HP LaserJet 1020 Laser Printer User Guide

Printer information page for more

Where to look for more information

● CD user guide: Detailed information on using and troubleshooting the printer. Available on the CD-ROM that came with the printer.

● Online Help: Information on printer options that are available from within printer drivers.

To view a Help file, access the online Help through the printer driver.

● HTML (online) user guide: Detailed information on using and troubleshooting the printer. Available at http://www.hp.com/support/lj1020/ . Once connected, select Manuals.

Chapter 1 Printer basics ENWW

Printer configuration

Below is the standard configuration for the HP LaserJet 1020 printer.

HP LaserJet 1020 printer

● 14 pages per minute (ppm) for A4 media and 15 ppm for letter media

● First page out in as few as 10 seconds

● FastRes 1200: 1200 dpi effective output quality (600 x 600 x 2 dpi with HP Resolution

Enhancement technology [REt])

● 150-sheet main input tray

● Priority feed slot

● 100-sheet output capacity

● EconoMode (saves toner)

● Print watermarks, booklets, multiple pages per sheet (N-up), and first page on different media than rest of the document

● 2 MB RAM

● 2,000-page print cartridge

● USB 2.0 High Speed

● Power switch

ENWW Printer configuration

Walkaround

The following illustrations identify the components of the HP LaserJet 1020 printer.

1 Attention light

2 Ready light

Print cartridge door

4 Output media support

5 Priority feed slot

6 150-sheet main input tray

Output bin

1 On/off switch

2 Power receptacle

USB port

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Printer control panel

The printer control panel is composed of two lights. These lights produce patterns that identify your printer's status.

NOTE

1 Attention light: Indicates that the printer media input trays are empty, the print cartridge door is open, the print cartridge is missing, or other errors. See

information.

2 Ready light: Indicates that the printer is ready to print.

See

Status light patterns

for a description of the light patterns.

ENWW Printer control panel

Media paths

The following sections describe the input trays and output bin.

Priority feed slot

You should use the priority feed slot when feeding one sheet of paper, envelope, postcard, label, or transparency. You can also use the priority feed slot to print the first page on different media than the rest of the document.

Media guides ensure that the media is correctly fed into the printer and that the print is not skewed (crooked on the media). When loading media, adjust the media guides to match the width of the media that you are using.

See

Choosing paper and other media for more information about media types.

Main input tray

The main input tray, accessed from the front of the printer, holds up to 150 sheets of 20-lb paper or other media. For information about media specifications, see

Printer capacities and ratings .

Media guides ensure the media is correctly fed into the printer and the print is not skewed

(crooked on the media). The main input tray has both side and front media guides. When loading media, adjust the media guides to match the length and width of the media that you are using.

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Output bin

The output bin is located on the top of the printer. Printed media is collected here in the correct sequence. The output media support provides improved stacking for large print jobs.

ENWW Media paths

Printer connections

The HP LaserJet 1020 printer supports USB 2.0 High Speed connections.

Connecting the USB cable

1. Plug the USB cable into the printer.

2. Plug the other end of the USB cable into the computer when prompted to do so during the software installation.

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Printer software

NOTE

The following sections describe the supported operating systems and the software that is provided with the HP LaserJet 1020 printer.

Not all software is available in all languages.

NOTE

Supported operating systems

The printer comes with software for the following operating systems:

● Windows XP

● Windows 2000

● Windows ME

● Windows 98 Second Edition (SE)

● Windows Server 2003

For more information about upgrading from Windows 2000 Server to Windows

Server 2003, go to http://www.microsoft.com/ .

For more information about Windows Server 2003 Point and Print, go to http://www.microsoft.com/ .

For more information about Windows Server 2003 Terminal Services and Printing, go to http://www.microsoft.com/ .

Printer software for Windows computers

The following sections provide instructions for installing the printer software on various

Windows operating systems and the software that is available to all users of the printer.

To install printer software for all other operating systems

Insert the software CD that came with the printer into the computer CD-ROM drive. Follow

the on-screen installation instructions.

If the Welcome screen does not open, click Start on the Windows task bar, click Run, type

Z:\setup

(where Z is your CD drive letter), and click OK.

Printer drivers

A printer driver is the software component that provides access to printer features and provides the means for the computer to communicate with the printer.

ENWW Printer software

NOTE

Printer properties (driver)

Printer properties control the printer. You can change the default settings, such as media size and type, printing multiple pages on a single sheet of media (N-up printing), resolution, and watermarks. You can access the printer properties in the following ways:

● Through the software application that you are using to print. This only changes the settings for the current software application.

● Through the Windows operating system. This changes the default settings for all future print jobs.

Because many software applications use a different method of accessing the printer properties, the following section describes the most common methods used in

Windows 98 SE, 2000, ME, and Windows XP.

To only change the settings for the current software application

Although the steps can vary between software applications, this is the most common method.

1. From the File menu in the software application, click Print.

2. On the Print dialog, click Properties.

3. Change the settings, and click OK.

To change the default settings for all future print jobs in

Windows 98 SE, 2000, and ME

1. In the Windows task bar, click Start, select Settings, and click Printers.

2. Right-click the HP LaserJet 1020 printer icon.

3. Click Properties (in Windows 2000, you can also click Printing Preferences).

4. Change the settings, and click OK.

In Windows 2000, many of these features are available from the Printing Preferences menu.

To change the default settings for all future print jobs in Windows XP

1. In the Windows task bar, click Start, select Settings, and click Printers and Faxes.

2. Right-click the HP LaserJet 1020 printer icon.

3. Click Properties, or click Printing Preferences.

4. Change the settings, and click OK.

Printer properties online help

The printer properties (driver) online help includes specific information about the functions in the printer properties. This online help guides you through the process of changing your printer's default settings. For some drivers, online help gives instructions on using contextsensitive help. Context-sensitive help describes the options for the driver feature you are currently accessing.

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To access the printer properties online help

1. From the software application, click File, and then click Print.

2. Click Properties, and then click Help.

Print setting priorities

There are two ways to change print settings for this printer: in the software application or in the printer driver. Changes made in the software application override settings changed in the printer driver. Within a software application, changes made in the Page Setup dialog box override changes made in the Print dialog box.

If a particular print setting can be changed in more than one of the ways listed above, use the method that has the highest priority.

ENWW Printer software

Printer information page

The Printer Test page is a printer information page that resides within the memory of the printer. During installation you can choose to print the Printer Test page. If the page prints, you correctly installed the printer.

Printer Test page

The Printer Test page contains information about printer driver and port settings. The page also contains information about the printer name and model, computer name, and so on.

You can print the Printer Test page from the printer driver.

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Printer media considerations

CAUTION

HP LaserJet printers produce excellent print quality. The printer accepts a variety of media, such as cut-sheet paper (including recycled paper), envelopes, labels, transparencies, vellum, and custom-size paper. Properties such as weight, grain, and moisture content are important factors affecting printer performance and output quality.

The printer can use a variety of paper and other print media in accordance with the guidelines in this user guide. 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

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 user guide and still not produce satisfactory results. This might be the result of improper handling, unacceptable temperature and humidity levels, or other variables over which HP has no control.

Before purchasing a large quantity of media, make sure that it meets the requirements specified in this user guide and in the HP LaserJet printer family print media guide. The guidelines can be downloaded from http://www.hp.com/support/ljpaperguide/ or see

Printer capacities and ratings

for more information about ordering the guidelines. Always test media before you purchase a large quantity.

Using media that does not meet HP's specifications might cause problems for the printer, requiring repair. This repair is not covered by the HP warranty or service agreements.

Supported media sizes

For information about supported media sizes, see

ENWW Printer media considerations

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Printing tasks

This chapter provides information on the following topics:

● Manual feed

● Canceling a print job

● Understanding print quality settings

● Optimizing print quality for media types

● Guidelines for using media

● Choosing paper and other media

● Loading media into the input trays

● Printing an envelope

● Printing multiple envelopes

● Printing on transparencies or labels

● Printing on letterhead and preprinted forms

● Printing on custom-size media and cardstock

● Printing on both sides of the paper (manual two-sided printing)

● Printing multiple pages on a single sheet of paper (N-up printing)

● Printing booklets

● Printing watermarks

ENWW

Manual feed

You can use manual feed when printing mixed media, for example, an envelope, then a letter, then an envelope, and so on. Feed an envelope into the priority feed slot and load letterhead into the main input tray.

To print using manual feed

1. Access the printer properties (or printing preferences in Windows 2000 and XP). See

Optimizing print quality for media types for more

for instructions.

2. On the Paper/Quality tab, select Manual Feed from the Source is drop-down list.

3. Feed media into the priority feed slot, and click Continue.

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Canceling a print job

You can cancel a print job from a software application or a print queue.

To stop the printer immediately, remove the remaining paper from the printer. After the printer stops, use one of the following options.

● Software application: Typically, a dialog box appears briefly on your screen, allowing you to cancel the print job.

● Windows print queue: If a print job is waiting in a print queue (computer memory) or print spooler, delete the job there. Click Start, Settings, and Printers or Printers and

Faxes. Double-click the HP LaserJet 1020 icon to open the window, select your print job, and click Delete or Cancel.

If the status lights on the control panel continue to blink after you cancel a print job, the computer is still sending the job to the printer. Either delete the job from the print queue or wait until the computer finishes sending data. The printer will return to the Ready state.

ENWW Canceling a print job

Understanding print quality settings

NOTE

Print quality settings affect how light or dark the print is on the page and the style in which the graphics are printed. You can also use the print quality settings to optimize the print quality for a specific media type. See

information.

You can change the settings in the printer properties to accommodate the types of jobs you are printing. The following are the settings:

● FastRes 1200: This setting provides 1200 dpi effective output quality (600 x 600 x 2 dpi with HP Resolution Enhancement technology [REt]).

● 600 dpi: This setting provides 600 x 600 dpi output with Resolution Enhancement technology (REt) for improved text.

● EconoMode (Save Toner): Text is printed using less toner. This setting is useful when you are printing drafts. You can turn on this option independently of other print quality settings.

1. Access the printer properties (or printing preferences in Windows 2000 and XP). See

Printer properties (driver) for more information.

for instructions.

2. On the Finishing tab, select the print quality setting you want to use.

Not all printer features are available in all drivers or operating systems. See the printer properties (driver) online Help for information about the availability of features for that driver.

To change the print quality settings for all future print jobs, access the properties through the

Start menu in the Windows task bar. To change the print quality settings only for the current software application, access the properties through the Print Setup menu in the application you are using to print. See

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Optimizing print quality for media types

NOTE

Media type settings control the temperature of your printer's fuser. You can change the settings for the media that you are using to optimize the print quality.

The HP LaserJet 1020 printer provides a number of print modes that allow the unit to adapt more specifically to the printer's media environment. The following tables provide an overview of the driver print modes.

When using the CARDSTOCK, ENVELOPE, LABEL, and ROUGH modes, the printer pauses between pages and the number of pages per minute decreases.

Driver print default modes

Mode

PLAIN

LIGHT

HEAVY

CARDSTOCK

TRANSPARENCY

ENVELOPE

LABEL

BOND

ROUGH

COLOR

LETTERHEAD

PREPRINTED

PREPUNCHED

RECYCLED

VELLUM

Media

75 to 104 g/m 2 (20 to 27 lb)

< 75 g/m 2 (20 lb)

90 to 105 g/m 2 (24 to 28 lb)

Cardstock or thick media

4-mil, 0.1 monochrome overhead transparencies

(OHTs)

Standard envelopes

Standard HP LaserJet labels

Bond paper

Rough paper

Plain media

ENWW Optimizing print quality for media types

Guidelines for using media

The following sections provide guidelines and instructions for printing on transparencies, envelopes, and other special media. Guidelines and specifications are included to help you select media that optimizes print quality and avoid media that might cause jams or damage the printer.

NOTE

Paper

For best results, use conventional 75 g/m 2 (20 lb) paper. Make sure that the paper is of good quality and free of cuts, nicks, tears, spots, loose particles, dust, wrinkles, voids, and curled or bent edges.

If you are unsure about what type of paper you are loading (such as bond or recycled), check the label on the package of paper.

Some paper causes print quality problems, jamming, or damage to the printer.

Paper usage

Symptom

Poor print quality or toner adhesion

Problems with feeding

Dropouts, jamming, or curl

Problem with paper

Too moist, too rough, too smooth, or embossed

Faulty paper lot

Stored improperly

Solution

Try another kind of paper between 100-250 Sheffield and

4-6% moisture content.

Check the printer and make sure that the appropriate media type has been selected.

Store paper flat in its moistureproof wrapping.

Use lighter paper.

Increased gray background shading

Excessive curl

Problems with feeding

Jamming or damage to printer

Might be too heavy

Too moist, wrong grain direction, or short-grain construction

Cutouts or perforations

Use long-grain paper.

Check the printer and make sure that the appropriate media type has been selected.

Do not use paper with cutouts or perforations.

Use good quality paper.

Problems with feeding Ragged edges

The printer uses heat and pressure to fuse toner to the paper. Make sure that any colored paper or preprinted forms use inks that are compatible with the printer temperature. The printer's maximum temperature is 200°C (392°F) for 0.1 second.

Do not use letterhead that is printed with low-temperature inks, such as those used in some types of thermography.

Do not use raised letterhead.

Do not use transparencies designed for Inkjet printers or other low-temperature printers. Use only transparencies that are specified for use with HP LaserJet printers.

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CAUTION

Labels

HP recommends that you print labels from the priority feed slot.

Do not feed a sheet of labels through the printer more than once. The adhesive degrades and might damage the printer.

Label construction

When selecting labels, consider the quality of the following components:

● Adhesives: The adhesive material should be stable at 200°C (392°F), the printer's maximum temperature.

● Arrangement: Only use labels with no exposed backing between them. Labels can peel off sheets that have spaces between the labels, causing serious jams.

● Curl: Prior to printing, labels must lie flat with no more than 13 mm (0.5 inches) of curl in any direction.

● Condition: Do not use labels with wrinkles, bubbles, or other indications of separation.

Transparencies

Transparencies must be able to withstand the printer's maximum temperature of 200°C

(392°F).

Envelopes

HP recommends that you print envelopes from the priority feed slot.

Envelope construction

Envelope construction is critical. Envelope fold lines can vary considerably, not only between manufacturers, but also within a box from the same manufacturer. Successful printing on envelopes depends upon the quality of the envelopes. When selecting envelopes, consider the following components:

●

Weight: The weight of the envelope paper should not exceed 90 g/m

2 might result.

(24 lb) or jamming

● Construction: Prior to printing, envelopes should lie flat with less than 6 mm

(0.25 inches) curl and should not contain air. Envelopes that trap air might cause problems. Do not use envelopes that contain clasps, snaps, tie strings, transparent windows, holes, perforations, cut outs, synthetic materials, stamping, or embossing. Do not use envelopes with adhesives that do not require moistening, but rely instead on pressure to seal them.

● Condition: Make sure that the envelopes are not wrinkled, nicked, or otherwise damaged. Make sure that the envelopes do not have any exposed adhesive.

● Sizes: The envelope sizes range from 90 x 160 mm (3.5 x 6.3 inches) to 178 x 254 mm

(7 x 10 inches).

ENWW Guidelines for using media

Envelopes with double-side seams

An envelope with double-side-seam construction has vertical seams at both ends of the envelope rather than diagonal seams. This style might be more likely to wrinkle. Make sure that the seam extends all the way to the corner of the envelope as shown in the following illustration.

NOTE

1 acceptable envelope construction

2 unacceptable envelope construction

Envelopes with adhesive strips or flaps

Envelopes with a peel-off adhesive strip or with more than one flap that folds over to seal must use adhesives compatible with the heat and pressure in the printer. The printer's maximum temperature is 200°C (392°F). The extra flaps and strips might cause wrinkling, creasing, or jams.

Envelope storage

Proper storage of envelopes contributes to good print quality. You should store envelopes flat. If air is trapped in an envelope, creating an air bubble, the envelope might wrinkle during printing.

Cardstock and heavy media

You can print many types of cardstock from the media input trays, including index cards and postcards. Some cardstock performs better than others because its construction is better suited for feeding through a laser printer.

For optimum printer performance, do not use paper heavier than 157 g/m 2 (42 lb). Paper that is too heavy might cause misfeeds, stacking problems, paper jams, poor toner fusing, poor print quality, or excessive mechanical wear.

You might be able to print on heavier paper if you do not fill the input tray to capacity and if you use paper with a smoothness rating of 100-180 Sheffield.

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NOTE

Cardstock construction

●

Smoothness: The 135-157 g/m

(36-42 lb) cardstock should have a smoothness rating of 100-180 Sheffield; 60-135 g/m 2 (16-36 lb) cardstock should have a smoothness rating of 100-250 Sheffield.

● Construction: Cardstock should lie flat with less than 5 mm (0.2 inches) of curl.

● Condition: Make sure that the cardstock is not wrinkled, nicked, or otherwise damaged.

● Sizes: Only use cardstock within the following size ranges:

● Minimum: 76 x 127 mm (3 x 5 inches)

● Maximum: 216 x 356 mm (8.5 x 14.0 inches)

Cardstock guidelines

Set margins at least 2 mm (0.08 inches) away from the edges.

Letterhead and preprinted forms

Letterhead is premium paper that often has a watermark, sometimes uses cotton fiber, and is available in a wide range of colors and finishes with matching envelopes. Preprinted forms can be made of a broad spectrum of paper types ranging from recycled to premium.

Many manufactures now design these grades of paper with properties optimized for laser printer and advertise the paper as laser-compatible or laser-guaranteed.

Some page-to-page variation is normal when printing with laser printers. This variation cannot be observed when printing on plain paper. However, this variation is obvious when printing on preprinted forms because the lines and boxes are already placed on the page.

To avoid problems when using preprinted forms, embossed paper, and letterhead, observe the following guidelines:

● Avoid using low-temperature inks (the kind used with some types of thermography).

● Use preprinted forms and letterhead paper that have been printed by offset lithography or engraving.

● Use forms that have been created with heat-resistant inks that will not melt, vaporize, or release undesirable emissions when heated to 200°C (392°F) for 0.1 second. Typically, oxidation-set or oil-based inks meet this requirement.

● When the form is preprinted, be careful not to change the moisture content of the paper, and do not use materials that change the paper's electrical or handling properties. Seal the forms in moisture-proof wrap to prevent moisture changes during storage.

● Avoid processing preprinted forms that have a finish or coating.

● Avoid using heavily embossed or raised-letterhead papers.

● Avoid papers that have heavily textured surfaces.

● Avoid using offset powders or other materials that prevent printed forms from sticking together.

ENWW Guidelines for using media

Choosing paper and other media

NOTE

HP LaserJet printers produce excellent print quality documents. You can print on a variety of media, such as paper (including up to 100% recycled fiber content paper), envelopes, labels, transparencies, and custom-size media. 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)

Properties such as weight, grain, and moisture content are important factors that affect printer performance and quality. To achieve the best possible print quality, only use highquality media designed for laser printers. See

Printer media considerations for detailed

paper and media specifications.

Always test a sample of the media before you purchase large quantities. Your media supplier should understand the requirements specified in the HP LaserJet printer family print

media guide (HP part number 5851-1468). See Printer media considerations for more

information.

HP media

HP recommends the following HP media:

● HP Multipurpose Paper

● HP Office Paper

● HP All-in-One Printing Paper

● HP LaserJet Paper

● HP Premium Choice LaserJet Paper

Media to avoid

The HP LaserJet 1020 printer can handle many types of media. Use of media outside the printer's specifications will cause a loss of print quality and increase the chance of paper jams.

● Do not use paper that is too rough.

● Do not use paper with cutouts or perforations other than standard three-hole punched paper.

● Do not use multipart forms.

● Do not use paper with a watermark if you are printing solid patterns.

Media that might 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 that are specified for use with HP LaserJet printers.

Chapter 2 Printing tasks ENWW

● Do not use photo paper intended for Inkjet printers.

● Do not use paper that is embossed or coated and is not designed for the temperatures of the printer's image fuser. Select media that can tolerate temperatures of 200°C

(392°F) for 0.1 second. HP produces a selection of media that is designed for the

HP LaserJet 1020 printer.

● Do not use letterhead paper with low-temperature dyes or thermography. Preprinted forms or letterhead must use inks that can tolerate temperatures of 200°C (392°F) for

0.1 second.

● Do not use any media that produces hazardous emissions, or that melts, offsets, or discolors when exposed to 200°C (392°F) for 0.1 second.

To order HP LaserJet printing supplies, go to http://www.hp.com/go/ljsupplies/ in the U.S. or to http://www.hp.com/ghp/buyonline.html/ worldwide.

ENWW Choosing paper and other media

Loading media into the input trays

CAUTION

The following sections describe how to load media into the different input trays.

If you try to print on media that is wrinkled, folded, or damaged in any way, a jam might occur. See

Printer media considerations

for more information.

Priority feed slot

The priority feed slot holds one sheet of media up to 163 g/m 2 (43 lb) or one envelope, transparency, or cardstock. Load media with the top forward and the side to be printed facing up. To prevent jams and skewing, always adjust the side media guides before feeding the media.

NOTE

150-sheet main input tray

The input tray holds up to 150 pages of 75 g/m 2 (20 lb) paper or fewer pages of heavier media of 25 mm (0.9 inches) or less stack height. Load media with the top forward and the side to be printed facing up. To prevent jams and skewing, always adjust the side and front media guides.

When you add new media, make sure that you remove all of the media from the input tray and straighten the stack of new media. This helps prevent multiple sheets of media from feeding through the printer at one time, reducing media jams.

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Printing an envelope

NOTE

Only use envelopes that are recommended for laser printers. See Printer media considerations for more information.

Use the priority feed slot for printing one envelope. Use the main input tray for printing multiple envelopes.

1. Before loading the envelope, slide the media guides outward to slightly wider than the envelopes.

NOTE

If the envelope has a flap on the short edge, feed that edge into the printer first.

2. Place the envelope with the side to be printed facing up and the top edge along the left media guide.

3. Adjust the media guides to the width of the envelope.

ENWW Printing an envelope

NOTE

4. Access the printer properties (or printing preferences in Windows 2000 and XP). See

Only use envelopes that are recommended for laser printers. See Printer media considerations for more information.

for instructions.

5. On the Paper/Quality tab, select Envelope as the media type.

Not all printer features are available in all drivers or operating systems. See the printer properties (driver) online Help for information about availability of features for that driver.

6. Print the envelope.

To print using manual feed, see

Manual feed .

Chapter 2 Printing tasks ENWW

Printing multiple envelopes

NOTE

Use the priority feed slot for printing one envelope. Use the main input tray for printing multiple envelopes.

1. Before loading the envelopes, slide the media guides outward to slightly wider than the envelopes.

2. Place the envelopes with the side to be printed facing up and the top edge along the left media guide. Stack up to 15 envelopes.

NOTE

If the envelopes have a flap on the short edge, feed that edge into the printer first.

3. Adjust the media guides to the length and width of the envelopes.

ENWW Printing multiple envelopes

NOTE

4. Access the printer properties (or printing preferences in Windows 2000 and XP). See

HP transparency film and HP LaserJet labels. See Printer media considerations for more

for instructions.

Not all printer features are available from all drivers or operating systems. See the printer properties (driver) online Help for information about availability of features for that driver.

5. On the Paper/Quality tab, select Envelope as the media type.

6. Print the envelopes.

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Printing on transparencies or labels

CAUTION

Use only transparencies and labels that are recommended for use in laser printers, such as

information.

Be sure to set the correct media type in the printer settings as instructed below. The printer adjusts the fuser temperature according to the media type setting. When printing on special media such as transparencies or labels, this adjustment prevents the fuser from damaging the media as it passes through the printer.

Inspect the media to make sure that it is not wrinkled or curled and that it does not have any torn edges or missing labels.

1. Load a single page in the priority feed slot or load multiple pages in the main input tray.

Make sure that the top of the media is forward and the side to be printed (rough side) is facing up.

2. Adjust the media guides.

3. Access the printer properties (or printing preferences in Windows 2000 and XP). See

for instructions.

4. On the Paper/Quality tab, choose the correct media type.

5. Print the document.

ENWW Printing on transparencies or labels

Printing on letterhead and preprinted forms

NOTE

The HP LaserJet 1020 printer can print on letterhead and preprinted forms that can withstand temperatures of 200°C (392°F).

1. Load the paper with the top forward and the side to be printed facing up. Adjust the media guides to fit the width of the paper.

2. Access the printer properties (or printing preferences in Windows 2000 and XP). See

Main input tray for the supported media sizes.

for instructions.

3. On the Paper/Quality tab, choose the correct media type.

4. Print the document.

To print using manual feed, see

Manual feed .

To print a single-page cover letter on letterhead, followed by a multiple-page document, load the standard paper in the main input tray, and then feed the letterhead face up in the priority feed slot.

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Printing on custom-size media and cardstock

CAUTION

NOTE

The HP LaserJet 1020 printer can print on custom-size media or cardstock between

76 x 127 mm (3 x 5 inches) and 216 x 356 mm (8.5 x 14 inches).

Use the main input tray for multiple sheets. See

Make sure that the sheets are not stuck together before you load them.

1. Load the media with the narrow side forward and the side to be printed facing up. Adjust the media guides to fit the media.

2. Access the printer properties (or printing preferences in Windows 2000 and XP). See

for instructions.

3. On the Paper/Quality tab, select the custom-size option. Specify the dimensions of the custom-size media.

Not all printer features are available in all drivers or operating systems. See the printer properties (driver) online Help for information about availability of features for that driver.

4. Print the document.

To print using manual feed, see

Manual feed .

ENWW Printing on custom-size media and cardstock

Printing on both sides of the paper (manual two-sided printing)

To print on both sides of the paper (manual two-sided printing), you must run the paper through the printer twice.

NOTE

Manual two-sided printing can cause the printer to become dirty, reducing print quality. See

Cleaning the printer

for instructions if the printer becomes dirty.

1. Access the printer properties (or printing preferences in Windows 2000 and XP). See

Printer properties (driver) for instructions.

for instructions.

2. On the Finishing tab, select Print On Both Sides (Manually). Select the appropriate binding option, and click OK.

3. Print the document.

Not all printer features are available from all drivers or operating systems. See the printer properties (driver) online Help for information about availability of features for that driver.

4. After side one has printed, gather the printed pages, turn the printed side down, and straighten the stack.

Chapter 2 Printing tasks ENWW

5. Place the stack back in the input tray. Side one should be facing down with the bottom edge feeding into the printer first.

6. Click Continue to print side two.

ENWW Printing on both sides of the paper (manual two-sided printing)

Printing multiple pages on a single sheet of paper (N-up printing)

You can select the number of pages that you want to print on a single sheet of paper. If you choose to print more than one page per sheet, the pages appear smaller and are arranged on the sheet in the order that they would otherwise be printed.

NOTE

1. From your software application, access the printer properties (or printing preferences in

Windows 2000 and XP). See

2. On the Finishing tab, select the correct number of pages per side.

Not all printer features are available from all drivers or operating systems. See the printer properties (driver) online Help for information about availability of features for that driver.

3. (Optional steps) To include page borders, select the check box. To specify the order of pages printed on the sheet, select the order from the drop-down menu.

4. Print the document.

Chapter 2 Printing tasks ENWW

Printing booklets

NOTE

You can print booklets on letter or A4 paper.

1. Load the paper in the main input tray.

2. Access the printer properties (or printing preferences in Windows 2000 and XP). See

Printer properties (driver) for instructions.

for instructions.

3. On the Finishing tab, select the option to Print On Both Sides (Manually). Select the appropriate binding option, and click OK. Print the document.

Not all printer features are available from all drivers or operating systems. See the printer properties (driver) online Help for information about availability of features for that driver.

4. After side one has printed, gather the printed pages, turn the printed side down, and straighten the stack of paper.

ENWW Printing booklets

5. Place the pages from side one back in the input tray. Side one should be facing down with the bottom edge feeding into the printer first.

6. Print side two.

7. Fold and staple the pages.

Chapter 2 Printing tasks ENWW

Printing watermarks

You can use the watermark option to print text "underneath" (in the background) of an existing document. For example, you might want to have large gray letters reading Draft or

Confidential printed diagonally across the first page or all of the pages of a document.

NOTE

1. From your software application, access the printer properties (or printing preferences in

Windows 2000 and XP). See

2. On the Effects tab, select the watermark you want to use.

Not all printer features are available from all drivers or operating systems. See the printer properties (driver) online Help for information about availability of features for that driver.

3. Print the document.

ENWW Printing watermarks

Chapter 2 Printing tasks ENWW

Maintenance

This chapter provides information on the following topics:

● Cleaning the printer

● Changing the pickup roller

● Cleaning the pickup roller

● Changing the printer separation pad

● Redistributing toner

● Changing the print cartridge

ENWW

Cleaning the printer

CAUTION

Clean the outside of the printer with a clean, damp cloth when necessary.

Do not use ammonia-based cleaners on or around the printer.

During the printing process, media, toner, and dust particles can accumulate inside the printer. Over time, this buildup can cause print quality problems, such as toner specks or smearing, and paper jams. To correct and prevent these types of problems, you can clean the print cartridge area and the printer media path.

Cleaning the print cartridge area

You do not need to clean the print cartridge area often. However, cleaning this area can improve the quality of your printed sheets.

1. Turn the printer off, and then unplug the power cord. Wait for the printer to cool.

CAUTION

To prevent damage, do not expose the print cartridge to light. Cover the print cartridge if necessary. Also, do not touch the black sponge transfer roller inside the printer. By doing so, you can damage the printer.

2. Open the print cartridge door, and remove the print cartridge.

Chapter 3 Maintenance ENWW

3. With a dry, lint-free cloth, wipe any residue from the media path area and the print cartridge cavity.

4. Replace the print cartridge, and close the print cartridge door.

5. Plug the printer into the power outlet, and then turn on the printer.

ENWW

Cleaning the printer media path

If you are experiencing toner specks or dots on the printouts, you can use the HP LaserJet cleaning utility to remove excess media and toner particles that can accumulate on the fuser assembly and rollers. Cleaning the media path might extend the life of the printer.

Cleaning the printer

NOTE

For best results use a sheet of transparency. If you do not have any transparencies, you can use copier-grade media, 70 to 90 g/m

(18 to 24 lb), with a smooth surface.

1. Make sure that the printer is idle and the Ready light is on.

2. Load the media in the input tray.

3. Print a cleaning page. Access the printer properties (or printing preferences in

Windows 2000 and XP). See

Printer properties (driver) for instructions.

The cleaning process takes approximately 3 minutes. The cleaning page will stop periodically during the cleaning process. Do not turn the printer off until the cleaning process has finished. You might need to repeat the cleaning process several times to thoroughly clean the printer.

Chapter 3 Maintenance ENWW

Changing the pickup roller

CAUTION

Normal use with good media causes wear. The use of poor media might require more frequent replacement of the pickup roller.

If the printer regularly mispicks (no media feeds through), you might need to change or clean the pickup roller. See

Changing the pickup roller .

to order a new pickup roller.

Failure to complete this procedure might damage the printer.

1. Turn the printer off, and then unplug the power cord from the printer. Wait for the printer to cool.

CAUTION

To prevent damage to the print cartridge, minimize its exposure to direct light. Cover the print cartridge with a sheet of paper.

2. Open the print cartridge door, and remove the print cartridge.

ENWW Changing the pickup roller

3. Find the pickup roller.

4. Release the small, white tabs on either side of the pickup roller, and rotate the pickup roller toward the front.

5. Gently pull the pickup roller up and out.

6. Position the new pickup roller in the slot. The circular and rectangular slots on each side will prevent you from installing the roller incorrectly.

7. Rotate the top of the new pickup roller away from you until both sides snap into place.

Chapter 3 Maintenance ENWW

8. Reinstall the print cartridge, and close the print cartridge door.

9. Plug the printer into the power outlet, and then turn on the printer.

ENWW Changing the pickup roller

Cleaning the pickup roller

If you want to clean the pickup roller rather than replace it, follow the instructions below:

1. Remove the pickup roller as described in steps 1 through 5 of

2. Dab a lint-free cloth in isopropyl alcohol, and scrub the roller.

WARNING!

Alcohol is flammable. Keep the alcohol and cloth away from an open flame. Before you close the printer and plug in the power cord, allow the alcohol to dry completely.

3. Using a dry, lint-free cloth, wipe the pickup roller to remove loosened dirt.

4. Allow the pickup roller to dry completely before you reinstall it in the printer (see

Changing the pickup roller ).

Chapter 3 Maintenance ENWW

Changing the printer separation pad

NOTE

Normal use with good media causes wear. The use of poor media might require more frequent replacement of the separation pad. If the printer regularly pulls multiple sheets of media at a time, you might need to change the separation pad. See

Cleaning the pickup roller .

to order a new printer separation pad.

Before you change the separation pad, clean the pickup roller. See

1. Turn the printer off, and then unplug the power cord from the printer. Wait for the printer to cool.

2. At the back of the printer, unscrew the two screws holding the separation pad in place.

3. Remove the separation pad.

ENWW Changing the printer separation pad

4. Insert the new separation pad, and screw it into place.

5. Plug the printer into the power outlet, and turn on the printer.

Chapter 3 Maintenance ENWW

Redistributing toner

CAUTION

When toner is low, faded or light areas appear on the printed page. You might be able to temporarily improve print quality by redistributing the toner, which means that you might be able to finish the current print job before replacing the print cartridge.

To prevent damage to the print cartridge, minimize its exposure to direct light. Cover the print cartridge with a sheet of paper.

1. Open the print cartridge door, and remove the print cartridge from the printer.

CAUTION

To prevent damage to the print cartridge, hold the print cartridge at each end.

2. To redistribute the toner, gently rock the print cartridge from front to back.

CAUTION

If toner gets on your clothing, wipe it off with a dry cloth and wash the clothing in cold water.

Hot water sets toner into the fabric.

3. Reinsert the print cartridge into the printer, and close the print cartridge door.

ENWW Redistributing toner

If the print is still light, install a new print cartridge. See Changing the print cartridge for

instructions.

Chapter 3 Maintenance ENWW

Changing the print cartridge

CAUTION

To prevent damage to the print cartridge, minimize its exposure to direct light. Cover the print cartridge with a sheet of paper.

1. Open the print cartridge door, and remove the old print cartridge. See the recycling information inside the print cartridge box.

CAUTION

To prevent damage to the print cartridge, hold the print cartridge at each end.

2. Remove the new print cartridge from the packaging, and gently rock the print cartridge from front to back to distribute the toner evenly inside the cartridge.

3. Pull the tab until all the tape is removed from the print cartridge. Put the tab in the print cartridge box to return for recycling.

ENWW Changing the print cartridge

4. Insert the new print cartridge in the printer, making sure that the print cartridge is in position. Close the print cartridge door.

CAUTION

If toner gets on your clothing, wipe it off with a dry cloth and wash the clothing in cold water.

Hot water sets toner into the fabric.

Chapter 3 Maintenance ENWW

Problem solving

This chapter provides information on the following topics:

● Finding the solution

● Status light patterns

● Paper handling problems

● Printed page is different than what appeared on screen

● Printer software problems

● Improving print quality

● Clearing jams

ENWW

Finding the solution

You can use this section to find the solution to common printer problems.

Step 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

Changing the print cartridge

● Is paper properly loaded in the input tray? See

Loading media into the input trays .

Yes

If you answered yes to the questions above, go to

Step 2: Is the Ready light on?

If the printer will not turn on, Contact HP support .

Step 2: Is the Ready light on?

Do the control panel lights look like this picture?

NOTE

See

Printer control panel for a description of the lights on the control panel.

Yes

Go to Step 3: Can you print a Printer Test page?

If the control panel lights do not look like the picture above, see

Status light patterns

Step 4: Is the print quality acceptable?

Step 3: Can you print a Printer Test page?

Print a Printer Test page.

Yes

If the Demo page printed, go to

If no paper came out, see Paper handling problems .

Step 5: Is the printer communicating with the computer?

Chapter 4 Problem solving ENWW

ENWW

Step 4: Is the print quality acceptable?

Yes

If the print quality is acceptable, go to

If the print quality is poor, see

Improving print quality .

Verify that the print settings are correct for the

media you are using. See Choosing paper and other media

for information on adjusting the settings for various types of media.

Step 6: Does the printed page look like you expected?

Step 5: Is the printer communicating with the computer?

Try printing a document from a software application.

Yes

If the document prints, go to

If the document does not print, see

Printer software problems

See Printed page is different than what appeared on screen .

Step 6: Does the printed page look like you expected?

Yes

The problem should be resolved. If it is not resolved,

Contact HP support

Understanding print quality settings for more information.

Contact HP support

● In the United States, see http://www.hp.com/support/lj1020/ for the HP LaserJet 1020 printer.

● In other locations, see http://www.hp.com

Finding the solution

Status light patterns

Light status legend

Symbol for "light off"

Symbol for "light on"

Symbol for "light blinking"

Control panel light message

Light status State of the printer

Ready

The printer is ready to print.

Processing data

The printer is receiving or processing data.

Cleaning mode

A Cleaning page or a Printer

Test page is printing.

Out of memory

The printer is out of memory.

Action

No action is necessary.

Wait for the job to print.

To cancel the current job, press the C

ANCEL

button.

Wait until the Cleaning page is finished printing and the printer is in the Ready state. This could take up to two minutes.

Wait until the Printer Test page is finished printing and the printer is in Ready state.

The page you are printing might be too complex for the printer's memory capacity. Try lowering the resolution. See

Chapter 4 Problem solving ENWW

ENWW

Control panel light message (continued)

Light status State of the printer

Attention: door open, media out, no print cartridge, or media jam

This printer is in an error state that requires operator intervention.

Action

Check the following:

● The print cartridge door is completely closed.

● Media is loaded. See

Loading media into the input trays

for instructions.

● The print cartridge is correctly installed in the printer. See

Changing the print cartridge for

instructions.

● There is no media jam.

See

Clearing jams

for instructions.

No action is necessary.

Printer initialization

A printer initialization is taking place.

Fatal error

All lights are on.

All lights are off.

Unplug the printer for

30 minutes, and then plug the printer back in power outlet.

If the printer still has an error, contact HP Support. See

Contact HP support .

Make sure that there is power.

Unplug both ends of the power cord, and then plug the power cord back into the printer and the power outlet.

Return to

Print is skewed (crooked)

Status light patterns

Paper handling problems

Choose the item that best describes the problem:

●

Media jam

●

●

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

●

Print job is extremely slow

Media jam

● See

Clearing jams for more information.

● Make sure that you are printing with media that meets specifications. See

Cleaning the printer for more information.

● Do not print on used paper.

● Make sure that you are printing with media that is not wrinkled, folded, or damaged.

● Make sure that the printer is clean. See

Print is skewed (crooked)

A small amount of skew is normal and might become obvious when using preprinted forms.

● See

Page skew for more information.

● Adjust the media guides to the width and length of the media that you are using and try reprinting. See

Media paths or

Loading media into the input trays for more information.

More than one sheet of media feeds through the printer at one time

● The media input tray might be too full. See

Loading media into the input trays for more

information.

● Make sure that the media is not wrinkled, folded, or damaged.

● Try paper from a new ream. Do not fan the paper before loading it into the input tray.

●

The printer separation pad might be worn. See Changing the printer separation pad for

more information.

Printer does not pull media from the media input tray

● Make sure that the printer is not in manual feed mode.

● Make sure that the media guides are adjusted properly.

● The pickup roller might be dirty or damaged. See

Cleaning the pickup roller or

Changing the pickup roller for instructions.

Chapter 4 Problem solving ENWW

NOTE

Printer curled the media

● See

Curl or wave for more information.

● See

Media paths

Choosing paper and other media

for more information.

Print job is extremely slow

The maximum speed of the printer is up to 14 ppm for A4 media and 15 ppm for letter media for the HP LaserJet 1020 printer. Your print job might be very complex. Try the following:

● Reduce the complexity of your document (for example, reduce the number of multiple graphics).

● Access the printer properties in the printer driver. See

Printer properties (driver) for

instructions. Set the media type to plain paper.

This may cause toner to fuse improperly if you are using heavy media.

● Narrow media or heavy media will slow printing. Use normal media.

● Print speed is based on computer processor speed, the amount of memory, and the amount of hard disk space available on your computer. Try increasing these components.

Return to

Garbled, incorrect, or incomplete text

ENWW Paper handling problems

Printed page is different than what appeared on screen

NOTE

Choose the item that best describes the problem:

●

●

Missing graphics or text, or blank pages

●

Page format is different than on another printer

●

Graphics quality

To preview a print job, use the Print Preview option in the software application (if available).

WARNING!

Garbled, incorrect, or incomplete text

● If a specific file prints garbled text, there might be a problem with that specific file. If a specific application prints garbled text, there might be a problem with that application.

Make sure that the appropriate printer driver is selected.

● There might be a problem with your software application. Try printing from another software application.

● The USB cable might be loose or defective. Try the following:

Before you connect the USB cable to the printer, always unplug the printer to prevent damage to the printer.

● Disconnect the cable and reconnect it at both ends.

● Try printing a job that you know works.

● If possible, attach the cable and printer to another computer, and try printing a job that you know works.

● Turn off the printer and the computer. Remove the USB cable, and inspect both ends of the cable for damage. Reconnect the USB cable, making sure that the connections are tight. Make sure that the printer is directly connected to the computer. Remove any switchboxes, tape backup drives, security keys, or any other devices that are attached between the USB port on the computer and the printer.

These devices can sometimes interfere with communication between the computer and the printer. Restart the printer and the computer.

Missing graphics or text, or blank pages

● Make sure that your file does not contain blank pages.

● The sealing tape might still be in the print cartridge. Remove the print cartridge, and pull the tab on the end of the cartridge until the entire length of the tape is removed. Reinstall the print cartridge. See

Changing the print cartridge

for instructions.

● The graphic settings in the printer properties might not be correct for the type of job that you are printing. Try a different graphic setting in the printer properties. See

Printer properties (driver) for more information.

● Clean the printer, particularly the contacts between the print cartridge and the power supply.

Chapter 4 Problem solving ENWW

NOTE

Page format is different than on another printer

If you used an older or different printer driver (printer software) to create the document or the printer properties settings in the software are different, the page format might change when you try to print using your new printer driver or settings. To help eliminate this problem, try the following:

● Create documents and print them using the same printer driver (printer software) and printer properties settings regardless of which HP LaserJet printer you use to print them.

● Change the resolution, paper size, font settings, and other settings. See

Printer properties (driver) for more information.

Graphics quality

The graphics settings might be unsuitable for your print job. Check the graphic settings, such as resolution, in the printer properties and adjust them as necessary. See

Printer properties

(driver) for more information.

Some resolution might be lost when converting from one graphics format to another.

Return to

ENWW Printed page is different than what appeared on screen

Printer software problems

Printer software problems

Problem

A printer driver for the HP LaserJet 1020 printer is not visible in the Printer folder.

An error message was displayed during the software installation.

Solution

● Restart the computer.

● Reinstall the printer software. In the

Windows task bar, click Start, select

Programs, select HP, select

HP LaserJet 1020 series, and click

Uninstall HP LaserJet 1020 series. Turn the printer off. Install the printer software from the CD. Turn the printer back on.

NOTE

Close any applications that are running. To close an application that has an icon in the system tray, right-click the icon, and select Close or

Disable.

● Try plugging the USB cable into a different

USB port on the computer.

● If you are trying to print to a shared printer, in the Windows task bar, click Start, select

Settings, and select Printers. Double-click the Add Printer icon. Follow the instructions in the Add Printer Wizard.

● Restart the computer.

● Reinstall the printer software. In the

Windows task bar, click Start, select

Programs, select HP, select

HP LaserJet 1020 series, and click

Uninstall HP LaserJet 1020 series. Turn the printer off. Install the printer software from the CD. Turn the printer back on.

NOTE

Close any applications that are running. To close an application that has an icon in the task bar, right-click the icon, and select Close or Disable.

● Check the amount of free space on the drive where you are installing the printer software.

If necessary, free up as much space as you can, and reinstall the printer software.

● If necessary, run the Disk Defragmenter, and reinstall the printer software.

Chapter 4 Problem solving ENWW

Printer software problems (continued)

Problem Solution

The printer is in Ready mode, but nothing prints.

● Restart the computer.

● Verify that all of the cables are properly seated and within specifications. This includes the USB and power cables. Try a new cable.

● Reinstall the printer software. In the

Windows task bar, click Start, select

Programs, select HP, select

HP LaserJet 1020 series, and click

Uninstall HP LaserJet 1020 series. Turn the printer off. Install the printer software from the CD. Turn the printer back on.

NOTE

Close any applications that are running. To close an application that has an icon in the task bar, right-click the icon, and select Close or Disable.

Return to

The toner supply is low. See Redistributing toner

ENWW Printer software problems

Improving print quality

This section provides information about identifying and correcting print defects.

Light or faded print

●

for more information.

● The media might not meet HP's media specifications (for example, the media is too moist or too rough). See

See Saving toner for more information.

● If the whole page is light, the print density adjustment is too light or EconoMode might be turned on. Adjust the print density, and disable EconoMode in the printer properties.

Toner specks

● The media might not meet HP's media specifications (for example, the media is too moist or too rough). See

or Cleaning the printer media path

● The printer might need to be cleaned. See

Cleaning the printer

for instructions.

Dropouts

Chapter 4 Problem solving

● A single sheet of media might be defective.

Try reprinting the job.

● The media's moisture content is uneven or the media has moist spots on its surface.

Try printing with new media. See

Changing the print cartridge for more

● The media lot is bad. The manufacturing processes can cause some areas to reject toner. Try a different type or brand of media.

● The print cartridge might be defective. See

information.

ENWW

NOTE

If these steps do not correct the problem, contact an HP-authorized dealer or service representative.

Vertical lines

● The photosensitive drum inside the print cartridge has probably been scratched.

Install a new HP print cartridge. See

Printer properties (driver) .

Gray background

ENWW

Toner smear

● Decrease the print density setting through printer properties. This decreases the amount of background shading. See

● Change the media to a lighter basis weight.

See Printer media considerations

for more information.

● Check the printer's environment. Very dry

(low humidity) conditions can increase the amount of background shading.

● Install a new HP print cartridge. See

free cloth. See Cleaning the printer for more

● If toner smears appear on the leading edge of the media, the media guides might be dirty. Wipe the media guides with a dry, lint-

information.

● Check the media type and quality.

● Install a new HP print cartridge. See

● The fuser temperature might be too low. In your printer driver, make sure that the appropriate media type is selected.

Improving print quality

Loose toner

Vertical repetitive defects

● Clean the inside of the printer. See

Cleaning the printer

for instructions.

● Check the media type and quality. See

information.

● Install a new HP print cartridge. See

See Changing the print cartridge

● In your printer driver, make sure that the appropriate media type is selected.

● Plug the printer directly into an AC outlet instead of into a power strip.

● The print cartridge might be damaged. If a repetitive mark occurs at the same spot on the page, install a new HP print cartridge.

for instructions.

● The internal parts might have toner on them.

See Cleaning the printer for more

information. If the defects occur on the back of the page, the problem will probably correct itself after a few more printed pages.

● In your printer driver, make sure that the appropriate media type is selected.

Misformed characters

● If characters are improperly formed, producing hollow images, the media stock might be too slick. Try a different media.

See Printer media considerations

for more information.

● If characters are improperly formed, producing a wavy effect, the printer might need service. Print a Printer Test page. If the characters are improperly formed, contact an HP-authorized dealer or service

representative. See How to contact HP for

more information.

Chapter 4 Problem solving ENWW

ENWW

Page skew

Curl or wave

Wrinkles or creases

● Make sure that the media is loaded correctly and the media guides are not too tight or too loose against the media stack. See

Loading media into the input trays

for more information.

● The input bin might be too full. See

Loading media into the input trays

for more information.

● Check the media type and quality. See

Printer media considerations for

information.

● Check the media type and quality. Both high temperature and humidity cause media to curl. See

more information.

● The media might have been in the input tray too long. Turn over the stack of media in the tray. Also, try rotating the media 180° in the input tray.

● The fuser temperature might be too high. In your printer driver, make sure that the appropriate media type is selected. If the problem persists, select a media type that uses a lower fuser temperature, such as transparencies or light media.

● Make sure that media is loaded properly.

See Loading media into the input trays for

more information.

● Check the media type and quality. See

different media type. See Printer media considerations for more information.

information.

● Turn over the stack of media in the tray.

Also, try rotating the media 180° in the input tray.

● For envelopes, this can be caused by air pockets inside the envelope. Remove the envelope, flatten the envelope, and try printing again.

Improving print quality

Toner scatter outline

Water droplets on bottom edge

● If large amounts of toner have scattered around the characters, the media might be resisting the toner. (A small amount of toner scatter is normal for laser printing.) Try a

● Turn over the stack of media in the tray.

● Use media designed for laser printers. See

information.

NOTE

Moisture in the printer is condensing on the fuser assembly and dropping onto the media. In excessively hot and humid areas, media retains moisture. Water droplets do not damage the printer.

● Use different media.

● Store media in an airtight container to minimize absorption of moisture.

Return to

Loading media into the input trays for more information.

Chapter 4 Problem solving ENWW

Clearing jams

CAUTION

NOTE

To prevent damage to the printer when clearing jams, including jams in the output bin, always open the print cartridge door and remove the print cartridge. Keep the door open and the cartridge out until the jam has been cleared. Opening the print cartridge door and removing the print cartridge relieves tension on the printer rollers, which prevents damage to the printer and makes the removal of jammed pages easier.

Occasionally, media becomes jammed during a print job. You are notified of a media jam by an error from the software and the printer control panel lights. See

Status light patterns

for more information.

The following are some of the causes of media jams:

● The input trays are loaded improperly or are too full. See

When you add new media, always remove all of the media from the input tray and straighten the stack of new media. This helps prevent multiple sheets of media from feeding through the printer at one time, reducing media jams.

●

The media does not meet HP specifications. See Printer media considerations for more

information.

NOTE

CAUTION

Typical media jam locations

● Print cartridge area: See

Removing a jammed page for instructions.

● Input tray areas: If the page is still sticking out of the input tray, gently try to remove it from the input tray without tearing the page. If you feel resistance, see

Removing a jammed page for instructions.

●

Output path: If the page is sticking out of the output bin, see Removing a jammed page

for instructions.

There might be loose toner in the printer after a media jam. This toner clears up after a few sheets are printed.

Removing a jammed page

Media jams might result in loose toner on the page. If you get any toner on your clothes, wash them in cold water. Hot water will permanently set the toner into the fabric.

ENWW Clearing jams

CAUTION

To prevent damage to the printer when clearing jams, including jams in the output bin, always open the print cartridge door and remove the print cartridge.

To prevent damage to the print cartridge, minimize its exposure to direct light. Cover the print cartridge with a sheet of paper.

1. Open the print cartridge door, and remove the print cartridge.

2. With both hands, grasp the side of the media that is most visible (this includes the middle), and carefully pull it free from the printer.

Chapter 4 Problem solving ENWW

3. When you have removed the jammed media, replace the print cartridge, and close the print cartridge door.

NOTE

After clearing a media jam, you might need to turn the printer off and turn it back on again.

When you add new media, remove all of the media from the input tray and straighten the stack of new media.

Return to