Printer woes

[Clearwater]

Hi

 

i have a problem with my printer that is hopefully evident from the picture!  The tracking seems to be off - eg vertical lines not lining up as they should.  Does the rmweb hivemind know what the issue is and how to solve it?  The type of printer is a canon mx475.

 

many thanks

 

David

 

 

[chris p bacon]

Is this an excuse for not doing your homework.....

[Ruffnut Thorston]

There is usually a utility to check the alignment of the printer heads.

 

Usually found in printer properties.

 

Along with utilities for cleaning the heads, changing cartridges, etc...

 

 

[Clearwater]

5 minutes ago, Sarahagain said:

There is usually a utility to check the alignment of the printer heads.

 

Usually found in printer properties.

 

Along with utilities for cleaning the heads, changing cartridges, etc...

 

 

 

Thanks Sarah - I've run that utility but it doesn't seem to have made any difference!

[Clearwater]

5 minutes ago, Sarahagain said:

There is usually a utility to check the alignment of the printer heads.

 

Usually found in printer properties.

 

Along with utilities for cleaning the heads, changing cartridges, etc...

 

 

 

Thanks Sarah - I've run that utility but it doesn't seem to have made any difference!

[Ruffnut Thorston]

In that case, it may be a more physical fault....

 

Maybe time for a new printer?

 

I hope that you can get the fault sorted out...

[Clearwater]

7 minutes ago, Sarahagain said:

In that case, it may be a more physical fault....

 

Maybe time for a new printer?

 

I hope that you can get the fault sorted out...

 

 

Thanks - much appreciated!

 

I'm trying manual alignment now...otherwise I fear youre right on need for a new one.

[Hroth]

I've got a Canon MX475, I've found that its good for text, but doesn't like printing pictures, they look faded and muddy!

 

As it has combination head/ink cartridges, you can try removing and replacing the cartridges to check the physical alignment.

 

I think it looks more like a driver/software problem, the displacement is in well defined bands.

Is it printing other documents out in a similar manner?

 

Just a thought, do Classroomsecrets allow you to view tasks for free, but make a charge for printable ones?

 

 

Edited July 15, 2020 by Hroth

[TheSignalEngineer]

My printer would print about the first inch then go into gobbledygook on some jobs sent from my desktop but was OK from my wife's computer. I uninstalled and reinstalled it and no problems now.

[Clearwater]

33 minutes ago, Hroth said:

I've got a Canon MX475, I've found that its good for text, but doesn't like printing pictures, they look faded and muddy!

 

As it has combination head/ink cartridges, you can try removing and replacing the cartridges to check the physical alignment.

 

I think it looks more like a driver/software problem, the displacement is in well defined bands.

Is it printing other documents out in a similar manner?

 

Just a thought, do Classroomsecrets allow you to view tasks for free, but make a charge for printable ones?

 

 

 

Yes, all documents are coming out with similar shifts.  I'll try the physical removing and replacing but the printer is dicing with its own future at the moment!

 

Classroom secrets is what our school is sending us for home schooling.  No idea about the charging structure they have!

[MartynJPearson]

If you can print a test page directly from the printer, that would rule out a driver / computer issue.

[ThePipersSon]

Is it happening on all documents, or just this one? My suggestion is that there are some 'funny' characters on the source file, but if there is a problem on other documents, then it's you.

 

Tom

[Hroth]

Try testing it by using the printer to photocopy something, using the black copy button.

If that comes out ok, then I'd look at the driver.

 

It may well be best to go to the Canon website and download the most recent drivers for the printer.

 

https://www.canon.co.uk/support/consumer_products/products/fax__multifunctionals/inkjet/pixma_mx_series/pixma_mx475.html?type=drivers&language=&os=windows 10 (64-bit)

 

Uninstall the current driver and do an install from the downloaded ones.

(Whisper some threats to the printer...)

 

If its still bonkers, then it might be time to put the poor thing out to grass...

 

Edited July 15, 2020 by Hroth

[John ks]

I have a theory that could be completely wrong but

As the print head moves from left to right it prints a band on pixels (my guess is at least 60 high)

On the return trip from right to left it prints the next band of pixels (pic might help to show my meaning)

the toothed belt that moves the print head back & forth goes around a couple of pulleys, if one of these pulleys  is used to sense the position of the head &

the belt has jumped a tooth then this could explain the printout 

 

 

John

[Clearwater]

3 hours ago, ThePipersSon said:

Is it happening on all documents, or just this one? My suggestion is that there are some 'funny' characters on the source file, but if there is a problem on other documents, then it's you.

 

Tom

 

1 hour ago, John ks said:

I have a theory that could be completely wrong but

As the print head moves from left to right it prints a band on pixels (my guess is at least 60 high)

On the return trip from right to left it prints the next band of pixels (pic might help to show my meaning)

the toothed belt that moves the print head back & forth goes around a couple of pulleys, if one of these pulleys  is used to sense the position of the head &

the belt has jumped a tooth then this could explain the printout 

 

 

John

 

3 hours ago, Hroth said:

Try testing it by using the printer to photocopy something, using the black copy button.

If that comes out ok, then I'd look at the driver.

 

It may well be best to go to the Canon website and download the most recent drivers for the printer.

 

https://www.canon.co.uk/support/consumer_products/products/fax__multifunctionals/inkjet/pixma_mx_series/pixma_mx475.html?type=drivers&language=&os=windows 10 (64-bit)

 

Uninstall the current driver and do an install from the downloaded ones.

(Whisper some threats to the printer...)

 

If its still bonkers, then it might be time to put the poor thing out to grass...

 

 

Happens on all documents and when I've tried copying a page.  I think @John ks's suggestion makes sense that its a mechanical rather than IT issue.  Thanks to all for helping!

[simontaylor484]

3 hours ago, Clearwater said:

 

Yes, all documents are coming out with similar shifts.  I'll try the physical removing and replacing but the printer is dicing with its own future at the moment!

 

Classroom secrets is what our school is sending us for home schooling.  No idea about the charging structure they have!

I believe that the school purchases a licence and they can print out as many copies as they want. In lieu of text books. Obviously in these unprecedented times schools are providing them as work for kids not attending school. Our youngest son was provided with similar from a website called twinkle. 

 

Happen there is a teacher on here that confirm or deny 

[Butler Henderson]

Ink jets IME generally are a pain, not helped by them using up ink when switched off /on to the point I have run out of coloured ink without hardly ever using them. Now have a laser which suits me fine given the limited extent of printing I do, by the time a new cartridge is needed I would have bought stacks of replacement ink jet cartridges.

[melmerby]

4 hours ago, John ks said:

I have a theory that could be completely wrong but

As the print head moves from left to right it prints a band on pixels (my guess is at least 60 high)

On the return trip from right to left it prints the next band of pixels (pic might help to show my meaning)

the toothed belt that moves the print head back & forth goes around a couple of pulleys, if one of these pulleys  is used to sense the position of the head &

the belt has jumped a tooth then this could explain the printout 

 

 

John

My very little knowledge of printers would reject that as the head position is read (i.e. zeroed) from a datum point each time it starts so the stepper circuitry knows how many steps to do

On an Epson R800 the steps are read from an optical strip stretched the width of the carriage, the head unit has an opto unit that counts as it is moved along the strip.

 

I would go for either a corrupted driver program or an actual fault in the printer circuitry.

Edited July 15, 2020 by melmerby

[John ks]

6 hours ago, melmerby said:

My very little knowledge of printers would reject that as the head position is read (i.e. zeroed) from a datum point each time it starts so the stepper circuitry knows how many steps to do

On an Epson R800 the steps are read from an optical strip stretched the width of the carriage, the head unit has an opto unit that counts as it is moved along the strip.

 

I would go for either a corrupted driver program or an actual fault in the printer circuitry.

Just had a look in my cannon printer & there is a strip similar to what you described So as I said

11 hours ago, John ks said:

I have a theory that could be completely wrong but

John

[brossard]

I had a cheap Samsung laser printer a number of years ago.  It started giving dirty prints so I decided to upgrade.  I was going to get another laser but the prices had shot up.  The salesman showed me a HP Officejet Pro 8720.  That was probably 3 years ago and the prints I get are brilliant.  It uses oil based ink so never dries out, I get to use every drop of ink.  Only drawback is cartridges are expensive but they do last.

 

It is also a scanner and photocopier.  Wireless too.

 

John

Edited July 16, 2020 by brossard

[MartynJPearson]

Have to say my current Canon printer is the best I have ever had for longevity. After a couple of other printers that died just a few months outside of their warranty, I remember the sales assistant at PC World nearly falling over when with no quibbling I said yes to the extended warranty that they were selling. Of course, that is the printer which lived for many years past its original and extended warranty. 

 

Makes you wonder if they have some way of knowing when to break....

Edited July 16, 2020 by MartynJPearson

[kevinlms]

I had a ink jet once that sometimes would print a line of gobblygook, then spit out another page and repeat. So a single page of text, would empty the paper tray trying to print it and other times, it would print totally normally. Now I remember, it only ever occurred when I printed double sided and invariably it was the 2nd side.

 

It took me far too long, to read the instructions ON THE PAPER pack, to find out that the paper needed to have one side printed on first. Once I changed the way I put the paper in with more care, it was perfect. I don't know how much paper I chewed through, before I found the solution, since I didn't do much double-sided.

 

No one believes me, when I tell them this fix. But it is 100% true!

 

Probably, this isn't your cause, but look out for the impossible!

 

I would delete your printer (presumably Windows?), restart the computer to clear any leftovers and re-install it.

[kevinlms]

2 hours ago, MartynJPearson said:

Have to say my current Canon printer is the best I have ever had for longevity. After a couple of other printers that died just a few months outside of their warranty, I remember the sales assistant at PC World nearly falling over when with no quibbling I said yes to the extended warranty that they were selling. Of course, that is the printer which lived for many years past its original and extended warranty. 

 

Makes you wonder if they have some way of knowing when to break....

Extended warranty.

My wife purchased a tablet and after a couple of years it just died, so it got shoved in a drawer, as you do. About a year later, she remembered paying for the extended warranty. So she dug out the receipt and YES, 1 week to go! So straight down to the retailer and without any questions, she got the full price refunded.

[melmerby]

4 hours ago, kevinlms said:

I had a ink jet once that sometimes would print a line of gobblygook, then spit out another page and repeat. So a single page of text, would empty the paper tray trying to print it and other times, it would print totally normally. Now I remember, it only ever occurred when I printed double sided and invariably it was the 2nd side.

 

It took me far too long, to read the instructions ON THE PAPER pack, to find out that the paper needed to have one side printed on first. Once I changed the way I put the paper in with more care, it was perfect. I don't know how much paper I chewed through, before I found the solution, since I didn't do much double-sided.

 

No one believes me, when I tell them this fix. But it is 100% true!

 

Probably, this isn't your cause, but look out for the impossible!

 

I would delete your printer (presumably Windows?), restart the computer to clear any leftovers and re-install it.

IIRC paper is made with a "lay" and should be all the same way up in the paper feed.

Never had the problem you had and I just grab a sheet of paper out of my stock and print on it whichever way it is up and on both sides as well.

(Cheapest Canon printer - £30 and I use cheap re-fill inks purchased from Aldi, years ago.)

 

The Epson R800 photo I bought cost £300, had 8 individual colour cartridges would print about half a dozen colour pages and then need a fresh cartridge.

I would change the cartridge and it would go through it's new cartridge initialise routine but for all eight, including the good ones and by the time it finished another would show as empty!

It was a brilliant printer result wise but a PITA to use and when it started playing up a bit, it got sidelined until I decided to strip it for components.

I had investigated getting it repaired but there was a high fixed charge, with no guarantee it would be repairable.

Not a good buy.

[kevinlms]

2 hours ago, melmerby said:

IIRC paper is made with a "lay" and should be all the same way up in the paper feed.

Never had the problem you had and I just grab a sheet of paper out of my stock and print on it whichever way it is up and on both sides as well.

 

Paper has a coating on one side and my printer proved to me that it was essential to print that side first, on double sided printing. I didn't believe it after I read the paper instructions (who needs and reads instructions for using paper?), tests quickly revealed that it was fact.

 

I agree with you about using non genuine cartridges, as I've never had an issue.