards  on page 1-13.)
The machine does not print 
from Paint Brush. Try setting the Display setting to ‘256 colors.’
The machine does not print 
from Adobe Illustrator. Try to reduce the print resolution.
Copying Difficulties 
Poor copy results when using 
the ADF. Try using the scanner glass. (See 
Using the scanner glass on page 1-7.)
Vertical streaks appear in 
copies. Sometimes you may see vertical streaks on copies. Clean the scanner. 
(See 
Cleaning the scanner  on page 6-19.)
Scanning Difficulties 
Poor scanning results when 
using the ADF. Try using the scanner glass. (See 
Using the scanner glass on page 1-7.)
TWAIN/WIA errors appear 
while scanning. Make sure the Brother TWAIN/WIA driver is selected as the primary 
source. In PaperPort
®, click Scan in the File menu and select the 
Brother TWAIN/WIA driver.
DIFFICULTYSUGGESTIONS