Thank you for your interest in Cartridge Support website! Sorry, but we only support the most current web browsers. We recommend upgrading your browser to the latest version of Internet Explorer, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.
Our website uses cookies to continuously improve your experience and display content geared to your interests. By using our website and services, you
agree to our use of cookies.
Upon completion of installing this new firmware, the cartridges you have will function properly.
If this does not correct the problem, please contact your provider for further assistance.
The cartridge and printer used in this video may not look identical to yours, but the same
procedures used in this video may be used for the cartridge you have chosen to troubleshoot.
If you receive an error message stating that the “alignment failed” or that the ”alignment could not be completed”, this may indicate that the printer is not properly recognizing the cartridge.
Remove the cartridge from your printer and locate the chip. Ensure that the chip is in place; and if so, you will want to clean it from any obstruction or debris as this may be preventing the alignment from completing.
Using a lint free cloth (such as a coffee filter), gently wipe the chip to remove any obstruction or debris.
Reinstall your cartridge into the printer (making sure it clicks into place), and attempt the alignment process again.
If the error continues, it may be necessary to perform a cleaning cycle to improve the quality of the print and allow the alignment process to be completed. You may select the troubleshooting for "Unsatisfactory print or missing colors" or you may consult your printer’s user manual for instructions on performing a cleaning cycle on your printer.
If you are not able to perform a cleaning cycle or if the alignment fails even after performing a cleaning cycle, please ensure that the scanner glass is clean and free from fingerprints or debris (this applies to certain models only).
If these steps do not allow the printer to align the cartridge(s), you will need to return the cartridge(s) to the place of purchase.
The cartridge and printer used in this video may not look identical to yours, but the same
procedures used in this video may be used for the cartridge you have chosen to troubleshoot.
If you encounter an error stating that a cartridge is missing or damaged, please attempt the following procedures as possible solutions.
Remove the cartridge this is causing the error from its cradle.
Confirm that there is an intact chip.
If the chip is missing, return the cartridge to its place of purchase.
If the chip is in place, you may need to clean it from any type of obstruction or debris.
You may use a pencil eraser to clean the chip.
Gently brush the chip with the pencil eraser to remove any potential obstruction or debris.
You may also use any type of lint free cloth or a coffee filter.
Again, gently wipe the chip with the lint free cloth removing any type of obstruction or debris.
Replace the cartridge in the cradle, making sure that the cartridges are all aligned with each other.
If the cartridge does not line up with the others, remove and reinstall until all cartridges are aligned.
Close the lid and follow any on screen prompts that may appear.
If the problem persists after returning the cartridge to its cradle, you will want to reset your computer and printer.
This can be done by turning off your computer and your printer with the cartridges installed.
Unplug your printer and leave your machines off for 2 minutes.
Restart the printer and your computer, and attempt your print again.
If you have attempted both of these procedures and you encounter the same error, there is most likely an electrical problem with the cartridge, and you should return the cartridge to the place of purchase.
If this error should reoccur, simply open and close the cartridge access door to eliminate the error.
If you encounter a pop-up screen containing information about HP's Cartridge Protection Feature asking you if you would like to discourage theft and counterfeiting by protecting your HP cartridge, select "No".
If you selected “Yes” in error, you may see a second screen asking you to enable or disable HP Cartridge Protection.
Select “Disable HP Cartridge Protection” then “Save Setting” and close.
The cartridge and printer used in this video may not look identical to yours, but the same
procedures used in this video may be used for the cartridge you have chosen to troubleshoot.
You may encounter an error stating that "HP's ink cartridge and printer warranties do not cover repairs or service due to the use of non-HP cartridges or non-HP ink" or an error stating "Counterfeit Cartridge Advisory".
It is important to note that most remanufactured inkjet cartridges are 100% guaranteed. Most manufacturers warrant against any damage to your printer.
In order to continue or begin using your printer, click OK or Continue to dismiss the printer prompts that appear on your screen after installing the remanufactured cartridges. Do not click "Cancel".
This message may reappear prior to the depletion of your cartridge. Please follow the same procedure to dismiss the message if this does occur.
If you did click "Cancel", click here for more information.
Your rights as a consumer are protected under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act, Subparagraph C, Section 101.
"The use of a non-HP ink cartridge or a refilled ink cartridge does not affect either the warranty to the customer or any HP support contract with the customer."
You may encounter an error stating "Previously Used Genuine HP Cartridges Installed".
In order to continue or begin using your printer, click OK to dismiss the printer prompts that appear on your screen after installing the remanufactured cartridges.
This message may reappear prior to the depletion of your cartridge. Please follow the same procedure to dismiss the message if this does occur.
The cartridge and printer used in this video may not look identical to yours, but the same
procedures used in this video may be used for the cartridge you have chosen to troubleshoot.
You may encounter an error stating that "HP's ink cartridge and printer warranties do not cover repairs or service due to the use of non-HP cartridges or non-HP ink" or an error stating "Counterfeit Cartridge Advisory".
It is important to note that most remanufactured inkjet cartridges are 100% guaranteed. Most manufacturers warrant against any damage to your printer.
In order to continue or begin using your printer, click OK or Continue to dismiss the printer prompts that appear on your screen after installing the remanufactured cartridges. Do not click "Cancel".
This message may reappear prior to the depletion of your cartridge. Please follow the same procedure to dismiss the message if this does occur.
If you did click "Cancel", click here for more information.
Your rights as a consumer are protected under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act, Subparagraph C, Section 101.
"The use of a non-HP ink cartridge or a refilled ink cartridge does not affect either the warranty to the customer or any HP support contract with the customer."
Please click here for more information How to respond to Warranty messages
The cartridge and printer used in this video may not look identical to yours, but the same
procedures used in this video may be used for the cartridge you have chosen to troubleshoot.
If you encounter an error stating that a cartridge is missing or damaged, please attempt the following procedures as possible solutions.
Remove the cartridge this is causing the error from its cradle.
Confirm that there is an intact chip.
If the chip is missing, return the cartridge to its place of purchase.
If the chip is in place, you may need to clean it from any type of obstruction or debris.
You may use a pencil eraser to clean the chip.
Gently brush the chip with the pencil eraser to remove any potential obstruction or debris.
You may also use any type of lint free cloth or a coffee filter.
Again, gently wipe the chip with the lint free cloth removing any type of obstruction or debris.
Replace the cartridge in the cradle, making sure that the cartridges are all aligned with each other.
If the cartridge does not line up with the others, remove and reinstall until all cartridges are aligned.
Close the lid and follow any on screen prompts that may appear.
If the problem persists after returning the cartridge to its cradle, you will want to reset your computer and printer.
This can be done by turning off your computer and your printer with the cartridges installed.
Unplug your printer and leave your machines off for 2 minutes.
Restart the printer and your computer, and attempt your print again.
If you have attempted both of these procedures and you encounter the same error, there is most likely an electrical problem with the cartridge, and you should return the cartridge to the place of purchase.
If this error should reoccur, simply open and close the cartridge access door to eliminate the error.
The cartridge and printer used in this video may not look identical to yours, but the same
procedures used in this video may be used for the cartridge you have chosen to troubleshoot.
If you have printed a document and are unsatisfied with the print quality, you may need to perform a cleaning cycle in order to improve the quality of your print.
Please attempt the following procedures in order to do so. Please keep in mind that this process may vary by printer and that you may also consult your printer’s user manual for instructions on performing a cleaning cycle.
On your Printer's LCD screen, select Setup
Next select Tools
Choose Clean Printhead
Select OK to begin the cleaning cycle
Your printer will print a test page.
Once the test page has been printed, follow the directions on your screen. You may perform another cleaning cycle if you are not satisfied with your test page.
Please be aware that cleaning your printhead does consume ink; and therefore, should only be completed when necessary.
If the print on your test page is satisfactory, you may return to the document you wish to print and resume printing.
If your test page is unsatisfactory after performing the cleaning cycles, you may need to replace your inkjet cartridge.
The cartridge and printer used in this video may not look identical to yours, but the same
procedures used in this video may be used for the cartridge you have chosen to troubleshoot.
If you have printed a document and are unsatisfied with the print quality, you may need to perform a cleaning cycle in order to improve the quality of your print.
Please attempt the following procedures in order to do so. Please keep in mind that this process may vary by printer and that you may also consult your printer’s user manual for instructions on performing a cleaning cycle.
On your Printer's LCD screen, select Setup
Next select Tools
Choose Clean Printhead
Select OK to begin the cleaning cycle
Your printer will print a test page.
Once the test page has been printed, follow the directions on your screen. You may perform another cleaning cycle if you are not satisfied with your test page.
Please be aware that cleaning your printhead does consume ink; and therefore, should only be completed when necessary.
If the print on your test page is satisfactory, you may return to the document you wish to print and resume printing.
If your test page is unsatisfactory after performing the cleaning cycles, you may need to replace your inkjet cartridge.
If you encounter an error message stating "User Intervention Required", there may be a simple solution to fix this.
Restart both your printer and computer and attempt your print again
If that does not resolve the error, please try to clear the Print Spooler:
Search Windows for Services, and then click Services in the list of results. (The Search Bar can be found by clicking the Windows button in the lower left corner of the screen.)
Select Print Spooler from the alphabetical list.
Right-click Print Spooler and choose "Stop".
Next close the Services window and use Windows Explorer to go to C:\Windows\System32\Spool\PRINTERS.
Open Windows Explorer (the icon that looks like a file folder).
Select the (C:) drive in the left pane under "Computer".
Double-click the Windows folder.
Scroll down and open the "System32" folder.
Open the "spool" folder and delete all files inside the PRINTERS folder.
Restart your computer and attempt your print again
If you have attempted both of these procedures and you encounter the same error, there is most likely an electrical problem with the cartridge, and you should return the cartridge to the place of purchase.
If you need to print right away and this troubleshooting did not solve the problem with your cartridge, please select the option entitled "One Cartridge Printing".
A small electrical patch containing contacts which stores information for interaction between the cartridge and the printer. Not all inkjet cartridges have a chip. Most inkjet cartridges contain a flexible ribbon (called a "flex ribbon") that contains the information for interaction with the printer.
A plastic part used to protect the contacts and nozzle plate during transportation and before use.
A cartridge that is made entirely of new components to resemble the OEM. Sometimes the cartridge only resembles the OEM on the exterior however most cases resemble the OEM both internally and externally.
A series of copper squares that makes contact and communicates with the printer.
The portion of the printer where the inkjet cartridges are installed. This device also carries the inkjet cartridges back and forth across the page creating the desired image.
Prints blue shades
Dye based inks are typically found in color cartridges; however, there are some cases where black cartridges are dye based (photo blacks are dye based). Dye based inks are not water proof or water resistant. They are available in a variety of shades which aids in the color matching to the OEM.
A cartridge that contains foam in one or more areas of the cartridge. The foam acts as a sponge holding the ink in the cartridge however adequately releasing the ink as needed when the space becomes available in the ink reservoir.
An integrated inkjet cartridge has a nozzle plate (printhead) installed on the cartridge along with an electric flexible ribbon connecting the nozzle plate to the electrical contact that interact with the printer.
Prints red shades
A non-integrated inkjet cartridge does not have a nozzle plate included on the cartridge. The nozzle plate for these types of cartridges is included in the printer. The printhead is a consumable item; in some cases, however, in others the printhead is not replaceable. In most cases the chip can be replaced on these style cartridges allowing them to respond to the printers exactly like the original.
Consists of a series of tiny holes that eject ink to form an image or text when instructed to do so by the computer through communication of the chip or flex ribbon.
Original Equipment Manufacturer; the brand new product produced by the company that produced the printer (i.e. HP, Lexmark, Dell, etc)
At times, OEM manufacturers make updates to ink cartridges and/or printer firmware that will cause printers to produce an error message that states “older generation” upon the installation of a cartridge. This firmware update requires that a customer purchase an OEM for their printer or insert a “newer generation” cartridge in order for the printer to function properly. This affects OEM as well as remanufactured cartridges. Inkjet remanufacturers are able to stay on top of these updates and begin producing the “newer generation” cartridges as soon as possible. For more information on these updates, click here for the HP 61 series or click here for the HP 950/951 series.
Lighter shades of black which allows for more color combinations and more "life-like" photographs.
Lighter shades of blue which allows for more color combinations and more "life-like" photographs [i.e. better flesh tones]
Lighter shades of red which allows for more color combinations and more "life-like" photographs [i.e. better flesh tones]
To pull ink from the foam or ink reservoir down to the nozzles preparing them for printing. This is a regular operation performed by the printer, but can also be manually performed to aid in producing an acceptable print.
A cartridge that has no foam inside and consists either of a bag/lining or a series of channels and canals. Both of these mechanisms adequately dispense the ink at the correct rate.
Pigment based inks are typically found in black cartridges; however, there are some cases where color cartridges are pigment based (some Epson, Kodak, and some wide format printer applications). Pigment based inks are water resistant and fade resistant; however, they do not come in many shades so color matching to the OEM is difficult. Pigment based inks also have a higher cost associated with them than do the dye based inks.
An inkjet spittoon is a component in inkjet printers that collects the ink that is removed from the cartridge when the inkjet is primed. This spittoon (sometimes called a reservior) can be either a plastic tray or a piece of foam that absorbs the excess ink. Some of the ink can dry (which makes the foam not absorb as well), and the ink that isn’t absorbed sits in the bottom of the printer. This is how ALL inkjet printers work, which is why it is never a good idea to move an inkjet printer as there will more than likely be ink in the bottom (especially older printers or printers that are used a lot).
A cartridge that is foam based and contains 3 different colors of ink in one cartridge. Typically these colors of ink are Cyan/Magenta/Yellow however there are photo cartridges that contain Photo Cyan/Photo Magenta/Photo Black.