Paper Jam-By far the most common of office printing problems, the paper jam is nevertheless one of the most annoying.  A paper jam usually happens when paper is either loading or being printed on. During a jam, the paper gets wrapped around the printer spools and caught inside the moving parts of the printer. To repair a paper jam, unplug the printer, and unload any un-jammed paper. Then carefully take out the print-head (standup printer) or open the door to the printer spools. Gently grab the paper by the corner and pull it gently. If there’s only a bit of paper left, use some tweezers, or another tool to free the last remaining piece from the spools.

Printer Prints Slower or You See a “Spooling Problems” Error Message-

If you are using a Windows computer, login as an administrator:

1. Open Administrative Tools by clicking the START button, clicking CONTROL PANEL, clicking SYSTEM and MAINTENANCE, and then clicking ADMINISTRATIVE TOOLS.
2. Double-click SERVICES. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password to provide information.
3. Right-click PRINT SPOOLER service, and then click PROPERTIES.
4. On the GENERAL tab, next to STARTUP TYPE, make sure that AUTOMATIC is selected.
5. If the service is not already running, under SERVICE STATUS, click START, and then click OK. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
   

Ink Leaking/ Smearing-If you have documents that come out with a little bit more ink than they should, then there is probably an issue with the ink cartridge. Open the printer to the ink bar, and, if necessary, press the ink cartridge eject button. Once you can access the faulty ink cartridges, check the bottom. If the plastic film on the bottom of the cartridge is cloudy, the cartridge is blocked, and you will need to clean it. To do this, take a cotton swab saturated with rubbing alcohol and then run it up and down the outside the plastic, until all ink is removed. Once you’ve cleaned it a few times, shake the cartridge, if it smears again, your cartridge is probably leaking and you’ll need to replace it.

Printer Freezes When Printing- It is possible you have the wrong printer driver installed or the files are corrupted. Delete the existing setup through the Start Menu/Settings/Printers and the associated software (if applicable) through the Start Menu/Settings/Control Panel/Add-Remove Programs. Reboot and reinstall the software via manufacturer’s CD or internet download, and/or add the Printer via Start Menu/Settings/Printers. Once installation and set up is complete, reboot and resume printing again.

These problems are relatively easy to diagnose and fix. However, many printer repair problems need the knowledge and experience of a printer repair technician. If you face difficult printer repair problems, trying to fix them yourself could end up damaging your printer even more. For this reason, it’s recommended to contact a printer repair professional for more complex problems.

Call 866.575.9512 or Contact Us to learn more.

Click Here to return to the main blog and read more articles.

Jason Dick,

Northwest Computer Support