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General Printer troubleshooting.

If your Printer is not working or not printing.

Printer does not have power indicator.
1. Ensure that the printer is switched on. When a printer is on it should have some light (usually green) indicating it's receiving power and is on.
2. If it does't have any indicator light make sure the printer is connected to switched on power point.
3. Press the printer power button.
If after following the above steps your printer still cannot get a power status indicator it's likely you're encountering a serious printer issue and we suggest contacting the printer manufacturer for additional steps and instructions on repair or replacement.

Cables not connected properly.
Your printer should have two cables connected to it.
‣ The power cable and the data cable.
‣ The power cable is verified as connected and switched on by power indicator light.
‣ The data cable. Ensure the data cable i.e., USB cable, is also connected from the printer to the computer.

‣ If you have a wireless printer then ensure that the wireless is activated on the printer, green or blue wireless symbol, the wireless also needs to be functioning on the PC.


Printer error (orange or blinking light).
After the printer has started it should display have a solid green light.
‣ If the light indicator is blinking or orange often this is an indication of a printer error.
‣ Flashing orange light may be indicating a paper jam, or a deficit of ink or toner. Note: a blinking green light indicates that data is being received by the printer, i.e., a print job.
‣ If neither of these resolve the issue then you should consult the printer documentation for troubleshooting steps or methods of determining what the status indicator is reporting.

No paper or paper jam.
It is necessary to have paper in the printer for it to print.
‣ Make sure there is adequate paper in the printer paper cartridge or tray.
‣ Ensure that there isn't any paper is jammed or partially fed into the printer.
‣ One or more pieces of paper stuck in the printer will need to be manually removed before the printer will print again.

Inkjet printer ink related issues
Usually when the printer is out of ink or toner a status indicator light begins flashing.
‣ Simple solution, replace the cartridge with a new or refilled one. (Note: Canon printers require genuine Canon inks otherwise you will irreparably damage the printer head.)
‣ If the ink or toner cartridge has just been replaced, it may not be seated correctly, take it out and reseat it according to the instructions on your printer..
• Replacing ink cartridges and printer not working.

Printer self tests
Most printers have a way of printing a test page. This page allows you to determine if the printer is physically working or not. This test is usually accomplished by holding down a series of keys. If you are not sure if your printer has this feature or how to perform it refer to your manual or visit your printer manufacturers web site.
In addition to testing the printer using the printer self-test Microsoft Windows users can also perform a software self-test to determine if the computer is able to communicate with the printer and to print.
Follow the below steps to perform this test.
Microsoft Windows 2000, ME, XP, 2003, Vista & Windows 7 users
1. Click Start, Settings, and open Control Panel.
2. Double-click the Printers or Printers and Fax icon.
3. Right-click on the Printer you wish to test and click Properties. If your printer isn't listed then it is not installed.
4. In the Printers Properties window click the Print Test Page button.

If the printer is able to print a test page, it is installed properly.

Printer drivers
If your printer does not have any flashing lights and is connected properly then it may have a driver related issue. Go to printer manufacturer driver pages and downloading the latest printer drivers for your printer. Below are links to some of the top manufacturers for the Australian market for your convenience.
HP
Canon
Fujitsu
Panasonic
Brother
Kyocera
OKI
XEROX
Lanier

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