# cartridge alignment issues -.- UGH PRINTERS



## Kiva (Apr 28, 2010)

I have just about the crappiest printer you can imagine, the HP Officejet J4540 all in-one, Let this just be a lesson to me to read reviews before I buy.

I've had it for about 10 months, I replaced the color ink cartridge lately and for some unknown reason, the color is always off of where the black outline is when I print a picture.

I've "aligned cartridges" using the mac os X print utility, which is using the hp drivers, and I've done so about five times, I've made sure the paper size was correct, I've tried it with even different types of paper but for some reason it never aligns correctly, the problem never occurred until I changed ink cartridges.

One of the possible reasons for this issues JUST MIGHT be the fact that whenever I scan a picture, there is a long slit that is shaped like a lengthy wedge on top of my scan, could this be the issue causing my issues with aligning my cartridges? Is it's slight throw off of about 2/24 of an inch screwing up the delicate use of the aligning utility? If so, how can I fix this or at least trick my computer into "thinking" that the paper is aligned correctly?

If none of that works, my simple solution is to kindly purchase a bottle of lighter fluid, smother it all over the printer and gently light a match and place it on top of the affected area. Then I will go to a store and purchase a GOOD printer/scanner.


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## Yaps (Apr 28, 2010)

Try to clean the print head if you can, ethanol wipes does help a bit. I am not too sure about HP. I use to use one which is a PSC 750 and gave up on fixing the printing head. Now I am with Canon, never happier. 

If is clog dead, then I am affraid you ahve to take it to a print repair shop to fix it or go find another one. Anyway, good luck.


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## Duality Jack (Apr 28, 2010)

_*Baseball bat.*_








Then buy a new one. Or something Idk.


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## ToeClaws (Apr 28, 2010)

Burn and smash it (then recycle it).  Then... don't get a replacement.  I've actually not owned a printer for about ten years now - on the rare occasion I need to print something, I just do it at work, otherwise, I try to avoid wasting paper.

If you do have to get a printer, then spend the extra money and get a laser printer.  Ink-jet printers are nothing but a massive money-grab because they go through ink at an incredible rate, and the ink is very expensive to replace (not to mention all the damn problems that come with them).  Laser printers cost a bit more up front, as do their cartridges, but you can print thousands of pages from each one.


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## ArielMT (Apr 28, 2010)

Inkjet printer ink is, ounce for ounce, among the most expensive liquids in the world.

TC is right.  Save up for a laser printer and toner cartridges, and if you scan a lot, buy a separate scanner as well.  Decent B/W lasers can be had for as little as $100, and decent color lasers are about to break the $300 barrier if they haven't already.

Oh, and if it does a crappy job as a scanner, too, then take it out into a parking lot and go Office Space on it.


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## Runefox (Apr 28, 2010)

Definitely in agreement with the Office Space option. Laser is the way to go from here on out.


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## ArielMT (Apr 28, 2010)

Or hang on to it until late June, when you'll be able to replace the ink cartridges with Roman candle cartridges.  "Align *this!*"

One of my ISP's more critical servers had a catastrophic power supply failure a few years ago, and it caused quite a few of my customers to vent their frustration on me.  I took that dead power supply out into the parking lot, along with a sledge hammer, and released that frustration.  Oddly enough, the only piece which survived completely intact was the glass fuse, and I still have it.


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