HP LaserJet 4250 User Manual

							3. Make sure that paper is loaded correctly and that all adjustments have been made. (See
Loading trays.) Make sure that the guides in the  tray are not too tight or too loose
against the paper.
4. Turn over the stack of paper in  the tray. Also, try rotating the paper 180°.
5. Make sure that the type and quality of the paper you are using meet HP specifications. (See 
Paper specifications .)
6. Make sure that the environmental specifications for the printer are bein\
g met. (See
Operating environment .)
Curl or wave
1. Turn over the stack of paper in  the tray. Also, try rotating the paper 180°.
2. Make sure that the type and quality of the paper you are using meet HP specifications. (See 
Paper specifications .)
3. Make sure that the environmental specifications for the printer are bein\
g met. (See
Operating environment .)
4. Try printing to a different output bin.
5. If paper is lightweight and smooth, open  the Configure Device menu at the printer
control panel. On the Print Quality submenu, select  FUSER MODES, and then select the
paper type you are using. Change the setting to  LOW, which helps reduce the heat in
the fusing process. (See 
Print Quality submenu .) You must also set the type of paper for
the tray you are using. (See 
Printing by type and size of media (locking trays) .)
Wrinkles or creases
1. Print a few more pages to see if the problem corrects itself.
2. Make sure that the environmental specifications for the printer are bein\
g met. (See
Operating environment .)
3. Turn over the stack of paper in  the tray. Also, try rotating the paper 180°.
4. Make sure that paper is loaded correctly and all adjustments have been made. (See
Loading trays .)
5. Make sure that the type and quality of the paper you are using meet HP specifications. (See 
Paper specifications .)
ENWW Correcting print-quality problems  179
 
						

							6.If envelopes are creasing, try storing envelopes so that they lie flat.
Vertical white lines 
1. Print a few more pages to see if the problem corrects itself.
2. Make sure that the type and quality of the paper you are using meet HP specifications.
(See 
Paper specifications .)
3. Replace the print cartridge.
Tire tracks 
A
A
A
A
AB
B B
B
B C
C C
C
Ca
a
a
a
ac
c
c
c
cb
b
b b
b
This defect typically occurs when the print cartridge has far exceeded its rated life of 10,000
(Q5942A) or 20,000 (Q5942X) pages. For example, if you are printing a very large quantity
of pages with very little toner coverage.
1. Replace the print cartridge.
2. Reduce the number of pages that you print with very low toner coverage.
White spots on black
1. Print a few more pages to see if the problem corrects itself.
2. Make sure that the type and quality of the paper you are using meet HP specifications.
(See 
Paper specifications .)
3. Make sure that the environmental specifications for the printer are bein\
g met. (See
Operating environment .)
4. Replace the print cartridge.
180 Chapter 4 Problem solving ENWW
 
						

							Scattered lines
1. Make sure that the type and quality of the paper you are using meet HP specifications.(See 
Paper specifications .)
2. Make sure that the environmental specifications for the printer are bein\
g met. (See
Operating environment .)
3. Turn over the stack of paper in  the tray. Also, try rotating the paper 180°.
4. Open the Configure Device menu at the printer control panel. Open the Print Quality submenu and change the  TONER DENSITY setting. (See 
Print Quality submenu.)
5. Open the Configure Device menu at the  printer control panel. On the Print Quality
submenu, open  OPTIMIZE and set LINE DETAIL=ON .
Blurred print
1. Make sure that the type and quality of the paper you are using meet HP specifications.
(See 
Paper specifications .)
2. Make sure that the environmental specifications for the printer are bein\
g met. (See
Operating environment .)
3. Turn over the stack of paper in  the tray. Also, try rotating the paper 180°.
4. Do not use paper that already has been run through the printer.
5. Decrease the toner density. Open the Configure Device menu at the printer control panel. Open the Print Quality submenu and change the  TONER DENSITY setting. (See
Print Quality submenu.)
6. Open the Configure Device menu at the  printer control panel. On the Print Quality
submenu, open  OPTIMIZE and set HIGH TRANSFER=ON . (See 
Print Quality submenu.)
ENWW Correcting print-quality problems  181
 
						

							Random image repetition 
If an image that appears at the top of the page (in solid black) repeats further down the page
(in a gray field), the toner  might not have been completely erased from the last job. (The
repeated image might be lighter or darker  than the field it appears in.)
● Change the tone (darkness) of the field that the repeated image appears in.
● Change the order in which the images are  printed. For example, have the lighter image
at the top of the page, and  the darker image farther down the page.
● From your software application, rotate the whole page 180° to print the lighter image first.
● If the defect occurs later in a print job, turn  the printer power off for 10 minutes, and then
turn the printer power on to restart the print job.
182 Chapter 4 Problem solving ENWW
 
						

							Troubleshooting network printing problems
NOTEHP recommends that you use the printer CD-ROM to install and set up the printer on a
network.
● Print a configuration page (see 
Configuration page ). If an HP Jetdirect print server is
installed, printing a configuration page also prints a second page that shows the network
settings and status.
● See the  HP Jetdirect Print Server Administrators Guide  on the printer CD-ROM for
help and for more information about the Jetdirect configuration page. To reach the
guide, select the appropriate print server series, select the appropriate print server
product, and then click  troubleshoot a problem .
● Try printing the job from another computer.
● To verify that a printer works with a computer,  use a parallel or USB cable to connect it
directly to a computer. You will have to reinstall the printing software. Print a document
from a program that has printed correctly in the past. If this works, a problem with the
network might exist.
● Contact your network administrator for assistance.
ENWW Troubleshooting network printing problems  183
 
						

							Troubleshooting common Windows problems 
Error message:
Error Writing to LPTx in Windows 9x.Cause
Solution
Media is not loaded.Make sure that paper or other print media is
loaded in the trays.
The cable is defective or loose.Make sure that the cables are connected
correctly, the printer is on, and the Ready light is
on.
The printer is plugged into a power strip and is
not receiving enough power.Unplug the power cord from the power strip and
plug it into another electrical outlet.
The input/output setting is incorrect.Click  Start, click  Settings , and then click
Printers . Right-click the HP LaserJet 4250 or
4350 series printer driver and select  Properties.
Click  Details  and then click  Port Settings. Click
to clear the check mark from the  Check Port
State before Printing  box. Click OK. Click
Spool Setting  and then click  Print Directly to
Printer . Click OK.
Error message:
General Protection FaultException OE
Spool32
Illegal Operation
Cause
Solution
Close all software programs, restart Windows,
and try again.
Select a different printer driver. If the
HP LaserJet 4250 or 4350 series PCL 6 driver is
selected, switch to a PCL 5e or PS printer driver.
You can usually do this from a software program.
Delete all temp files from the Temp subdirectory.
You can determine the name of the directory by
editing the AUTOEXEC.BAT file and looking for
the statement Set Temp =. The name after this
statement is the temp directory. It is usually C:
\TEMP by default, but can be redefined.
See the Microsoft Windows documentation that
came with your computer for more information
about Windows error messages.
184 Chapter 4 Problem solving ENWW
 
						

							Troubleshooting common Macintosh problems
In addition to the problems that are listed in Solving general printing problems, this section
lists problems that can occur when using Mac OS 9. x, or Mac OS X.
NOTE
Setup for USB and IP  printing is performed through the  Desktop Printer Utility. The printer
will  not appear in the Chooser.
Problems with Mac OS 9.x
The printer name or IP address does not  show or verify in the Desktop Printer Utility.
Cause
Solution
The printer might not be ready.Make sure that the cables are connected correctly, the
printer is on, and the ready light is on. If you are connecting
through a USB or Ethernet hub, try connecting directly to the
computer or use a different port.
The wrong connection type might be selected.Make sure that  Printer (USB) or Printer (LPR)  is selected
in the  Desktop Printer Utility , depending on the type of
connection that exists between the printer and the computer.
The wrong printer name or IP address is being used.Check the printer name or IP address by printing a
configuration page. See 
Configuration page . Verify that the
printer name or IP address on the configuration page
matches the printer name or IP address in the  Desktop
Printer Utility .
The interface cable might be defective or of poor quality.Replace the interface cable. Make sure to use a high-quality
cable.
The PostScript Printer Description (PPD) file for the printer  does not appear as a selection in the Desktop Printer
Utility.
Cause
Solution
The printer software might not have been installed or was
installed incorrectly.Make sure that the HP LaserJet 4250 or 4350 series PPD is
in the following hard drive folder:  System Folder/
Extensions/Printer Descriptions . If necessary,
reinstall the software. See the getting started guide for
instructions.
The PostScript Printer Description (PPD) file is corrupt.Delete the PPD file from the following hard drive folder:
System Folder/Extensions/Printer
Descriptions . Reinstall the software. See the getting
started guide for instructions.
ENWW Troubleshooting common Macintosh problems 185
 
						

							A print job was not sent to the printer that you wanted.
Cause
Solution
The print queue might be stopped.Restart the print queue. Open the  Printing menu in the top
menu bar and click  Start Print Queue.
The wrong printer name or IP address is being used.
Another printer that has the same or a similar name or IP
address might have received your print job.Check the printer name or IP address by printing a
configuration page. See 
Configuration page. Verify that the
printer name or IP address on the configuration page
matches the printer name or IP address in the  Desktop
Printer Utility .
The printer might not be ready.Make sure that the cables are connected correctly, the
printer is on, and the ready light is on. If you are connecting
through a USB or Ethernet hub, try connecting directly to the
computer or use a different port.
The interface cable might be defective or of poor quality.Replace the interface cable. Make sure to use a high-quality
cable.
You cannot use the computer while the printer is printing.
Cause
Solution
Background Printing has not been selected.For LaserWriter 8.6 and later: Turn Background Printing on
by selecting  Print Desktop  on the File menu and then
clicking  Background Printing .
An encapsulated PostScript (EPS) file does not print with the correct fonts.
Cause
Solution
This problem occurs with some programs.● Try downloading the fonts that are contained in the EPS
file to the printer before printing.
● Send the file in ASCII format instead of binary encoding.
Your document is not printing with New York, Geneva, or Monaco fonts.
Cause
Solution
The printer might be substituting fonts.Click  Options  in the Page Setup  dialog box to clear
substituted fonts.
You are unable to print from a third-party USB card.
Cause
Solution
This error occurs when the software for USB printers is not
installed.When adding a third-party USB card, you might need the
Apple USB Adapter Card Support software. The most
current version of this software is available from the Apple
Web site.
Problems with Mac OS 9.x (continued)
186 Chapter 4 Problem solving ENWW
 
						

							When connected with a USB cable, the printer does not appear in the Desktop Printer Utility or the Apple System
Profiler after the driver is selected.
Cause
Solution
This problem is caused by either a software or hardware
component.Software troubleshooting
● Check that your Macintosh supports USB.
● Verify that your Macintosh operating system is Mac OS
9.1 or later.
● Ensure that your Macintosh has the appropriate USB
software from Apple.
NOTE
The iMac and Blue G3 desktop Macintosh systems meet all
of the requirements to connect to a USB device.
Hardware troubleshooting
● Check that the printer is turned on.
● Verify that the USB cable is connected correctly.
● Check that you are using the appropriate high-speed
USB cable.
● Ensure that you do not have too many USB devices
drawing power from the chain. Disconnect all of the
devices from the chain and connect the cable directly to
the USB port on the host computer.
● Check to see if more than two nonpowered USB hubs
are connected in a row on the chain. Disconnect all of
the devices from the chain and connect the cable
directly to the USB port on the host computer.
NOTE
The iMac keyboard is a  nonpowered USB hub.
Problems with Mac OS X
The printer driver is not listed in Print Center.
Cause
Solution
The printer software might not have been installed or was
installed incorrectly.Make sure that the HP LaserJet 4250 or 4350 series PPD is
in the following hard drive folder:  Library/Printers/
PPDs/Contents/Resources/.lproj , where
“” represents the two-letter language code for the
language that you are using. If necessary, reinstall the
software. See the getting started guide for instructions.
The Postscript Printer Description (PPD) file is corrupt.Delete the PPD file from the following hard drive folder:
Library/Printers/PPDs/Contents/Resources/
.lproj , where “” represents the two-letter
language code for the language that you are using. Reinstall
the software. See the getting started guide for instructions.
Problems with Mac OS 9.x (continued)
ENWW Troubleshooting common Macintosh problems 187
 
						

							The printer name, IP address, or Rendezvous host name does not appear in the printer list box in the print center.Cause
Solution
The printer might not be ready.Make sure that the cables are connected correctly, the
printer is on, and the ready light is on. If you are connecting
through a USB or Ethernet hub, try connecting directly to the
computer or use a different port.
The wrong connection type might be selected.Make sure that USB, IP Printing, or Rendezvous is selected,
depending on the type of connection that exists between the
printer and the computer.
The wrong printer name, IP address, or Rendezvous host
name is being used.Check the printer name, IP address, or Rendezvous host
name by printing a configuration page See 
Configuration
page . Verify that the name, IP address, or Rendezvous host
name on the configuration page matches the printer name,
IP address, or Rendezvous host name in the Print Center.
The interface cable might be defective or of poor quality.Replace the interface cable. Make sure to use a high-quality
cable.
The printer driver does not automatically set up your selected printer in Print Center.
Cause
Solution
The printer might not be ready.Make sure that the cables are connected correctly, the
printer is on, and the ready light is on. If you are connecting
through a USB or Ethernet hub, try connecting directly to the
computer or use a different port.
The printer software might not have been installed or was
installed incorrectly.Make sure that the HP LaserJet 4250 or 4350 series PPD is
in the following hard drive folder:  Library/Printers/
PPDs/Contents/Resources/.lproj , where
“” represents the two-letter language code for the
language that you are using. If necessary, reinstall the
software. See the getting started guide for instructions.
The Postscript Printer Description (PPD) file is corrupt.Delete the PPD file from the following hard drive folder:
Library/Printers/PPDs/Contents/Resources/
.lproj , where “” represents the two-letter
language code for the language that you are using. Reinstall
the software. See the getting started guide for instructions.
The printer might not be ready.Make sure that the cables are connected correctly, the
printer is on, and the ready light is on. If you are connecting
through a USB or Ethernet hub, try connecting directly to the
computer or use a different port.
The interface cable might be defective or of poor quality.Replace the interface cable. Make sure to use a high-quality
cable.
A print job was not sent  to the printer that you wanted.
Cause
Solution
The print queue might be stopped.Restart the print queue. Open  print monitor and select
Start Jobs .
Problems with Mac OS X (continued)
188Chapter 4 Problem solving ENWW