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HP LaserJet 1150 and 1300 Series Printers - Understanding and Troubleshooting Control Panel Light Patterns
This document explains how to interpret the light patterns on the HP LaserJet 1150 or 1300 series printer control panel. It lists the error conditions, describes the possible causes, and provides steps to resolve the conditions.
Description of the control panel
The control panel contains two lights and one lighted button. Patterns of light indicate printer status. Figure 1: Location of control panel
1 - Ready light
2 - Go button and light
3 - Attention light
Figure 2: Light conditions
1 - Light off
2 - Light on
3 - Light blinking
The following table explains the lights on the control panel. See " Status light patterns
" below for an explanation of the light patterns. | Light or button
|
Description
|
|---|
| Ready light |
Indicates that the printer is ready to print. |
| Go button and light |
To print a demo page or to continue printing while in manual feed mode, press and release the GO
button. |
| Attention light |
Indicates that a printer media input tray is empty, a print cartridge door is open, a print cartridge is missing, or other errors. |
Ready
Description
The printer is ready to print.
Action
No action is necessary.
To print a demo page, press and release the GO
button on the control panel.
Processing
Description
The printer is receiving or processing data.
Action
Wait for the job to print.
Continuable error
Description
The printer is in manual feed mode.
OR
The printer is out of memory.
Action
The software controls manual feed. If manual feed mode is not wanted, change the setting from the printer properties. See the User Guide
for information about changing printer properties.
OR
Take one of the following actions: The page being printed might be too complex for the printer memory capacity. To continue printing, press and release the GO
button. The printer might print a partial page, or the quality might be lower than normal.
Lower the resolution. See the User Guide
for information about understanding print quality settings and changing print quality settings.
Add more memory. See the User Guide
for information about installing DIMMs (HP LaserJet 1300 series only).
If the problem persists: -
-
- See the flyer that came in the printer box for other contact information.
Attention state
Description
The printer is in an error state that requires operator intervention or help. The door is open, the media is out, the printer cartridge is installed incorrectly, or the media is jammed.
Action
Check that the printer cartridge door is completely closed.
Load media into the correct input tray.
Check that the print cartridge is correctly installed in the printer. (See the user guide
for information about changing the print cartridge.)
Check for any media jams and clear them. (See the user guide
for information about clearing jams.
Check that the left side panel is completely closed. If the left side panel is completely closed, open the left side panel and push the door sensor. Occassionally, if the left side panel appears closed, the sensor will still remain in the open position, generating this error. Pushing the sensor will shut the door tight, returning the printer to the normal mode.
If the problem persists:
-
-
- See the flyer that came in the printer box for other contact information.
Printer initialization, job cancel
Description
A printer initialization is taking place. If all lights blink for 0.5 second or longer in a sequence: - the printing is initializing
- all previously sent print jobs are being purged
- a cleaning page is being printed
Action
No action is necessary.
Fatal error
Description
The printer has a fatal error. All lights are on.
Action
- Turn the printer off and then back on.
- Unplug the printer for five minutes, plug it back in, and turn it on.
-
Accessory error
Description
The printer has an accessory error. All lights are blinking.
Action
- Remove the DIMM and then reseat it.
- If the printer still has an error, replace the DIMMs.
If the problem persists: -
-
- See the flyer that came in the printer box for other contact information.
Fatal secondary error messages
If the printer has a fatal error, press and hold the GO
button to see the secondary error messages listed below.
Engine error
Description
The formatter and engine are not communicating.
Action
- Unplug the printer and plug it back in.
- If the problem persists:
-
-
- See the flyer that came in the printer box for other contact information.
Laser/scanner error
Description
The laser/scanner has a malfunction.
Action
Contact HP: -
-
- See the flyer that came in the printer box for other contact information.
Beam error
Description
There is a malfunction with the beam.
Action
Contact HP: -
-
- See the flyer that came in the printer box for other contact information.
Motor error
Description
The motor has a malfunction.
Action
Contact HP: -
-
- See the flyer that came in the printer box for other contact information.
Fuser error
Description
The fuser has a malfunction.
Action
- Unplug the printer, wait for at least 10 minutes, and then plug the printer in.
- If the problem persists:
-
-
- See the flyer that came in the printer box for other contact information.
Formatter internal RAM or ROM error
Description
Formatter internal random-access memory (RAM) or read-only memory (ROM) error.
Action
- Unplug the printer and plug it back in.
- Unplug the printer, remove any optional memory, and turn the printer back on.
- If the problem persists:
-
-
- See the flyer that came in the printer box for other contact information.
Fan error
Description
The fan has a malfunction.
Action
Contact HP: -
-
- See the flyer that came in the printer box for other contact information.
Miscellaneous hardware interface error
Description
Miscellaneous hardware interface error.
Action
- Check the input/output (I/O) connections.
- If an additional 250-sheet paper feeder is installed (HP LaserJet 1300 only), verify that the printer is properly seated over the paper feeder.
- If the problem persists:
-
-
- See the flyer that came in the printer box for other contact information.
General fatal error
Description
General fatal error.
Action
- Unplug the printer and plug it back in.
- Disconnect the I/O cable and print a self-test page. If the self-test is successful, reconnect the I/O cable.
- If the problem persists:
-
-
- See the flyer that came in the printer box for other contact information.
Nonvolatile random-access memory (NVRAM) error
Description
Nonvolatile random-access memory (NVRAM) error.
Action
Press the GO
button to continue printing.
- Turn the printer off and then back on.
- If the problem persists:
-
-
- See the flyer that came in the printer box for other contact information.
Dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) controller error
Description
Dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) controller error.
Action
- Turn the printer off and then back on.
- If the problem persists:
-
-
- See the flyer that came in the printer box for other contact information.
Accessory error secondary messages
If the printer has an accessory error (indicated by all lights blinking), press and hold the GO
button to see the secondary error messages listed below.
Low-cost input/output (LIO) port error
Description
LIO port error (HP LaserJet 1300 only).
Action
- Remove the accessory in the LIO slot and reseat it.
- If this does not resolve the problem, replace the accessory.
- If the problem persists:
-
-
- See the flyer that came in the printer box for other contact information.
Dual inline memory module (DIMM) slot error
Description
DIMM slot error (HP LaserJet 1300 only).
Action
- Check to see the the DIMM is properly seated.
- If this does not resolve the problem, replace the DIMM.
- If the problem persists:
-
-
- See the flyer that came in the printer box for other contact information.
Resolving common printer problems.
Use the following table to find the solution to common printer problems. | Step
|
Question
|
Solution
|
|---|
| 1 |
Is the printer set up correctly? |
Is the printer plugged into a power outlet that is known to work?
Is the on/off switch in the on position?
Is the print cartridge properly installed? See the user guide
for information about changing print cartridges.
Is paper properly loaded in the input tray? See the user guide
for information about loading the input tray.
YES
: if the answer yes to the questions above, go to step 2 (Is the Ready light on?).
NO
: if the printer will not turn on, click here to go to "Contacting HP Support" below
. |
| 2 |
Is the Ready light on? |
Do the control panel lights look like this picture.
YES
: Go to step 3 (Can a demo page be printed?).
NO
: If the control panel lights do not look like the picture above, click here to to go to the "Status light patterns" section above.
If unable to resolve the problem, click here to go to "Contacting HP support" below
. |
| 3 |
Can a demo page be printed? |
Press the GO
button to print a demo page.
YES
: If the demo page printed, go to Step 4 (Is the print quality acceptable?).
NO
: If no paper came out, click here to go to "Resolving paper handling problems.
"
If unable to resolve the problem, click here to go to "Contacting HP Support" below
. |
| 4 |
Is the print quality acceptable? |
YES
: If the print quality is acceptable, go to Step 5 (IS the printer communicating with the computer?).
NO
: If the print quality is poor, see the user guide
for information about improving print quality.
Verify that the print settings are correct for the media being used. See the user guide
for information about adjusting the settings for various types of media.
If unable to resolve the problem, click here to go to "Contacting HP Support" below
. |
| 5 |
Is the printer communicating with the printer? |
Try printing a document from a software program.
YES
: If the document prints, go to Step 6 (Does the printed page look as expected?).
NO
: If the document does not print, see the problem solving chapter in the user guide
for information about how to resolve printer software problems.
If using a Macintosh computer, see the problem solving chapter in the user guide
for information about how to resolve common Macintosh problems.
If using a Postscript driver, go to the problem solving chapter in the user guide
for information about how to resolve common PS errors.
If unable to resolve the problem, click here to go to "Contacting HP Support" below
. |
| 6 |
Does the printed page look as expected? |
YES
: The problem should be resolved. If it is not resolved, click here to go to "Contacting HP Support" below
.
NO
: Click here to go to "Printed page is different than what appeared on screen" below
. |
Resolving paper-handling problems
The following table lists and explains common paper-handling problems. | Problem
|
Solution
|
|---|
| Paper jam |
See the user guide
for instructions about clearing jams from the printer.
- Make sure that the paper guides are adjusted properly. Slide the guides against the sides of the stack in the main input tray or the priority input tray to center the page. Make sure that the guides are not adjusted too tightly.
- The media input tray might be too full. Remove some of the sheets.
-
- Make sure that the media being used is not wrinkled, folded, or damaged.
Make sure that the printer is clean. See the user guide
for instructions about cleaning the printer.
- If printing to the straight-through output path, close and open the door again to make sure that the green release levers are closed.
- The paper might not have been removed from the main input tray before the tray was refilled. Always remove paper from the main input tray before refilling it.
Output capacity might have been exceeded in the paper output bin. Do not allow more than 125 sheets of 20-lb (75 g/m 2
) bond weight paper to fill the paper output bin (less for heavier paper).
The pickup roller or printer separation pad might be dirty or damaged. Clean or replace the part. (See the user guide
for information about cleaning and replacing the pickup roller and printer separation pad.)
|
| Print is skewed (crooked) |
- Make sure that the media is loaded correctly. Be sure to center the paper with the side media guides. Verify that the guides are not adjusted too lightly or too loosely against the paper. Check for broken or missing guides and replace as necessary.
- The input bin might be too full.
-
|
| More than one sheet of media feeds through the printer at one time. |
|
| Printer does not pull media from the media input tray. |
|
| Printer curled the media. |
Paper curl is inherent in the laser printing processes, and occurs when paper is subjected to heat. Paper curl tends to relax as the paper cools while resting on a flat surface.
|
| The printed media does not exit to the correct path. |
Open or close the straight-through output door to reflect the desired output path. See the user guide
for information about media paths. |
| Print job is extremely slow. |
The maximum speed of the printer is up to 18 pages per minute for the HP LaserJet 1150 printer and up to 20 pages per minute for the HP LaserJet 1300 series printer. The print job might be very complex. Try the following:
|
Printed page is different than what appeared on screen
The following table lists and explains common problems. | Problem
|
Solution
|
|---|
| Garbled, incorrect, or incomplete text |
The parallel or universal serial bus (USB) cable might be loose or defective. Try the following:- Disconnect the cable and reconnect it at both ends.
- Try printing a job that is known to work.
- If possible, attach the cable and printer to another computer, and try printing a job that is known to work.
- Try using a new IEEE-1284 compliant parallel or USB cable.
The wrong printer driver might have been selected when the software was installed. Make sure that the HP LaserJet 1150 or HP LaserJet 1300 is selected in the printer properties.
There might be a problem with the software program. Try printing from another software program. |
| Missing graphics or text, or blank pages |
- Make sure that the file does not contain blank pages.
- The sealing tape might still be in the print cartridge. Remove the print cartridge, and pull out the sealing tape.
Reinstall the print cartridge. See the user guide
for information about removing print cartridges. To check the printer, print a demo page by pressing the GO
button.
The graphic settings in the printer properties might not be correct for the type of job being printed. Try a different graphic setting in the printer properties. See the user guide
for information about changing printer properties.
- The printer driver might not work for the type of job that is being printed. Try using a different printer driver (software), such as the printer driver for the HP LaserJet III.
|
NOTE:
|
If a different printer driver is used, some product features might not be available. |
|
| Page format is different than on another printer |
If an older or different printer driver (printer software) was used to create the document or the printer properties settings in the software are different, the page format might change when the new printer driver or settings are used to print. To help eliminate this problem try the following:- Create documents and print them using the same printer driver (printer software) and printer property settings regardless of which HP LaserJet printer is being used to print them.
Change the resolution, paper size, font settings, and other settings. See the user guide
for information about changing printer properties.
|
| Graphics quality |
The graphics settings might be unsuitable for the print job. Try the following:
|
NOTE:
|
If a different printer driver is used, some product features might not be available. |
|
Printer media specifications
Choosing paper and other media
HP LaserJet printers produce excellent print quality. It is possible to print on a variety of media such as cut-sheet paper (including up to 100% recycled fiber content paper), envelopes, labels, transparencies, vellum, and custom-sized paper.
The printer can use a variety of paper and other print media in accordance with the guidelines in this document. Media that does not meet these guidelines might cause the following problems: - Poor print quality
- Increased media jams
- Premature wear on the printer, requiring repair
Properties such as weight, grain, and moisture content are important factors affecting printer performance and output quality. For best results, use only HP brand paper and print media. Hewlett-Packard company cannot recommend the use of other brands. Because they are not HP products, HP cannot influence or control their quality.
It is possible for media to meet all of the guidelines in this document and still not produce satisfactory results. This might be the result of improper handling, unacceptable temperature and humidity levels, or other variables over which Hewlett-Packard has no control. | CAUTION:
|
Using media that does not meet with Hewlett-Packard specifications might cause problems for the printer, requiring repair. This repair is not covered by the Hewlett-Packard warranty or service agreements. |
Supported media sizes
The following are the supported media sizes: - Minimum: 76 x 127 mm (3 x 5 inches)
- Maximum: 216 x 356 mm (8.5 x 14 inches)
Media to avoid
The HP LaserJet 1150 and 1300 series printers can handle many types of media. Use of media outside the printer specifications will cause a loss of print quality and increase the change of paper jams occurring. - Do not use paper that is too rough.
- Do not use paper with cutouts or perforations other than standard 3-hole punched paper.
- Do not use multipart forms.
- Do not use paper with a watermark if solid patterns are being printed.
Media that can damage the printer
In rare circumstances media can damage the printer. The following media must be avoided to prevent possible damage: - Do not use media with staples attached.
- Do not use transparencies designed for inkjet printers or other low temperature printers. Use only transparencies specified for use with HP LaserJet printers.
- Do not use photo paper intended for inkjet printers.
- Do not use paper that is embossed or coated and is not designed for temperatures of the image fuser in the printer. Select media that can tolerate temperatures of 200 degrees C (392 degrees F) for 0.1 second. HP produces a selection of media that is designed for the HP LaserJet 1150 and 1300 series printers.
- Do not use letterhead paper with low temperature dyes or thermography. Preprinted forms or letterhead must use inks that can tolerate temperatures of 200 degrees C (392 degrees F) for 0.1 second.
- Do not use any media that produces hazardous emissions, or that melts, offsets, or discolors when exposed to 200 degrees C (392 degrees F) for 0.1 second.
Use one of the following Web sites to order HP LaserJet printing supplies:
Contacting HP support
Use the following HP Resources to help resolve the problem.
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Printable version
