hp color LaserJet 5550, 5550n, 5550dn, 5550dtn, 5550hdn use
relax. we have the solutions for your business needs HP Global Solutions Catalog www.hp.com/go/gsc Does your business require: •additional paper handling solutions? •printing securely to and from your printer(s)? •printing e-forms or other web-based documents? •any kind of printing or digital imaging solution? Visit the HP Global Solutions Catalog (GSC) and search for solutions from Hewlett-Packard and other companies, designed to meet your specific business requirements.
HP Color LaserJet 5550, 5550n, 5550dn, 5550dtn, 5550hdn User Guide
Copyright and License Trademark Credits © 2004 Copyright Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Adobe® and Adobe Postscript® 3™ are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated. Reproduction, adaptation, or translation without prior written permission is prohibited, except as allowed under the copyright laws. Bluetooth® is a trademark owned by its proprietor and used by Hewlett-Packard Company under license. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice.
hp customer care Online services For 24-hour access to information using a modem or Internet connection: World Wide Web URL: for the HP Color LaserJet 5550 series printers, updated HP printer software, product and support information, and printer drivers in several languages can be obtained from http://www.hp.com/support/clj5550. (Sites are in English.) HP Instant Support Professional Edition (ISPE) is a suite of web-based troubleshooting tools for desktop computing and printing products.
Visit: http://www.hp.com/go/macosx for Macintosh OS X support information and HP subscription service for driver updates. Visit: http://www.hp.com/go/mac-connect for products designed specifically for the Macintosh user.
Table of contents 1 Printer basics Quick access to printer information ..........................................................................................2 World Wide Web links .......................................................................................................2 User guide links ................................................................................................................. 2 Where to look for more information ......................................................
System setup menu .........................................................................................................46 I/O menu ..........................................................................................................................48 Resets menu ...................................................................................................................49 Diagnostics menu .........................................................................................................
Printing on special media .......................................................................................................95 Transparencies ................................................................................................................95 Glossy paper ...................................................................................................................95 Colored paper .........................................................................................................
Status tab ......................................................................................................................120 Troubleshooting tab .......................................................................................................120 Alerts tab .......................................................................................................................121 Documentation tab ....................................................................................................
Control panel message types ..............................................................................................154 Status messages ........................................................................................................... 154 Warning messages ........................................................................................................154 Error messages .............................................................................................................
Print quality troubleshooting .................................................................................................230 Print quality problems associated with paper ................................................................230 Overhead transparency defects ....................................................................................230 Print quality problems associated with the environment ................................................
Material restrictions .......................................................................................................267 Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) ..............................................................................267 For more information .....................................................................................................267 Declaration of Conformity ....................................................................................................
xii ENWW
Printer basics This chapter contains information on setting up your printer and becoming familiar with the printer features.
Quick access to printer information World Wide Web links Printer drivers, updated HP printer software, product information, and support may be obtained from the following URL: ● http://www.hp.com/support/clj5550 Printer drivers may be obtained from the following sites: ● In China: ftp://www.hp.com.cn/support/clj5550 ● In Japan: ftp://www.jpn.hp.com/support/clj5550 ● In Korea: http://www.hp.co.kr/support/clj5550 ● In Taiwan: http://www.hp.com.
HP Jetdirect Print Server Administrator’s Guide—Instructions to configure and troubleshoot the HP Jetdirect print server. This guide is located on the CD that shipped with the printer. Accessory and Consumable Installation Guides—Step-by-step instructions, supplied with the printer’s optional accessories and consumables, for installing the printer’s accessories and consumables. Using the printer User Guide—Detailed information on using and troubleshooting the printer.
HTML (Online) User Guide—Detailed information on using and troubleshooting the printer. Available at http://www.hp.com/support/clj5550. Once connected, select Manuals.
Printer configurations Thank you for purchasing the HP Color LaserJet 5550 series printer. This printer is available in the configurations described below. HP Color LaserJet 5550 The HP Color LaserJet 5550 printer is a four-color laser printer that prints up to 28 A4 pages per minute (ppm) and up to 27 letter size ppm. Following is a list of printer features. For more detailed information about each feature, see Printer features.
The HP Color LaserJet 5550n printer is a four-color laser printer that prints up to 28 A4 pages per minute (ppm) and up to 27 letter size ppm. Following is a list of printer features. For more detailed information about each feature, see Printer features. ● Tray 1 is a multipurpose tray that holds up to 100 sheets of various print media or 20 envelopes.
HP Color LaserJet 5550dtn The HP Color LaserJet 5550dtn is a four-color laser printer that prints up to 28 A4 pages per minute (ppm) and up to 27 letter size ppm. Following is a list of printer features. For more detailed information about each feature, see Printer features. ENWW ● Tray 1 is a multipurpose tray that holds up to 100 sheets of various print media or 20 envelopes.
HP Color LaserJet 5550hdn The HP Color LaserJet 5550hdn is a four-color laser printer that prints up to 28 A4 pages per minute (ppm) and up to 27 letter size ppm. Following is a list of printer features. For more detailed information about each feature, see Printer features 8 ● Tray 1 is a multipurpose tray that holds up to 100 sheets of various print media or 20 envelopes.
Note ENWW If you add Tray 5 to the printer after you purchase the printer, the tray position indicator might display the wrong number. To change the number, slide the position indicator switch to the number 5.
Printer features This printer combines the quality and reliability of Hewlett-Packard printing with the features listed below. For more information on printer features, see the Hewlett-Packard website at http://www.hp.com/support/clj5550. Features Performance ● ● Memory ● ● ● User interface ● ● ● ● HP Color LaserJet 5550, HP Color LaserJet 5550n, and HP Color LaserJet 5550dn models contain 128 MB SDRAM, 32 MB of additional memory on the formatter board, and an additional open DIMM slot.
Features (continued) Paper handling ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Accessories ● ● ● ● Connectivity ● ● ● ● ● ● Supplies ● ● ● ● ENWW Prints on paper from 76 x 127 mm (3 x 5 inches) up to 306 x 470 mm (12.3 x 18.5 inches). Prints on paper with weights from 60 g/m2 to 200 g/m2 (16 to 53 lb bond). Prints on a wide range of media types including glossy, labels, overhead transparencies, and envelopes. Multiple gloss levels. A 500-sheet paper feeder (Tray 2) that supports paper sizes from 148 x 210 mm (5.8 x 8.
Walk around The following illustrations identify the locations and names of key components of this printer.
Printer software Included with the printer is a CD-ROM containing the printing system software. The software components and printer drivers on this CD-ROM help you use the printer to its fullest potential. See the Getting Started Guide for installation instructions. Note For the latest information about the printing system software components, refer to the readme file on the Web at http://www.hp.com/support/clj5550.
HP Driver Preconfiguration HP Driver Preconfiguration is a software architecture and set of tools that allows HP software to be customized and distributed in managed corporate printing environments. Using HP Driver Preconfiguration, information technology (IT) administrators can preconfigure the printing and device defaults for HP printer drivers before installing the drivers in the network environment. For more information, see the HP Driver Preconfiguration Support Guide, which is available at http://www.
Additional drivers The following drivers are not included on the CD-ROM, but are available from the Internet or from HP Customer Care. Note ● PCL 5c printer drivers for Windows 98, Me, NT 4.0, 2000, XP, and Server 2003. ● OS/2 PCL 5c/6 printer driver. ● OS/2 PS printer driver. ● UNIX model scripts. ● Linux drivers. ● HP OpenVMS drivers. The OS/2 drivers are available from IBM and are packaged with OS/2. They are not available for Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Korean, or Japanese.
Operating System 16 To change settings for all immediate print jobs (until the application is closed) To change print job default settings To change configuration settings (For example, turn on Print on Both Sides by default.) (For example, add a physical option such as a tray or enable/ disable a driver feature such as Allow Manual Duplexing.) Windows 98, NT 4.0, and ME From the File menu in the application, click Print. Select the printer, and then click Properties.
Operating System Macintosh OS X.2 Macintosh OS X.3 To change settings for all immediate print jobs (until the application is closed) To change print job default settings To change configuration settings (For example, turn on Print on Both Sides by default.) (For example, add a physical option such as a tray or enable/ disable a driver feature such as Allow Manual Duplexing.) On the File menu, click Print. Change settings that you want on the various pop-up menus. On the File menu, click Print.
HP LaserJet Utility Use the HP LaserJet Utility to control features that are not available in the driver. The illustrated screens make selecting printer features easier than ever. Use the HP LaserJet Utility to do the following: Note ● name the printer, assign it to a zone on the network, and download files and fonts. ● configure and set the printer for Internet protocol (IP) printing.
5. You might need to restart the computer. 6. Print a Test Page or a page from any software program to make sure that the software is correctly installed. If installation fails, reinstall the software. If this fails, check the installation notes and readme files on the printer CD-ROM or the flyer that came in the printer box, or go to http://www.hp.com/support/clj5550 for help or more information.
To set up a Windows computer to use the network printer using Windows-sharing If the printer is directly connected to a computer using a parallel cable, you can share the printer on the network so that other network users can print to it. You can also share a USB directly connected printer. See your Windows documentation to enable Windows-sharing. After the printer is shared, install the printer software on all computers that share the printer.
7. Select the printer, click Auto Setup, and then click Create. 8. On the Printing menu, click Set Default Printer. Note The icon on the desktop will appear to be generic. All the print panels will appear in the print dialog in an application. To install printer drivers from Mac OS 10.1 and later 1. Connect the network cable between the HP Jetdirect print server and a network port. 2. Insert the CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive. The CD-ROM menu runs automatically.
4. Follow the instructions on the computer screen. 5. Restart the computer. 6. For Mac OS 8.6: ● From HD/Applications/Utilities, open the Apple Desktop Printer Utility. ● Double-click Printer (USB). ● Next to USB Printer Selection, click Change. ● Select the printer, click Auto Setup, and then click Create. ● Click on the Desktop Printer Icon that was just created. ● On the Printing menu, click Set Default Printer. For Mac OS 9.
To allow the Wizard to search the CD and automatically install the printer software 1. In the New Hardware Found dialog box, click Search CD-ROM drive. 2. Click Next. 3. Follow the instructions on the computer screen. 4. Print a Test Page or a page from any software program to make sure that the software is correctly installed. If installation fails, reinstall the software.
When installed on a host server, HP Web Jetadmin can be accessed by any client through a supported web browser (such as Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 and 6.0 or Netscape Navigator 7.0). HP Web Jetadmin has the following features: ● Task-oriented user interface provides configurable views, saving network managers significant time. ● Customizable user profiles let network administrators include only the function viewed or used.
Features The HP embedded Web server allows you to view printer and network card status and manage printing functions from your computer.
Windows Macintosh OS Network administrator ● Software installer — automates the printing system installation ● ● ● Online Web registration PostScript Printer Description files (PPDs) — for use with the Apple PostScript drivers that comes with the Mac OS ● HP toolbox ● HP LaserJet Utility (available from the Internet) — a printer management utility for Mac OS users HP Web Jetadmin — a browser-based system management tool. See http://www.hp.
Print media specifications For optimum results, use conventional 75 g/m2 to 90 g/m2 (20 to 24 lb) photocopy paper. Verify that the paper is of good quality and is free of cuts, nicks, tears, spots, loose particles, dust, wrinkles, curls, or bent edges. ● To order supplies in the U.S., go to http://www.hp.com/go/ljsupplies. ● To order supplies worldwide, go to http://www.hp.com/ghp/buyonline.html. ● To order accessories, go to http://www.hp.com/go/accessories.
Tray 1 paper sizes and types (continued) Tray 1 Dimensions Weight or thickness Capacity Intermediate paper 90 to 104 g/m2 (24 to 27 lb bond) Maximum stack height: 10 mm (0.4 in) Heavy paper 105 to 119 g/m2 (28 to 31 lb bond) Maximum stack height: 10 mm (0.4 in) Extra heavy paper 120 to 164 g/m2 (32 to 43 lb bond) Maximum stack height: 10 mm (0.4 in) Cardstock 163 to 200 g/m2 (44 to 53 lb bond) Maximum stack height: 10 mm (0.
Tray 2 and optional Trays 3, 4, and 5 paper sizes and types (continued) Tray 2 and optional Trays 3, 4, and 5 Dimensions Weight or thickness Capacity Maximum size (unless otherwise noted) 297 by 431 mm (11.69 by 17 in) Plain paper 75 to 89 g/m2 (20 to 23 lb bond) 500 sheets (75 g/m2; 20 g/m) Light paper 60 to 74 g/m2 (16 to 19 lb bond) 500 sheets Intermediate paper 90 to 104 g/m2 (24 to 27 lb bond) Maximum stack height: 50 mm (2.
30 Chapter 1 Printer basics ENWW
Control panel This chapter contains information on the printer control panel, which provides control of printer functions and communicates information about the printer and print jobs.
Control panel overview The control panel provides control of printer functions and communicates information about the printer and print jobs. Its display provides graphic information about printer and supplies status, making it easy to identify and correct problems.
The top-level screen on the display has three areas: message, prompt, and supplies gauge. Printer display 1 2 3 Message area Message area Prompt area Printer display 1 2 3 Message area Supplies gauge Print cartridge colors are indicated from left to right: black, magenta, yellow, and cyan The message and prompt areas of the display alert you to the state of the printer and tell you how to respond. The supplies gauge shows the consumption levels of print cartridges (black, magenta, yellow, cyan).
Control panel buttons Use the buttons on the control panel to perform printer functions and to navigate and respond to menus and messages in the display. Button name SELECT Makes selections and resumes printing after recovery errors. UP ARROW Navigates menus and text, and increases or decreases the values of numerical items in the display. DOWN ARROW BACK/EXIT ARROW Navigates backward in nested menus, or quits menus or help. MENU Accesses and exits the menus.
Interpreting control panel indicator lights Control panel indicator lights 1 2 3 READY DATA ATTENTION Indicator On Off Flashing READY Printer is online (able to accept and process data). Printer is offline or is turned off. Printer is attempting to stop printing and go offline. Processed data is present in the printer, but more data is needed to complete the job. Printer is not processing or receiving data. Printer is processing and receiving data. A critical error has occurred.
Control panel menus You can perform most routine printing tasks from the computer through the printer driver or software application. This is the most convenient way to control the printer, and will override the printer control panel settings. See the help files associated with the software, or for more information on accessing the printer driver, see Printer software. You can also control the printer by changing settings in the printer control panel.
Menu hierarchy The following tables list the menu hierarchies of each menu. To access the menus 1. Press MENU once to access MENUS. 2. Press or to navigate the listings. 3. Press to select the appropriate option. 4. Press to return to the previous level. 5. Press MENU to exit the menus. MENUS RETRIEVE JOB INFORMATION PAPER HANDLING CONFIGURE DEVICE DIAGNOSTICS SERVICE Retrieve job menu (for printers with a hard drive) See Retrieve job menu (for printers with a hard drive) for more information.
INFORMATION PRINT MENU MAP PRINT CONFIGURATION PRINT SUPPLIES STATUS PAGE SUPPLIES STATUS PRINT USAGE PAGE PRINT DEMO PRINT RGB SAMPLES PRINT CMYK SAMPLES PRINT FILE DIRECTORY PRINT PCL FONT LIST PRINT PS FONT LIST Paper handling menu See Paper handling menu for more information.
PRINT QUALITY ADJUST COLOR SET REGISTRATION PRINT MODES OPTIMIZE QUICK CALIBRATE NOW FULL CALIBRATE NOW COLOR RET SYSTEM SETUP JOB STORAGE LIMIT (for printers with a hard drive) JOB HELD TIMEOUT (for printers with a hard drive) SHOW ADDRESS COLOR/BLACK MIX TRAY BEHAVIOR POWERSAVE TIME PERSONALITY CLEARABLE WARNINGS AUTO CONTINUE SUPPLIES LOW COLOR SUPPLY OUT JAM RECOVERY RAM DISK LANGUAGE I/O I/O TIMEOUT PARALLEL INPUT EIO X (Where X=1, 2, or 3.
DIAGNOSTICS PRINT EVENT LOG SHOW EVENT LOG PQ TROUBLESHOOTING DISABLE CARTRIDGE CHECK PAPER PATH SENSORS PAPER PATH TEST MANUAL SENSOR TEST COMPONENT TEST PRINT/STOP TEST 40 Chapter 2 Control panel ENWW
Retrieve job menu (for printers with a hard drive) The retrieve job menu allows you to view listings of all stored jobs. ENWW Menu item Description A list of stored jobs appears. Scroll through the list to find a specific stored job. NO STORED JOBS If there are no stored jobs, this message appears in place of the list.
Information menu Use the information menu to access and print specific printer information. 42 Menu item Description PRINT MENU MAP Prints the control panel menu map, which shows the layout and current settings of the control panel menu items. See Printer information pages. PRINT CONFIGURATION Prints the printer configuration page.
Paper handling menu The paper handling menu allows you to configure input trays by size and type. It is important to correctly configure the trays with this menu before you print for the first time. Note If you have used previous HP Color LaserJet printers, you might be accustomed to configuring Tray 1 to first mode or cassette mode. To mimic the settings for first mode, configure Tray 1 for size = ANY SIZE and type = ANY TYPE.
Configure device menu The configure device menu allows you to change or reset the default print settings, adjust the print quality, and change the system configuration and I/O options. Printing menu These settings affect only jobs without identified properties. Most jobs identify all of the properties and override the values set from this menu. This menu can also be used to set default paper size and type. Menu item Values Description COPIES 1 - 32000 Allows you to set the default number of copies.
Menu item Values Description PRINT PS ERRORS OFF Allows you to select to print PS error pages. ON PRINT PDF ERRORS OFF ON PCL FORM LENGTH ORIENTATION Allows you to select to print PDF error pages. The default is OFF. Submenu that allows access to PCL menu items.
Menu item Values Description OPTIMIZE BACKGROUND Please leave the default settings, unless instructed by the Call Center. TRANSFER TRANSPARENCY FUSER WARM UP MEDIA TYPE RESTORE OPTIMIZE QUICK CALIBRATE NOW Performs partial printer calibrations. For more information, see Calibrating the printer. FULL CALIBRATE NOW Performs all printer calibrations. For more information, see Calibrating the printer.
Menu item Values Description SHOW ADDRESS AUTO This item determines whether the printer’s IP address is shown on the display with the Ready message. If more than one EIO card is installed, the IP address of the card in the first slot is shown. The default is OFF. OFF COLOR/BLACK MIX AUTO MOSTLY COLOR PAGES MOSTLY BLACK PAGES AUTO will reset the printer to the factory default setting. MOSTLY COLOR PAGES will exhibit the NEVER SWITCH behavior to maximize performance.
Menu item Values Description CLEARABLE WARNINGS JOB Sets whether a warning is cleared on the control panel or when another job is sent. ON See Clearable warnings for more information. AUTO CONTINUE OFF ON Determines printer behavior when the system generates an Auto Continuable error. See Auto continue for more information. SUPPLIES LOW STOP CONTINUE Sets low supplies reporting options. See Supplies low for more information.
Menu item Values Description I/O TIMEOUT 5 - 300 Allows you to select the I/O timeout in seconds. PARALLEL INPUT HIGH SPEED Submenu that allows access to parallel input options. Use these options to select the speed at which the parallel port communicates with the host and to enable or disable the bidirectional parallel communication. ADVANCED FUNCTIONS The default for HIGH SPEED is YES. The default for ADVANCED FUNCTIONS is ON.
Diagnostics menu The diagnostics menu allows you to run tests that can help you identify and solve problems with the printer. 50 Menu item Description PRINT EVENT LOG This item will print an event log that will display the last 50 entries in the printer event log, starting with the most recent. SHOW EVENT LOG This item displays the last 50 events on the control panel display, starting with the most recent.
ENWW Menu item Description PRINT/STOP TEST This item isolates print quality faults more accurately by stopping the printer in mid-print cycle. Stopping the printer in mid-print cycle allows you to see where the image begins to degrade. Stopping the printer in mid-print cycle will cause a jam that may need to be manually removed. A service representative should perform this test.
Changing printer control panel configuration settings By using the printer control panel, you can make changes to general printer configuration default settings such as tray size and type, PowerSave Time, printer personality (language), and jam recovery. The printer control panel can also be accessed from a computer by using the setting page of the embedded Web server. The computer shows the same information that the control panel shows. For more information, see Using the embedded Web server.
6. Press to highlight JOB HELD TIMEOUT. 7. Press to select JOB HELD TIMEOUT. 8. Press or 9. Press to set the time period. to select the appropriate time period. 10. Press MENU. Show address This item determines whether the printer’s IP address is shown on the display with the Ready message. If more than one EIO card is installed, the IP address of the card installed in the first slot appears. To show the IP address 1. Press MENU to enter the MENUS. 2. Press to highlight CONFIGURE DEVICE. 3.
6. Press to highlight COLOR/BLACK MIX. 7. Press to select COLOR/BLACK MIX. 8. Press or 9. Press to select the option. to select the desired option. 10. Press MENU. Tray behavior options: Use Requested Tray and manually feed Tray behavior allows three user-defined options: ● USE REQUESTED TRAY—Selecting EXCLUSIVELY ensures that the printer will not automatically select another tray when you indicate that a specific tray should be used.
7. Press to select TRAY BEHAVIOR. 8. Press to highlight MANUAL FEED PROMPT. 9. Press to select MANUAL FEED PROMPT. 10. Press or 11. Press to set the behavior. to select ALWAYS or UNLESS LOADED. 12. Press MENU. To set the printer default for PS Defer Media 1. Press MENU to enter the MENUS. 2. Press to highlight CONFIGURE DEVICE. 3. Press to select CONFIGURE DEVICE. 4. Press to highlight SYSTEM SETUP. 5. Press to select SYSTEM SETUP. 6. Press to highlight TRAY BEHAVIOR. 7.
To disable/enable PowerSave 1. Press MENU to enter the MENUS. 2. Press to highlight CONFIGURE DEVICE. 3. Press to select CONFIGURE DEVICE. 4. Press to highlight RESETS. 5. Press to select RESETS. 6. Press to highlight POWERSAVE. 7. Press to select POWERSAVE. 8. Press or 9. Press to set the selection. to select ON or OFF. 10. Press MENU. Personality This printer features automatic personality (printer language) switching.
Clearable warnings You can determine the display time of control panel clearable warnings with this option by selecting ON or JOB. The default value is JOB. ● ON displays clearable warnings until you press . ● JOB displays clearable warnings until the end of the job in which it was generated. To set the clearable warnings 1. Press MENU to enter the MENUS. 2. Press to highlight CONFIGURE DEVICE. 3. Press to select CONFIGURE DEVICE. 4. Press to highlight SYSTEM SETUP. 5.
Supplies low The printer allows two options for reporting that supplies are low; CONTINUE is the default value. ● CONTINUE allows the printer to continue printing while displaying a warning until the supply is replaced. ● STOP causes the printer to pause printing until you replace the used supply or press , which allows the printer to print while continuing to display the warning. To set supplies low reporting 1. Press MENU to enter the MENUS. 2. Press to highlight CONFIGURE DEVICE. 3.
Jam recovery This option allows you to configure the printer response to paper jams, including how it handles the pages involved. AUTO is the default value. ● AUTO—The printer automatically turns jam recovery on when sufficient memory is available. ● ON—The printer reprints any page involved in a paper jam. Additional memory is allocated to store the last few pages printed, and this might cause overall printer performance to suffer.
Using the printer control panel in shared environments Because your printer is shared with other users, adhere to the following guidelines to ensure successful printer operation: Note 60 ● Consult your system administrator before making changes to control panel settings. Changing control panel settings could affect other print jobs. ● Coordinate with other users before changing the default printer font or downloading soft fonts.
I/O Configuration This chapter describes how to configure certain network parameters on the printer.
Network configuration You might need to configure certain network parameters on the printer. You can configure these parameters from the printer control panel, the embedded Web server, or for most networks, from the HP Web Jetadmin software (or the HP LaserJet Utility for Macintosh). Note For more information about using the embedded Web server, see Using the embedded Web server. For more information about using the HP Toolbox, see Using the HP Toolbox.
Configuring TCP/IP parameters You can use the printer control panel to configure the following TCP/IP parameters: ● usage of the BOOTP file for configuration parameters (the default is to use the BOOTP file) ● IP address (4 bytes) ● subnet mask (4 bytes) ● default gateway (4 bytes) ● idle TCP/IP connection timeout (in seconds) To automatically configure TCP/IP parameters from the printer control panel 1. Press MENU to enter the MENUS. 2. Press to highlight CONFIGURE DEVICE. 3.
Note 10. Press to select MANUAL SETTINGS. 11. Press to highlight MANUAL. 12. Press to highlight IP ADDRESS. 13. Press to select IP ADDRESS. The first of three sets of numbers is highlighted. If there is not a number highlighted, a highlighted empty underscore appears. 14. Press or 15. Press to move to the next set of numbers. to increase or decrease the number for configuring the IP address. 16. Repeat steps 15 and 16 until the correct IP address is entered. 17.
Note 6. Press to highlight EIO X (where X = 1, 2, or 3). 7. Press to select EIO X. 8. Press to highlight TCP/IP. 9. Press to highlight MANUAL SETTINGS. 10. Press to select MANUAL SETTINGS. 11. Press to highlight SYSLOG SERVER. 12. Press to select SYSLOG SERVER. The first of four sets of numbers are the default settings. Each set of numbers represents one byte of information and has a range from 0 to 255. 13.
Disabling network protocols (optional) By factory default, all supported network protocols are enabled.
10. Press to highlight ENABLE. 11. Press to select ENABLE. 12. Press to highlight ON or OFF. 13. Press to select ON or OFF. 14. Press the MENU button to return to the Ready state. Setting the idle timeout 1. Press to enter the MENUS. 2. Press to highlight CONFIGURE DEVICE. 3. Press to select CONFIGURE DEVICE. 4. Press to highlight I/O. 5. Press to select I/O. 6. Press to highlight EIO X (where X = 1, 2, or 3). 7. Press to select EIO X. 8. Press to highlight TCP/IP. 9.
10. Press to highlight the desired link speed. 11. Press to select the desired link speed. 12. Press the MENU button to return to the Ready state.
Parallel configuration The HP Color LaserJet 5550 series printer supports network and parallel connections at the same time. A parallel connection is made by connecting the printer to the computer using a bidirectional parallel cable (IEEE-1284 compliant) with a c-connector plugged into the printer’s parallel port. The cable can be a maximum of 10 meters (33 feet) long.
USB configuration This printer supports a USB 1.1 connection. The port is located on the back of the printer, as shown in the figure below. You must use an A-to-B type USB cable. Note USB support is not available for computers running Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0.
Jetlink connection configuration This printer supports a Jetlink connection for paper handling input devices. The port is located on the back of the printer, as shown in the figure below.
Enhanced I/O (EIO) configuration This printer comes equipped with three enhanced input/output (EIO) slots. The three EIO slots hold compatible external devices such as the HP Jetdirect print server network cards, HP EIO hard drive, or other devices. Plugging EIO network cards into the slots increases the number of network interfaces available to the printer. EIO network cards can maximize printer performance when you are printing from a network.
For Windows 95, 98, Me, NT 4.0, 2000, and XP systems, use the printer installation utility for printer setup on a NetWare network. Windows and Windows NT networks For Windows 98, Me, NT 4.0, 2000, and XP systems, use your printer installation utility for printer setup on a Microsoft Windows network. The utility supports printer setup for either peer-to-peer or client-server network operation. AppleTalk networks Use the HP LaserJet Utility to set up the printer on an EtherTalk or LocalTalk network.
Wireless printing Wireless networks offer a safe, secure, and cost-effective alternative to traditional wired network connections. See Supplies and accessories for a list of available wireless print servers. IEEE 802.11b standard With the wireless HP Jetdirect 802.11b external print server, HP peripherals can be placed anywhere in the office or home and connected to a wireless network running Microsoft, Apple, Netware, UNIX, or Linux network operating systems.
Printing tasks This chapter describes how to perform basic printing tasks.
Controlling print jobs Three settings affect the printer driver's ability to specify how paper should be pulled in the printer. The Source, Type, and Size settings appear in the Page Setup, Print, or Print Properties dialog boxes in most software programs. If you do not change these settings, the printer automatically selects a tray using the default printer settings. Source Printing by Source means you choose a specific tray from which you want the printer to pull paper.
Note CAUTION ENWW The names of commands and dialog boxes may vary depending on your program. ● Page Setup dialog box. This dialog box opens when you click Page Setup or a similar command on the File menu of the program you are working in. Settings changed here override settings changed anywhere else. ● Print dialog box. This dialog box opens when you click Print, Print Setup, or a similar command on the File menu of the program you are working in.
Selecting print media You can use many types of paper and other print media with this printer. This section provides guidelines and specifications for selecting and using different print media. Before purchasing any paper or specialized forms in quantity, verify that your paper supplier obtains and understands the print media requirements specified in the HP LaserJet Printer Family Print Media Guide. See Supplies and accessories for HP LaserJet Printer Family Print Media Guide ordering information.
● Do not use letterhead paper with low temperature dyes or thermography. Preprinted forms or letterhead must use inks that can tolerate temperatures of 190°C (374°F) for 0.1 second. ● Do not use any media that produces hazardous emissions, or that melts, offsets, or discolors when exposed to 190°C (374°F) for 0.1 second. To order HP Color 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.
Configuring input trays The HP Color LaserJet 5550 series printer allows you to configure input trays by type and size. You can load different paper in the printer input trays and then request paper by type or size. Note If you have used previous HP Color LaserJet printers, you might be accustomed to configuring Tray 1 to first mode or cassette mode. To mimic the settings for first mode, configure Tray 1 for Size =ANY and Type = ANY.
1. Open the tray. 2. Remove any paper that is in the tray. 3. Move the side guides all the way out. 4. Load paper in the tray with the side to be printed on facing down, and the top of the paper on the left. Make sure that the stack height of the paper does not exceed the maximum stack height mark in the tray. Note If you are duplexing, see Two-sided (duplex) printing for load instructions. 5.
7. If the printer displays Tray X , press configuration. to change the size and type 8. The size menu appears. 9. Press to highlight ANY SIZE. 10. Press to select ANY SIZE. 11. The type menu appears. 12. Press to highlight ANY TYPE. 13. Press to select ANY TYPE. 14. The printer displays Tray X ANY SIZE ANY TYPE. Press settings and exit the message. The tray is ready for use.
13. Open the tray. 14. Move the side guides out. 15. Load paper in the tray with the side to be printed on facing down, and the top of the paper on the left. Make sure that the stack height of the paper does not exceed the maximum stack height mark in the tray. Note If you are duplexing, see Two-sided (duplex) printing for load instructions. 16. Adjust the side guides so that they will lightly touch the paper stack but will not bend the paper. 17. The printer displays the tray configuration.
Printing envelopes from Tray 1 CAUTION Envelopes with clasps, snaps, windows, coated linings, exposed self-stick adhesives, or other synthetic materials can severely damage the printer. To avoid jams and possible printer damage, never try to print on both sides of an envelope. Before you load envelopes, make sure they are flat, undamaged, and not stuck together. Do not use envelopes with pressure-sensitive adhesive. To avoid jams, do not remove or insert envelopes during printing.
3. Adjust the guides to touch the envelope stack without bending the envelopes. Make sure the envelopes fit under the tabs on the guides. Printing envelopes 1. In the printer control panel, set the paper size for Tray 1 to match the size envelope you are printing. 2. Specify Tray 1 or select the paper source by size in the printer driver. 3. If your software does not automatically format an envelope, specify Landscape for page orientation in your software application or printer driver.
1. Open the tray. 2. Adjust the rear paper guide by squeezing the guide adjustment latch and sliding the guide to the length of the media being used. 3. Adjust the paper width guide by squeezing the guide adjustment latch and sliding the guide to the width of the media being used.
4. Load media face-up, making sure that the stack height of the paper does not exceed the maximum stack height mark in the tray. 5. Verify that the tray switch is set to STANDARD. 6. Close the tray. 7. The printer displays the tray size and type configuration. (If the tray configuration is no longer displayed, open and close the tray again.) 8. If the size and type are correct, press 9. To change the size or type, press X SIZE= * menu appears. 10. Press or to accept the settings.
Loading undetectable/standard size media into Trays 2, 3, 4, and 5 Follow this procedure to load undetectable standard-size paper in the tray. The undetectable standard sizes include 16K, 8K, Executive (JIS), 8.5x13. CAUTION To avoid jams, never add or remove a tray during printing. CAUTION The paper path for Tray 3 passes through Tray 2. If Tray 2 is partially pulled out or removed, paper from Tray 3 cannot feed into the printer.
2. Slide the paper width and length guides all the way out. 3. Load media face-up, making sure that the stack height of the paper does not exceed the maximum stack height mark in the tray. 4. Slide the paper width and length guides in, making sure that they gently touch the paper. 5. Verify that the tray switch is set to CUSTOM.
6. Close the tray. 7. The printer displays the tray size and type configuration 8. If the size and type are correct, press to accept the settings, and exit the message. 9. To change the size or type, press when the tray configuration is displayed (If the tray configuration is no longer displayed, open and close the tray again). The TRAY X SIZE= * menu appears. 10. Press or to highlight the correct size. 11. Press to select the size. A Setting saved message appears followed by the tray type menu.
1. Open the tray. 2. Slide the paper width and length guides all the way out.
3. Load media face-up, making sure that the stack height of the paper does not exceed the maximum stack height mark in the tray. 4. Slide the paper width and length guides in, making sure that they gently touch the paper. 5. Note the orientation of the paper and which dimension is the X dimension and which is the Y dimension. X and Y dimensions are marked in the tray, for your convenience. X Y 1 2 3 CUSTOM/STANDARD switch Page width (X dimension) Page length (Y dimension) 6.
9. If the size and type are correct, press to accept the settings and exit the message. If the settings are not correct, continue with this procedure. Note If the size is listed as CUSTOM, it means the tray size is set to ANY CUSTOM meaning that it will match any custom job even if the dimensions are different. The size can be changed to CUSTOM with exact dimensions if desired. When set to CUSTOM, the dimensions will show instead of the word CUSTOM on the tray configuration message. 10.
7. Press Note to select the correct size. Depending on the tray you are configuring and the size selected, the printer might prompt you to adjust the tray guides or to move the CUSTOM/STANDARD switch in the tray to the other position. Follow the instructions in the prompt, and then close the tray. Configuring the paper type 1. Press MENU to enter the MENUS. 2. Press to highlight PAPER HANDLING. 3. Press to select PAPER HANDLING. 4. Press to highlight TRAY TYPE.
Printing on special media Use these guidelines when printing on special types of media. Note Special media such as envelopes or cardstock should be printed from Tray 1. To print on any special media, use the following procedure: 1. Load the media in the paper tray. 2. When the printer prompts you for the paper type, select the correct media type for the paper loaded in the tray. For example, select HIGH GLOSS IMAGES when loading HP High Gloss Laser Paper 3.
Colored paper ● Colored paper should be of the same high quality as white xerographic paper. ● Pigments used must be able to withstand the printer fusing temperature of 190°C (374° F) for 0.1 second without deterioration. ● Do not use paper with a colored coating that was added after the paper was produced. ● The printer creates colors by printing patterns of dots, overlaying and varying their spacing to produce various colors.
Labels Note For printing labels, set the tray’s media type to LABELS in the printer control panel. See Configuring input trays. When printing labels, use the following guidelines: ● Verify that the labels’ adhesive material can tolerate temperatures of 190°C (374°F) for 0.1 second. ● Verify that there is no exposed adhesive material between the labels. Exposed areas can cause labels to peel off during printing, which can cause printer jams. Exposed adhesive can also cause damage to printer components.
HP LaserJet Tough paper Tough paper is a robust plastic film that will not tear and withstands the weather. When printing on HP LaserJet Tough paper, use the following guidelines: ● Handle HP LaserJet Tough paper using the edges. Oils from your fingers deposited on HP LaserJet Tough paper can cause print quality problems. ● Use only Hewlett-Packard LaserJet Tough paper with this printer. HP Products are designed to work together for optimum printing results.
Two-sided (duplex) printing Some printer models are capable of automatic duplex printing (printing on both sides of a page). To find out which models support automatic two-sided printing, see Printer configurations. All printer models support manual two-sided printing. Note You must specify two-sided printing options in your software application or in the printer driver in order to print on both sides of the page.
● For best results, avoid two-sided printing with rough-textured, heavy-weight media. ● When duplexing preprinted media such as letterhead or forms, load the paper the opposite of that when duplexing simplex. Place the media face down in Trays 2, 3, 4, or 5. Place special media face up in Tray 1. (This process is different than the process for one-sided printing.) Control panel settings for automatic two-sided printing Many software applications allow you to change two-sided printing settings.
7. Press or printing. to select ON to enable two-sided printing or OFF to disable two-sided 8. Press to set the value. 9. Press to highlight DUPLEX BINDING. 10. Press to select DUPLEX BINDING. 11. Press MENU. 12. Select two-sided printing from your software application or printer driver, if possible. Note To select two-sided printing from the printer driver, the driver must first be properly configured. (For instructions, see the online Help for the printer driver.
Note If total sheets exceed the Tray 1 capacity for manual duplex jobs, feed the top 100 sheets and press . When prompted, feed the next 100 sheets and press . Repeat as necessary until all the sheets from the output stack have been loaded into Tray 1. For more information about how to access the printer drivers, see Accessing the printer drivers. Printing booklets Some versions of the printer driver let you control the printing of booklets when duplexing.
12. Press or to highlight the value for Y from Step 6 and press to select. These procedures may be repeated for each of the trays installed in the printer.
Special printing situations Use these guidelines when printing on special types of paper. Printing a different first page Use the following procedure to print the first page of a document on a different paper type than the rest of the document, for example, to print the first page of a document on letterhead paper and the rest on plain paper. 1. From your application or printer driver, specify a tray for the first page and another tray for the remaining pages.
Note The printer feeder supports up to 312 mm wide, but the printer driver is limited to 304 mm. For more information about how to access the printer drivers, see Accessing the printer drivers. If your software application requires you to calculate margins for custom-size paper, see the online Help for that application. Stopping a print request You can stop a print request either from the printer control panel or from your software application.
Note To use the Private Job and Proof and Hold features, you must have a minimum of 192 MB of memory: 160 MB DDR plus 32 MB of additional memory on the formatter board. To use the quick copy and stored jobs features you must install an optional hard drive in the printer (HP Color LaserJet 5550, 5550n, 5550dn, 5550dtn models) and properly configure the drivers. CAUTION Make sure to uniquely identify jobs in the printer driver before printing.
5. Press to select your USER NAME. 6. Press to highlight a JOB NAME. 7. Press to select the JOB NAME. PRINT is highlighted. 8. Press to select PRINT. 9. Press or 10. Press to print the job. to select the number of copies. Proofing and holding a job The proof and hold feature provides a quick and easy way to print and proof one copy of a job and then print additional copies.
2. RETRIEVE JOB is highlighted. 3. Press to select RETRIEVE JOB. 4. Press to highlight your USER NAME. 5. Press to select your USER NAME. 6. Press to highlight a JOB NAME. 7. Press to select the JOB NAME. 8. Press to highlight DELETE. 9. Press to select DELETE. 10. Press to delete the job. Private jobs This option allows you to send a print job directly to the printer memory. Selection of Private Job activates the PIN field.
13. Press to print the job. Deleting a private job A private job can be deleted from the printer control panel. You can delete a job without printing it, or IT WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY DELETED after it is printed. 1. Press MENU to enter MENUS. RETRIEVE JOB is highlighted. 2. Press to select RETRIEVE JOB. 3. Press to highlight your USER NAME. 4. Press to select your USER NAME. 5. Press to highlight a JOB NAME. 6. Press to select the JOB NAME. 7. Press to highlight DELETE. 8.
Managing memory This printer supports up to 544 MB of memory: 512 MB DDR plus 32 MB of additional memory on the formatter board. You can add additional memory by installing dual data-rate (DDR) memory. To allow for memory expansion, the printer has two DDR slots, which accept 128 or 256 MB of RAM each. For information about installing memory, see Working with memory and print server cards.
Managing the printer This chapter describes how to manage the printer.
Printer information pages From the printer control panel, you can print pages that give details about the printer and its current configuration.
The message PRINTING STOPPED appears on the display until the printer finishes printing the configuration page. The printer returns to the Ready state after printing the configuration page. Note If the printer is configured with EIO cards (for example, an HP Jetdirect print server) or an optional hard drive, an additional configuration page will print that provides information about those devices.
Demo A demo page is a color photograph that demonstrates print quality. 1. Press MENU to enter the MENUS. 2. Press to highlight INFORMATION. 3. Press to select INFORMATION. 4. Press to highlight PRINT DEMO. 5. Press to select PRINT DEMO. The message Printing... DEMO PAGE appears on the display until the printer finishes printing the demo page. The printer returns to the Ready state after printing the demo page.
4. Press to highlight PRINT FILE DIRECTORY. 5. Press to select PRINT FILE DIRECTORY. The message Printing... FILE DIRECTORY appears on the display until the printer finishes printing the file directory page. The printer returns to the Ready state after printing the file directory page. PCL or PS font list Use the font lists to see which fonts are currently installed in the printer. (The font lists also show which fonts are resident on an optional hard disk accessory or flash DIMM.) 1.
Using the embedded Web server When the printer is directly connected to a computer, the embedded Web server is supported for Windows 98 and later. In order to use the embedded Web server with a direct connection, you must choose the Custom installation option when you install the printer driver. Select the option to load Printer Status and Alerts. The proxy server is installed as part of the Printer Status and Alerts software.
Information tab The Information pages group consists of the following pages. ● Device Status. This page displays the printer status and shows the life remaining of HP supplies, with 0 percent representing that a supply is empty. The page also shows the type and size of print paper set for each tray. To change the default settings, click Change Settings. ● Configuration page. This page shows the information found on the printer Configuration page. ● Supplies Status.
Networking tab This tab allows the network administrator to control network-related settings for the printer when it is connected to an IP-based network. This tab will not appear if the printer is directly connected to a computer, or if the printer is connected to a network using anything other than an HP Jetdirect print server card. Other links This section contains links that connect you to the Internet. You must have Internet access in order to use any of these links.
Using the HP Toolbox The hp Toolbox is a Web application that you can use for the following tasks: ● Check the printer status. ● Configure the printer settings (access device Web page settings). ● View troubleshooting information. ● View online documentation. ● Print internal printer information pages. ● Receive pop-up status messages. You can view the HP Toolbox when the printer is directly connected to your computer. If the printer is connected to a network, use Custom Installer.
HP Toolbox sections The HP Toolbox software contains the following sections: ● Status tab ● Troubleshooting tab ● Alerts tab ● Documentation tab ● Device Settings button Other links Each page in the HP Toolbox contains links to the HP website for the following information: ● Product registration ● Product support ● Ordering supplies ● HP Instant Support™ You must have Internet access to use any of these links.
Alerts tab The Alerts tab allows you to configure the printer to automatically notify you of printer alerts. The Alerts tab has links to the following main pages: ● Set up status alerts ● Administrative settings Set up status alerts page On the Set up status alerts page, you can choose to turn alerts on or off, specify when the printer should send an alert, and choose from two different types of alerts: ● a pop-up message ● a task bar icon Click Apply to activate the settings.
122 Chapter 5 Managing the printer ENWW
Color This chapter describes how the HP Color LaserJet 5550 series printer provides great color printing. This chapter also describes ways to produce the best possible color prints.
Using color The HP Color LaserJet 5550 series printer offers great color printing as soon as you set up the printer. It provides a combination of automatic color features to generate excellent color results for the general office user, plus sophisticated tools for the professional who is experienced with color use. The HP Color LaserJet 5550 series printer provides carefully designed and tested color tables to provide smooth, accurate color rendition of all printable colors.
sRGB Standard red-green-blue (sRGB) is a world-wide color standard originally developed by HP and Microsoft as a common color language for monitors, input devices (scanners, digital cameras), and output devices (printers, plotters). It is the default color space used for HP products, Microsoft operating systems, the World Wide Web, and most office software sold today. sRGB is representative of the typical Windows PC monitor today and the convergence standard for high-definition television.
Managing printer color options Setting color options to Automatic will typically produce the best possible print quality for color documents. However, there may be cases when you want to print a color document in grayscale (black and white) or wish to change one of the printer's color options. ● Using Windows, print in grayscale or change the color options using settings found on the Color tab in the printer driver.
Two values are available for the Neutral Grays setting: ● Black Only generates neutral colors (grays and black) using only black toner. This guarantees neutrals colors without a color cast. ● 4-Color generates neutral colors (grays and black) by combining all four toner colors. This method produces smoother gradients and transitions to non-neutral colors, and it produces the darkest black. Edge Control. The Edge Control setting determines how edges are rendered.
Matching colors The process of matching printer output color to your computer screen is quite complex because printers and computer monitors use different methods of producing color. Monitors display colors by light pixels using an RGB (red, green, blue) color process, but printers print colors using a CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) process. Several factors can influence your ability to match printed colors to those on your monitor.
Printing color samples To use the Color samples, select the Color sample that is the closest match to the desired color. Use the sample’s color value in your application to describe the object you wish to match. Colors may vary depending on paper type and the software application used. For more details on how to use the Color Samples, go to http://www.hp.com/support/clj5550. Use the following procedure to print color samples at the printer using the control panel: 1. Press MENU to enter the MENUS. Note 2.
130 Chapter 6 Color ENWW
Maintenance This chapter describes ways to maintain your printer.
Managing the print cartridge Be sure to use genuine HP print cartridges for the best printing results. This section provides information on proper use and storage of HP print cartridges. It also provides information about using non-HP print cartridges.
Print cartridge storage Do not remove the print cartridge from its package until you are ready to use it. CAUTION To prevent damage to the print cartridge, do not expose it to light for more than a few minutes. Print cartridge life expectancy The life of the print cartridge depends on usage patterns and the amount of toner that print jobs require. Usage conditions and print patterns may cause actual results to vary.
Checking the print cartridge life You can check the print cartridge life using the printer control panel, the embedded Web server, printer software, or HP Web Jetadmin software. Check the supplies gauge on the printer control panel for approximate supply levels. Printer display 1 2 3 4 Message area Prompt area Supplies gauge Print cartridge colors from left to right: black, magenta, yellow, and cyan For precise levels, follow the instructions below to print a supplies status page.
Note If you want to order supplies, click Order Supplies. This opens a browser that produces a URL from which to purchase supplies. Select the supplies you wish to order and follow the directions accordingly. Using HP Web Jetadmin In HP Web Jetadmin, select the printer device. The device status page shows print cartridge information. Changing print cartridges When a print cartridge approaches the end of useful life, the control panel displays a message recommending that you order a replacement.
2. Grasp the front cover and pull down. 3. Grasp the green handles on the transfer unit and pull down. CAUTION Do not place any item on the transfer unit while it is open. If the transfer unit is damaged, severe print quality problems may result. 4. Remove the used print cartridge from the printer.
5. Remove the new print cartridge from the bag. Place the used print cartridge in the bag for recycling. 6. Grasp both sides of the cartridge and distribute the toner by gently rocking the cartridge from side to side. 7. Remove the orange mylar strip and the orange shipping lock from the new print cartridge. Discard the lock.
8. Remove the inside sealing tape by breaking the orange tab on the end of the new print cartridge and pulling the tape completely out. Discard the tape. 9. Align the print cartridge with the tracks inside the printer and insert the cartridge until it is completely seated and clicks into place. Note If a cartridge is in the wrong slot, the control panel will display the message INCORRECT CARTRIDGE or INCORRECT SUPPLIES. 10. Close the front cover and then close the top cover.
Replacing supplies When you use genuine HP supplies, the printer automatically notifies you when supplies are nearly depleted. The notification to order supplies allows ample time to order new supplies before they need to be replaced. Locating supplies Supplies are identified by labeling and blue plastic handles. The following figure illustrates the location of each supply item.
Making room around the printer for replacing supplies The following illustration shows the clearance necessary in front of, above, and to the side of the printer for replacing supplies.
Configuring e-mail alerts for supplies status You can use HP Web Jetadmin or the embedded Web server to configure the system to alert you of problems with the printer. The alerts take the form of e-mail messages to the email account(s) that you specify.
Periodic cleaning To ensure the printer continues to function properly throughout its life, periodic cleaning is necessary. One area of the printer that must be cleaned periodically is the overhead transparency (OHT) and two-sided printing (duplex) sensor. The OHT sensor detects and ensures that the printer uses the correct print mode. The sensor also corrects for paper skew on the second side of the page during two-sided (duplex) printing.
3. Grasp the green handles on the transfer unit and pull down. 4. Remove the cyan print cartridge from the printer. CAUTION Do not place the cyan print cartridge on the transfer unit while it is open. If the transfer unit is damaged, severe print quality problems may result. 5. Remove the OHT sensor cleaning brush from the base of the printer. 6. Insert the brush into the base notch and brush from right to left four or five times. CAUTION Do not brush back and forth over the sensor.
9. Close the front cover, and then close the top cover.
When to clean the static discharge comb Clean the static discharge comb when you replace the black print cartridge, when you replace the image transfer kit, or when print quality defects occur. Note If you are replacing the black print cartridge, clean the static discharge comb first and then replace the black print cartridge. (Toner might fall onto the black print cartridge during cleaning.
To clean the static discharge comb 1. Lift the top cover of the printer. 2. Grasp the front cover and pull down. 3. Remove the cleaning brush from inside the front cover.
4. Grasp the green handles on the ETB and pull down. 5. Rub the cleaning brush back and forth three times over the static discharge comb at the top of the printer to remove excess toner. Shake the brush over a waste receptacle to dispose of the excess toner.
6. Close the ETB and store the cleaning brush inside the front cover. If you are replacing the ETB, a new cleaning brush is included. 7. Close the front cover and then the top cover.
Problemsolving This chapter describes what to do if problems arise with your printer.
150 ● Incorrect shade ● Missing color ● Inconsistent colors after installing a print cartridge ● Printed colors do not match screen colors ● Incorrect printer output ● Incorrect fonts are printed ● Unable to print all characters in a symbol set ● Drifting text between printouts ● Erratic, missing characters or interrupted printout ● Partial printout ● Software application problems ● Unable to change system selections through software ● Unable to select a font from the software ●
Basic troubleshooting checklist If you are experiencing problems with the printer, this checklist may help identify the cause of the problem.
Troubleshooting information pages From the printer control panel, you can print pages that can help diagnose printer problems. The procedures for printing the following information pages are described here: ● paper path test page ● registration page ● event log Paper path test page The paper path test page is useful for testing the paper handling features of the printer. You can define the paper path you want to test by selecting the source, destination, and other options available on the printer. 1.
11. Press to select the tray. After selecting the tray, the printer control panel returns to the SET REGISTRATION menu. 12. Press to highlight PRINT TEST PAGE. 13. Press to select PRINT TEST PAGE. 14. Follow the instructions on the printed page. Event log The event log lists the printer events, including printer jams, service errors, and other printer conditions. 1. Press MENU to enter the MENUS. 2. Press to highlight DIAGNOSTICS. 3. Press to select DIAGNOSTICS. 4.
Control panel message types Control panel messages are divided into three types, depending on their severity. ● Status messages ● Warning messages ● Error messages Within the error message category, some messages are ranked as Critical error messages. This section explains the differences between the control panel message types. Status messages Status messages reflect the current state of the printer. They inform you of normal printer operation and require no interaction to clear them.
Control panel messages Control panel messages Control panel message Description Recommended action 10.X.X SUPPLY The printer cannot read or write to at least one print cartridge memory tag or at least one memory tag is missing. 1. Turn the printer off and then back on. 2. Press The following control panel messages correspond to the color of the print cartridge: 3. If the error persists, contact HP support at http://www.hp.com/ support/clj5550. 1.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description Recommended action 13.XX.YY JAM IN A page is jammed in the multi-purpose tray. 1. Press for detailed information about clearing the jam. 2. Press and instructions. 3. If the message persists after clearing all pages, contact HP Support at http://www.hp.com/ support/clj5550. 1. Press for detailed information about clearing the jam. 2. Press and instructions. 3.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description Recommended action 22 EIO X The printer’s EIO card in slot X has overflowed its I/O buffer during a busy state. 1. BUFFER OVERFLOW BUFFER OVERFLOW A loss of data will occur. The printer’s parallel buffer has overflowed during a busy state. 2. If the message persists, contact HP Support at http://www.hp.com/ support/clj5550. 1. Press A loss of data will occur. alternates with 2.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description Recommended action 41.3 UNEXPECTED Media is loaded that is longer or shorter in the feed direction than the size configured for the tray. 1. If the incorrect size was selected, cancel the job or press to access help. 2. Press and instructions. 1. If the incorrect size was selected, cancel the job or press to access help. SIZE IN TRAY X For help press 41.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description Recommended action 50.X FUSER ERROR A fuser error has occurred. 1. Turn the printer off and then back on. For help press The following are specific fuser errors: 2. If the message persists, contact HP Support at http://www.hp.com/ support/clj5550. 1. Turn the printer off and then back on. 2. If the problem persists, contact HP Support at http://www.hp.com/ support/clj5550. 50.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description Recommended action 54.01 Printing cannot continue. The humidity environmental sensor is abnormal. 1. Turn the printer off and then back on. 2. If the problem persists, contact HP Support at http://www.hp.com/ support/clj5550. Printing cannot continue. There is a toner remaining sensor malfunction. 1. Turn the printer off and then back on. 2. If the problem persists, contact HP Support at http://www.hp.com/ support/clj5550. 1.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description Recommended action 59.XY A printer motor error has occurred. 1. Turn the printer off and then back on. 2. If the problem persists, contact HP Support at http://www.hp.com/ support/clj5550. PRINTER ERROR For help press alternates with Note: This message might also appear if the transfer unit is missing or incorrectly installed. Ensure that the transfer unit is correctly installed. 59.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description Recommended action 8X.YYYY The EIO accessory card in slot X has encountered a critical error. 1. Turn the printer off and then back on. 2. If the problem persists, contact HP Support at http://www.hp.com/ support/clj5550.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description Recommended action Clearing event log This message is displayed while the event log is cleared. The printer will exit the MENUS once the event log has been cleared. No action necessary. Clearing paper path The printer jammed or detected misplaced paper when turned on. The printer is attempting to eject jammed pages automatically. No action necessary. CLOSE FRONT COVERS The covers need to be closed. Close front covers.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description Recommended action DISK IS The file system device is protected and no new files can be written to it. 1. To enable writing to the disk, turn off write protection, using HP Web Jetadmin. 2. To clear the message, press the key. 3. If the message persists, turn the printer off and then back on. 1. Turn the printer off. 2. Remove the EIO disk from the slot indicated and replace with a new EIO disk drive.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description Recommended action FLASH IS The file system device is protected and no new files can be written to it. 1. To enable writing to the Flash Memory, turn off write protection, using HP Web Jetadmin. 2. To clear the message, press the key. 3. If the message persists, turn the printer off and then back on. WRITE PROTECTED To clear press alternates with Ready Genuine HP supplies installed A new HP cartridge has been installed.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description Recommended action INSERT OR CLOSE Tray XX must be inserted or closed before the current job can be printed. Close the tray indicated. The cartridge is either not installed or not correctly installed in the printer. 1. TRAY X For help press INSTALL CARTRIDGE Open the top cover and image transfer unit. alternates with CAUTION For help press The image transfer unit can be easily damaged.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description Recommended action LOAD TRAY X Tray XX is either empty or configured for a type and size other than specified in the job. 1. Load the paper tray with the specified media. 2. Confirm that the media guides are in the correct position. 3. Verify that the tray switch is in the correct position. 4. To use another tray, press . 1. Load the paper tray with the specified media. 2.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description Recommended action LOAD TRAY XX: Tray XX is either empty or configured for a type and size other than specified in the job. The size specified in the job is a detectable size. 1. Load the paper tray with the specified media. 2. Confirm that the media guides are in the correct position. 3. Verify that the tray switch is in the STANDARD position so the printer will automatically detect the size.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description Recommended action NON HP SUPPLY A new cartridge has been installed that is not made by HP. This message is displayed until an HP cartridge is installed or the button is pressed. If you believe you purchased an HP cartridge, please call the HP fraud hotline at (1-877-219-3183, toll-free in North America). DETECTED The supplies gauge will display the consumption levels of print cartridges.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description Recommended action ORDER SUPPLIES More than one supply item is low. 1. Press MENU to access the MENUS. alternates with Printing will continue until a supply needs to be replaced. 2. Press or to highlight INFORMATION, and then press . 3. Press or to highlight SUPPLIES STATUS, and then press . 4. Press or to highlight a supply that needs to be ordered. 5. Press to access help for the supply. 6.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description Recommended action Please wait The printer is in the process of clearing data. No action necessary. Powersave on The printer is in the power save mode. Any button press, an error condition, or the receipt of printable data may clear this message. No action necessary. PRINT The printer is generating the configuration page. The printer will return to the online Ready state when the page is completed. No action necessary.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description Printing... The printer is generating the usage No action necessary. page. The printer will return to the online Ready state when the page is completed. USAGE PAGE Processing duplex Recommended action Paper temporarily comes into the output bin while printing a duplex job. Do not attempt to remove the pages until the job is complete. Do not grab paper as it temporarily comes into the output bin.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description Recommended action Ready The printer is online and ready for data. No status or device attendance messages are pending at the display. No action necessary. The printer is in a special diagnostics mode. Press the STOP key to exit the special diagnostics mode. The supplies gauge will display the consumption levels of print cartridges. Ready Diagnostics mode OR To exit press the STOP key No action is necessary.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description Recommended action REPLACE The identified print cartridge is nearing the end of its useful life and the SUPPLIES LOW setting in SYSTEM SETUP is set to STOP. 1. Order the identified print cartridge. 2. To continue printing, press . 3. To replace the cartridge, perform the following steps: CARTRIDGE The supplies gauge will display the consumption levels of print cartridges.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description Recommended action REPLACE SUPPLIES Multiple supplies are at the end of their useful life. If the supplies affected are cartridges only, printing has stopped because the COLOR SUPPLY OUT setting in SYSTEM SETUP is set to STOP. If the fuser or transfer kit is affected, then printing always stops. 1. Press to access the SUPPLIES STATUS menu. 2. Press and to highlight the specific supply that has a problem. 3. Press 4.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description REPLACE TRANSFER KIT The transfer unit is nearing the end of its 1. useful life and the SUPPLIES LOW 2. setting in SYSTEM SETUP is set to STOP. 3. For help press alternates with REPLACE TRANSFER KIT To continue press Request accepted Recommended action Order the transfer kit. To continue printing, press . To replace the transfer kit, perform the following steps: ● Open the top and front cover.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description Recommended action SIZE MISMATCH IN The tray is loaded with media longer or shorter in the feed direction than the size configured for the tray. 1. Adjust the side and rear media guides against the paper. 2. If the media used is letter, A4, executive, JIS B5, A5, or legal, the tray switch should be set to STANDARD. Set the tray switch to CUSTOM for all other media sizes.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description Recommended action TRAY X SIZE= * A detectable media size was selected from the menu and the tray switch is set to CUSTOM. 1. Adjust the side and rear media guides against the paper. 2. If the media used is letter, A4, executive, JIS B5, A5, or legal, the tray switch should be set to STANDARD. Set the tray switch to CUSTOM for all other media sizes.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description Recommended action TRAY XX SIZE= A detectable media size was selected from the menu and the tray is open. 1. Adjust the side and rear media guides against the paper. Although not required, the size selected can be automatically sensed if the tray switch is moved to STANDARD. 2. If the media used is letter, A4, executive, JIS B5, A5, or legal, the tray switch should be set to STANDARD.
Control panel messages (continued) Control panel message Description Recommended action Warming up The printer is coming out of PowerSave mode. Printing will continue as soon as warmup is completed. No action necessary.
Paper jams Use this illustration to troubleshoot paper jams in the printer. For instructions on clearing paper jams, see Clearing paper jams. Paper jam locations (shown without optional Tray 4 or optional Tray 5) 1 2 3 4 5 top cover area duplex path paper path input path trays Paper jam recovery This printer automatically provides paper jam recovery, a feature that allows you to set whether the printer should attempt to automatically reprint jammed pages.
3. Press to select CONFIGURE DEVICE. 4. Press to highlight SYSTEM SETUP. 5. Press to select SYSTEM SETUP. 6. Press to highlight JAM RECOVERY. 7. Press to select JAM RECOVERY. 8. Press to highlight OFF. 9. Press to select OFF. 10. Press the MENU button to return to the Ready state. To improve print speed and increase memory resources, you may want to disable paper jam recovery. If paper jam recovery is disabled, the pages involved in a jam will not be reprinted.
Common causes of paper jams The following table lists common causes of paper jams and suggested solutions for resolving them. Cause Solution Print media does not meet HP-recommended media specifications. Use only media that meets HP specifications. See Supported paper weights and sizes. A supply item is installed incorrectly, causing repeated jams. Verify that all print cartridges, the transfer unit, and the fuser are correctly installed.
Cause Solution Media was not stored correctly. Replace the print media. Media should be stored in the original packaging in a controlled environment. Note If the printer continues to jam, contact HP Customer Support or your authorized HP service provider. For more information, see http://www.hp.com/support/clj5550.
Clearing paper jams Each section below corresponds with a jam message that might appear on the control panel. Use these procedures to clear the jam. Jam in Tray 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 1. Using the side handles, open the top cover. 2. Grasp the front cover and pull down.
3. Grasp the green handles on the transfer unit and pull down. CAUTION Do not place anything on the transfer unit while it is open. If the transfer unit is damaged, print quality problems may result. 4. Grasp the paper by both corners and pull up. 5. Inspect the paper path to ensure that it is clear. Note 186 If the paper tears, make sure that all paper fragments are removed from the paper path before resuming printing.
6. Close the transfer unit and front cover. Note It is a good idea to inspect the input trays when clearing jams. However, opening and closing input trays has no effect on clearing jam messages. 7. Pull out Tray 2 and place it on a flat surface. Remove any partially fed paper. 8. Inspect the paper path above to ensure that it is clear. To remove any partially fed paper, grasp the paper by both corners and pull down.
9. Check to make sure the paper is located correctly and flush with the paper guides. 10. Insert the tray into the printer. Make sure all trays are completely closed. 11. Close the top cover.
Jam in Tray 3, 4, or 5 1. Using the side handles, open the top cover. 2. Grasp the front cover and pull down.
3. Grasp the green handles on the transfer unit and pull down. CAUTION Do not place anything on the transfer unit while it is open. If the transfer unit is damaged, print quality problems may result. 4. Grasp the paper by both corners and pull up. 5. Inspect the paper path to ensure that it is clear. Note 190 If the paper tears, make sure that all paper fragments are removed from the paper path before resuming printing.
6. Close the transfer unit and front cover. 7. Pull out Trays 3, 4, and 5 (if applicable) and place them on a flat surface.
8. Remove any partially fed paper. 9. Inspect the above paper path to ensure that it is clear. Note If the paper tears, make sure that all paper fragments are removed from the paper path before resuming printing. 10. Check Trays 3, 4, and 5 to make sure the paper is located correctly and flush with the paper guides. 11. Insert the trays into the printer.
12. Pull out Tray 2 and place it on a flat surface. 13. Remove any partially fed paper. 14. Inspect the above paper path to ensure that it is clear. Note ENWW If the paper tears, make sure that all paper fragments are removed from the paper path before resuming printing.
15. Check the slot at the front of Tray 2, and make sure the paper is loaded correctly and flush with the paper guides. 16. Insert Tray 2 into the printer. Make sure all trays are completely closed. 17. Close the top cover.
Jams in the top cover Jams in the top cover occur in the areas indicated below. Use the procedures in this section to clear jams in these areas.
Jam in the top cover WARNING! Do not touch the fuser. It is hot and could cause burns! The fuser’s operating temperature is 190°C (374°F). Wait ten minutes to allow the fuser to cool before touching the fuser. 1. Using the side handles, open the top cover. 2. Firmly pull forward on the two green levers to disengage the fuser rollers. WARNING! 196 Do not touch the fuser. It is hot and could cause burns! The fuser’s operating temperature is 190°C (374°F).
3. Grasp the paper by both corners to remove it, if possible. CAUTION Be sure to pull the media straight up. 4. Open the fuser cover and pull up to remove any paper that is crumpled in the fuser. WARNING! Do not reach into the fuser until it has cooled. Note If the paper tears, make sure that all paper fragments are removed from the paper path before resuming printing.
5. Grasp the front cover and pull down. 6. Grasp the green handles on the transfer unit and pull down. CAUTION Do not place anything on the transfer unit while it is open. If the transfer unit is damaged, print quality problems may result. 7. If the paper is wrapped around the fuser roller or stuck in the rollers, grasp the paper by both corners and pull down. Note If the paper is wrapped around the roller, it is important to pull down on the paper to remove it.
8. Firmly push the two green levers on either side of the fuser to re-engage the fuser rollers. 9. Close the transfer unit and front cover. 10. Close the top cover.
Jam in paper input path or paper path 1. Using the side handles, open the top cover. 2. Grasp the front cover and pull down. 3. Grasp the green handles on the transfer unit and pull down. CAUTION 200 Do not place anything on the transfer unit while it is open. If the transfer unit is damaged, print quality problems may result.
4. Grasp the paper by both corners and pull up. 5. Inspect the paper path to ensure that it is clear. Note If the paper tears, make sure that all paper fragments are removed from the paper path before resuming printing. 6. Close the transfer unit and front cover. 7. Pull out Tray 2 (and Trays 3, 4, and 5, if the printer contains these trays). Place each tray on a flat surface. Remove any partially fed paper from these trays. 8. Inspect the paper path above and below to ensure that it is clear.
9. Check Tray 2, 3, 4, and 5 to make sure the paper is located correctly in each tray and flush with the paper guides. Insert the trays into the printer. Make sure all trays are completely closed. 10. Close the top cover. Multiple jams in paper path 1. Using the side handles, open the top cover.
2. Grasp the front cover and pull down. 3. Grasp the green handles on the transfer unit and pull down. CAUTION Do not place anything on the transfer unit while it is open. If the transfer unit is damaged, print quality problems may result. 4. Inspect the transfer unit to ensure that it is clear.
5. Grasp the media by both corners to remove it, if possible. If the media tears, make sure that all media fragments are removed from the paper path before resuming printing. Note 6. Firmly pull forward on the two green levers to disengage the fuser rollers. WARNING! Do not touch the fuser. It is hot and could cause burns! The fuser operating temperature is 190 °C (374°F). Wait ten minutes to allow the fuser to cool before touching it. 7. Open the fuser cover.
8. Inspect the fuser and remove any paper that is crumpled in the fuser. WARNING! Do not reach into the fuser until it has cooled. Note If the paper tears, make sure that all paper fragments are removed from the paper path before resuming printing. 9. Close the fuser cover. 10. Firmly push the two green levers on either side of the fuser to re-engage the fuser rollers. 11. Close the transfer unit and the front cover.
12. Pull out Trays 2, 3, 4, and 5 and place each tray on a flat surface. Remove any partially fed paper from these trays. 13. Inspect the paper path above and below each tray to ensure that it is clear. 14. Close the top cover.
Jam in duplex path 1. Using the side handles, open the top cover. 2. Grasp the paper by both corners and pull down. Note If the paper tears, make sure that all paper fragments are removed from the paper path before resuming printing. 3. Grasp the front cover and pull down.
4. Grasp the paper by both corners and pull up. 5. If the paper cannot be accessed from this location, grasp the green handles on the transfer unit and pull down. 6. Grasp the paper by both corners and pull up. 7. Close the transfer unit and front cover.
8. Close the top cover. Multiple jams in duplex path 1. Using the side handles, open the top cover. 2. Grasp the front cover and pull down.
3. Grasp the paper by both corners and pull down. If the paper tears, make sure that all paper fragments are removed from the paper path before resuming printing. Note 4. Firmly pull forward on the two green levers to disengage the fuser rollers. WARNING! Do not touch the fuser. It is hot and could cause burns! The fuser’s operating temperature is 190°C (374°F).Wait 10 minutes to allow the fuser to cool before touching it. 5. Open the fuser cover. 6.
7. Close the fuser cover. 8. Firmly push the two green levers on either side of the fuser to re-engage the fuser rollers. 9. Grasp the front cover and pull down. 10. Grasp the green handles on the transfer unit and pull down. CAUTION ENWW Do not place anything on the transfer unit while it is open. If the transfer unit is damaged, print quality problems may result.
11. Inspect the transfer unit to ensure that it is clear. Note If the media tears, make sure that all media fragments are removed from the paper path before resuming printing. 12. Grasp the media by both corners to remove it, if possible. 13. Close the transfer unit. 14. If you could not reach the paper with the transfer unit open in Step 12, grasp the paper by both corners and pull up.
15. Pull out Trays 2, 3, 4, and 5 and place each tray on a flat surface. Remove any partially fed paper from these trays. 16. Inspect the paper path above and below each tray to ensure that it is clear. 17. Remove any partially fed paper. 18. Inspect the above paper path to ensure that it is clear. Note ENWW If the paper tears, make sure that all paper fragments are removed from the paper path before resuming printing.
19. Check the slot at the front of each tray, and make sure the paper is loaded correctly and flush with the paper guides. 20. Insert all trays into the printer. Make sure all trays are completely closed. 21. Close the top cover.
Media-handling problems Use only media that meets the specifications outlined in the HP LaserJet Printer Family Print Media Guide. For ordering information, see Supplies and accessories. For paper specifications for this printer, see Supported paper weights and sizes. Printer feeds multiple sheets Cause Solution The input tray is overfilled. Remove excess media from the input tray. The paper exceeds the maximum stack height indicator mark in the input tray (Trays 2, 3, 4, and 5).
Printer feeds incorrect page size (continued) Cause Solution The CUSTOM/STANDARD switch in the tray is not in the correct position. Verify that the switch is in the correct position for the media size. Printer pulls from incorrect tray Cause Solution You are using a driver for a different printer. For more information about how to access the printer drivers, see Accessing the printer drivers. Use a driver for this printer. The specified tray is empty. Load media in the specified tray.
Media does not feed automatically (continued) Cause Solution Manual feed prompt is set to ALWAYS. The printer will always prompt for manual feed, even if paper is in the tray. Open the tray, reload the paper, and then close the tray. The USE REQUESTED TRAY setting in the printer control panel is set to EXCLUSIVELY, and the requested tray is empty. The printer will not use another tray. Load paper in the requested tray. Otherwise, change the manual feed prompt setting to UNLESS LOADED.
Media does not feed from Tray 2, 3, 4, or 5 (continued) Cause Solution The media size is not configured correctly for the input tray. Print a configuration page or use the control panel to determine the media size for which the tray is configured. The guides in the tray are not against the paper. Verify that the guides are touching the paper. The CUSTOM/STANDARD switch in the tray is not in the correct position. Verify that the switch is in the correct position for the media size.
Envelopes jam or will not feed in the printer Cause Solution Envelopes are loaded in an unsupported tray. Only Tray 1 can feed envelopes. Load envelopes into Tray 1. Envelopes are curled or damaged. Try using different envelopes. Store envelopes in a controlled environment. Try rotating the envelope orientation to load long-edge first, and set the tray switch to Custom. See Configuring input trays. Envelopes are sealing because the moisture content is too high. Try using different envelopes.
Printer will not duplex or duplexes incorrectly (continued) Cause Solution The printer driver is not set up for duplex printing. Set up the printer driver to enable duplex printing. The first page is printing on the back of preprinted forms or letterhead. Load preprinted forms and letterhead in Tray 1 with the letterhead or printed side up and the bottom of the page feeding into the printer.
Printer response problems No display message Cause Solution The printer’s on/off button is in the standby position. Verify that the printer is on. Fans may run while the printer is in standby mode (off). The printer’s memory DIMMs are defective or installed incorrectly. Verify that the printer’s memory DIMMs are correctly installed and are not defective. The power cord is not firmly plugged into both the printer and the power receptacle.
Printer is on, but nothing prints (continued) Cause Solution The computer port is not configured or is not working properly. Run another peripheral connected to this port to verify that the port is working properly. The printer has not been correctly named for the network or for a Macintosh computer. Use the appropriate utility to name the printer on the network. For Macintosh OS 9.x computers, select the printer from within the Chooser. For Macintosh OS X 10.
Unable to select the printer from the computer (continued) ENWW Cause Solution The printer’s Ready indicator light is not lit. Press STOP to return the printer to the Ready state. A printer message other than Ready appears on the printer control panel. See Control panel messages. The correct printer driver is not installed in the computer. Install the correct printer driver. For more information about how to access the printer drivers, see Accessing the printer drivers.
Printer control panel problems Control panel settings work incorrectly Cause Solution The printer control panel display is blank or is not lit, even when the fan is running. Fans may run while the printer is in standby mode (off). Press the printer’s on/off button to turn the printer on. Printer settings in the printing software application or printer driver differ from the printer control panel settings.
Color printing problems Printing black instead of color Cause Solution Color mode is not selected in the software application or printer driver. Select color mode instead of grayscale or monochrome mode in the software application or printer driver, see Printer information pages to learn how to print a configuration page. The correct printer driver is not selected in your software application. Select the correct printer driver. No color appears on the configuration page.
Inconsistent colors after installing a print cartridge Cause Solution The sealing tape has not been removed from the print cartridge. Remove the sealing tape from the print cartridge for the color that is missing. See Changing print cartridges. Another print cartridge may be low. Check the supplies gauge on the control panel or print a supplies status page. See Printer information pages. Print cartridges may be improperly installed. Verify that each print cartridge is installed properly.
Incorrect printer output Incorrect fonts are printed Cause Solution The font has not been correctly selected in the software application. Re-select the font in the software application. The font is not available to the printer. Download the font to the printer or use another font. (In Windows, the driver does this automatically.) The correct printer driver is not selected. Select the correct printer driver.
Partial printout Cause Solution A memory error message appears on the printer control panel. 1. Free up printer memory by deleting unneeded downloaded fonts, style sheets, and macros from printer memory; or 2. Add more memory to the printer. The file you are printing contains errors. Check the software application verify that the file does not contain errors. To do so: 1. Print another file that you know is error-free from within the same application; or 2.
Software application problems Unable to change system selections through software Cause Solution System software changes are locked out by the printer control panel. Consult with your network administrator. The software application does not support system changes. See the software application documentation. The correct printer driver is not loaded. Load the correct printer driver. For more information about how to access the printer drivers, see Accessing the printer drivers.
Print quality troubleshooting If you are experiencing problems with print quality, the following lists may help identify the cause of the problem. Print quality problems associated with paper Some print quality problems arise from use of inappropriate paper. ● Use paper that meets HP paper specifications. See Supported paper weights and sizes. ● The surface of the paper is too smooth. Use paper that meets HP paper specifications. See Supported paper weights and sizes.
● Handle transparencies by the edges. Skin oil on the surface of transparencies can cause spots and smudges. ● Small, random dark areas on the trailing edge of solid fill pages may be caused by transparencies sticking together in the output bin. Try printing the job in smaller batches. ● The selected colors are undesirable when printed. Select different colors in the software application or printer driver. ● If you are using a reflective overhead projector, use a standard overhead projector instead.
Calibrating the printer The HP Color LaserJet 5550 printer automatically calibrates and cleans at various times to maintain the highest level of print quality. The user may also request the printer to calibrate via the printer’s control panel, using QUICK CALIBRATE NOW or FULL CALIBRATE NOW located in the CALIBRATION and PRINT QUALITY menu. QUICK CALIBRATE NOW is used for color tone calibration and takes about 90 seconds. If color density or tone seems wrong, Quick Calibration can be run.
Horizontal lines or streaks ENWW ● Make sure that the operation and location requirements of the printer are met. ● Print the Print Quality Troubleshooting Pages (see Print quality troubleshooting) and follow the diagnostic procedure listed on the first page to help isolate the defect to a particular component. Misaligned colors ● Request a FULL CALIBRATE NOW using the printer control panel (see Print quality troubleshooting).
Fingerprints and media dents ● Make sure to use supported media. ● Make sure that the media you are using does not have any wrinkles or dents from handling, and that the media is not contaminated with visible fingerprints or other foreign substances. ● Print the Print Quality Troubleshooting Pages (see Print quality troubleshooting) and follow the diagnostic procedure listed on the first page to help isolate the defect to a particular component.
Smeared toner ● ● ENWW Make sure to use supported media. A paper fragment was left in the printer when clearing a jam. Remove any paper fragments (see Paper jams.) White areas (dropouts) on page ● Make sure that the operation and location requirements of the printer are met. ● Make sure to use supported media. ● Make sure that the media you are using does not have any wrinkles or dents from handling, and that the media is not contaminated with visible fingerprints or other foreign substances.
Media damage (wrinkles, curl, creases, tears) ● ● Make sure to use supported media. ● Make sure that the media is loaded correctly. ● Make sure that the media type and size for the tray are set correctly in the control panel for the media that you are using. ● Make sure that the media you are using does not have any wrinkles or dents from handling, and that the media is not contaminated with visible fingerprints or other foreign substances.
Skewed, stretched, or off-center page ● Make sure that the operation and location requirements of the printer are met. ● Make sure to use supported media. ● Make sure that the media is loaded correctly. ● For problems with page skew, turn over the stack of media and rotate the stack 180 degrees. ● Make sure that the following supplies are seated correctly: ● ENWW ● fuser ● transfer belt Inspect the jam areas and remove any undetected jammed or torn media.
238 Chapter 8 Problemsolving ENWW
Working with memory and print server cards Printer memory and fonts The printer has two 200-pin DDR SDRAM slots. One slot is available for adding memory to the printer. DDR SDRAM memory is available in 128 and 256 MB modules. Note Memory specification: HP Color LaserJet 5550 series printers use 200-pin small outline dual inline memory modules (SODIMM) that support 128 or 256 MB of RAM. The printer also has three flash memory card slots for printer firmware, fonts, and other solutions.
240 2. Press to highlight INFORMATION. 3. Press to select INFORMATION. 4. Press to highlight PRINT CONFIGURATION. 5. Press to print the configuration page.
Installing memory and fonts You can install more memory for the printer, and you can also install a font card to allow the printer to print characters for languages such as Chinese or the Cyrillic alphabet. CAUTION Static electricity can damage DIMMs. When handling DIMMs, either wear an antistatic wrist strap, or frequently touch the surface of the DIMM antistatic package and then touch bare metal on the printer. To install DDR memory DIMMs 1. Turn the printer off. 2.
4. Using a #2 Phillips screwdriver, remove the eight screws holding the board in place, and set them aside. 5. Slide out the formatter board and set it on a clean, flat, grounded surface. 6. To replace a DDR DIMM that is currently installed, spread the latches apart on each side of the DIMM slot, lift the DDR DIMM up at an angle, and pull it out. 7. Remove the new DIMM from the antistatic package. Locate the alignment notch on the bottom edge of the DIMM.
8. Holding the DIMM by the edges, align the notch on the DIMM with the bar in the DIMM slot at an angle and firmly press the DIMM into the slot until it is fully seated. When installed correctly, the metal contacts are not visible. 9. Push down on the DIMM until both latches engage the DIMM. Note ENWW If you have difficulty inserting the DIMM, make sure the notch on the bottom of the DIMM is aligned with the bar in the slot.
10. Align the formatter board in the tracks at the top and bottom of the slot, and then slide the board back into the printer. Replace and tighten the eight screws removed in step 4. 11. Reconnect the power cable and interface cables, and turn the printer on. 12. If you installed a memory DIMM, go to Enabling memory. To install a flash memory card CAUTION Do not insert a flash memory card that is designed for use with a digital camera into the printer.
2. Disconnect all power and interface cables. 3. Locate the formatter board in the rear of the printer. 4. Using a #2 Phillips screwdriver, remove the eight screws holding the board in place, and set them aside.
5. Slide out the formatter board and set it on a clean, flat, grounded surface. 6. Align the groove on the side of the flash memory card with the notches in the connector and push it in the slot until it is fully seated. CAUTION Do not insert the flash memory card at an angle. Note The first flash memory slot marked "Firmware Slot" is reserved for firmware only. Slots 2 and 3 should be used for all other solutions. 7.
8. Reconnect the power cable and interface cables, and turn the printer on. Enabling memory If you installed a memory DIMM, set the printer driver to recognize the newly added memory. To enable memory for Windows 98, ME, and NT 1. On the Start menu, point to Settings, and click Printers. 2. Right-click the printer and select Properties. 3. On the Configure tab, click More. 4. In the Total Memory field, type or select the total amount of memory that is now installed. 5. Click OK.
Installing an HP Jetdirect print server card You can install an HP Jetdirect print server card in the base model printer, which comes with an open EIO slot. To install an HP Jetdirect print server card 1. Turn the printer off. 2. Disconnect all power and interface cables. 3. Locate an empty EIO slot. Loosen and remove the two retaining screws holding the cover for the EIO slot onto the printer, and then remove the cover. You will not need these screws and cover again.
4. Firmly insert the HP Jetdirect print server card into the EIO slot. Insert and tighten the retaining screws that came with the print server card. 5. Connect the network cable. 6. Reconnect the power cable, and turn the printer on. 7. Print a configuration page (see Configuration page). In addition to a printer configuration page and a Supplies Status page, an HP Jetdirect configuration page that contains network configuration and status information should also print.
8. Perform one of these steps: 250 ● Choose the correct port. See the computer or operating system documentation for instructions. ● Reinstall the software, choosing the network installation this time.
Supplies and accessories To order supplies in the US, contact http://www.hp.com/go/ljsupplies. To order supplies worldwide, see http://www.hp.com/ghp/buyonline.html. To order accessories, see http://www.hp.com/go/accessories. Spare parts and supplies availability Spare parts and supplies for this product will be available for at least five years after production has stopped.
Ordering directly through the printer software (for printers directly connected to a computer) The printer software gives you the ability to order supplies directly from the computer. Three conditions are necessary to use this feature: ● The “Printer Status and Alerts” software must be installed on your computer (use the custom installation option to install this software). ● The printer must be directly connected to your computer through a parallel cable.
Supplies, accessories, and part numbers (continued) Part Part number Type/size Q3985A Image fuser kit (220 volt) Cables C2946A IEEE-1284 compliant parallel cable, 3 m (approximately 10 feet) long, with 25-pin male/ micro 36-pin male (“C” size) connector Paper C2934A HP Color LaserJet Transparencies (letter) 50 sheets C2936A HP Color LaserJet Transparencies (A4) 50 sheets 92296T HP LaserJet Monochrome transparencies (letter) 92296U HP LaserJet Monochrome transparencies (A4) C4179A HP LaserJ
254 Appendix B Supplies and accessories ENWW
Service and Support Hewlett-Packard limited warranty statement HP PRODUCT HP Color LaserJet 5550, HP Color LaserJet 5550n, HP Color LaserJet 5550dn, HP Color LaserJet 5550dtn, and HP Color LaserJet 5550hdn printer DURATION OF LIMITED WARRANTY One-year limited warranty HP warrants to you, the end-user customer, that HP hardware and accessories will be free from defects in materials and workmanship after the date of purchase, for the period specified above.
THE WARRANTY TERMS CONTAINED IN THIS STATEMENT, EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT LAWFULLY PERMITTED, DO NOT EXCLUDE, RESTRICT OR MODIFY AND ARE IN ADDITION TO THE MANDATORY STATUTORY RIGHTS APPLICABLE TO THE SALE OF THIS PRODUCT TO YOU.
Limited warranty for print cartridges and image drums This HP product is warranted to be free from defects in materials and workmanship. This warranty does not apply to products that (a) have been refilled, refurbished, remanufactured or tampered with in any way, (b) experience problems resulting from misuse, improper storage, or operation outside of the published environmental specifications for the printer product or (c) exhibit wear from ordinary use.
HP’s Premium Protection Warranty. Color LaserJet Image Fuser Kit and Image Transfer Kit Limited Warranty Statement This HP product is warranted to be free from defects in materials and workmanship until the printer provides a low-life indicator on the control panel.
HP maintenance agreements HP has several types of maintenance agreements that meet a wide range of support needs. Maintenance agreements are not part of the standard warranty. Support services may vary by area. Check with your local HP dealer to determine the services available to you.
260 Appendix C Service and Support ENWW
Printer specifications Physical dimensions Product Height Depth Width Weight HP Color LaserJet 5550 640 mm (25.2 in) 704 mm (27.7 in) 577 mm (22.7 in) 60 kg (132 lbs) HP Color LaserJet 5550n and HP Color LaserJet 5550dn, with optional Tray 3 and stand 833 mm (32.8 in) 718 mm (28.25 in) 630 mm (24.8 in) 111 kg (246 lbs) HP Color LaserJet 5550dtn with optional Trays 2 and 3 and stand 965 mm (38 in) 718 mm (28.25 in) 630 mm (24.8 in) 126 kg (279 lbs) 718 mm (28.25 in) 630 mm (24.
Electrical specifications WARNING! Power requirements are based on the country/region where the printer is sold. Do not convert operating voltages. This may damage the printer and void the product warranty. Power Requirements Rated short term current 110-Volt Models 230-Volt Models 110-127V (+/- 10%) 220-240V (+/- 10%) 50/60 Hz (+/- 2 Hz) 50/60 Hz (+/- 2 Hz) 7.0 Amps 3.
Acoustic emissions1, 2 Sound Power Level Declared Per ISO 9296 Printing (28 PPM) LWAd=6.6 Bels (A) [66 dB (A)] Ready LWAd=4.9 Bels (A) [49 dB (A)] Sound Pressure Level - Bystander Position Declared Per ISO 9296 Printing (28 PPM) LpAm=49dB (A) Ready LpAm=33 dB (A) 1 Values current as of January 25, 2004. Values subject to change, see http://www.hp.com/ support/clj5550 for current information. 2 Configuration tested: Base unit printing A4 monochrome from standard tray.
Environmental specifications 264 Specification Allowed Temperature 15 to 27°C (59 to 81°F) Humidity 10 to 70 percent RH Appendix D Printer specifications ENWW
Regulatory information FCC regulations This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy. If this equipment is not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, it may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
Environmental product stewardship program Protecting the environment Hewlett-Packard Company is committed to providing quality products in an environmentally sound manner. This product has been designed with several attributes to minimize impacts on the environment. Ozone production This product generates no appreciable ozone gas (O3).
HP Printing Supplies Returns and Recycling Program Information Since 1990, the HP Printing Supplies Returns and Recycling Program has collected more than 47 million used LaserJet printer cartridges that otherwise might have been discarded in the world’s landfills. The HP LaserJet printer cartridges and supplies are collected and bulkshipped to our resource and recovery partners, who disassemble the cartridges. After a thorough quality inspection, selected parts are reclaimed for use in new cartridges.
Declaration of Conformity Declaration of Conformity according to ISO/IEC Guide 22 and EN 45014 Manufacturer’s Name: Manufacturer’s Address: Hewlett-Packard Company 11311 Chinden Boulevard Boise, Idaho 83714-1021, USA declares that the product Product Name: Regulatory Model Number:4) Product Options: HP Color LaserJet 5550/5550n/5550dn/5550dtn/5550hdn BOISB-0310-00 Including Q3956A -- Optional 500-Sheet Input Tray Q9669A -- Optional Printer Stand All conforms to the following Product Specifications: Saf
Safety statements Laser safety The Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has implemented regulations for laser products manufactured since August 1, 1976. Compliance is mandatory for products marketed in the United States. The printer is certified as a “Class 1” laser product under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Radiation Performance Standard according to the Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act of 1968.
Laser Statement for Finland Luokan 1 laserlaite Klass 1 Laser Apparat HP Color LaserJet 5550, HP Color LaserJet 5550n, HP Color LaserJet 5550dn, HP Color LaserJet 5550dtn, HP Color LaserJet 5550hdn laserkirjoitin on käyttäjän kannalta turvallinen luokan 1 laserlaite. Normaalissa käytössä kirjoittimen suojakotelointi estää lasersäteen pääsyn laitteen ulkopuolelle. Laitteen turvallisuusluokka on määritetty standardin EN 60825-1 (1994) mukaisesti.
Glossary bidirectional communication Two-way data transmission. bin A receptacle for holding printed pages. BOOTP Abbreviation for “Bootstrap Protocol,” an Internet protocol that allows a computer to find its own IP address. chooser A Macintosh accessory that allows you to select a device. control panel The area on the printer that contains buttons and a display screen. Use the control panel to set printer settings and to get information about the printer status.
firmware Programming instructions that are stored in a read-only memory unit inside the printer. font A complete set of letters, numerals, and symbols in a typeface. fuser The assembly that uses heat to fuse the toner onto the paper or other media. grayscale Various shades of gray. halftone pattern A halftone pattern uses differing sizes of ink dots to produce a continuoustone image such as a photograph. HP Jetdirect HP product for network printing.
page buffer Temporary printer memory used to hold page data while the printer creates an image of the page. parallel cable A type of computer cable often used to connect printers directly to a computer rather than to a network. parallel port A connection point for a device connected with a parallel cable. PCL Abbreviation for “Printer Control Language.” peripheral An auxilliary device, such as a printer, modem, or storage system, that works in conjunction with a computer.
supplies Materials used by the printer that are used up and must be replaced. Supply items for the HP Color LaserJet 5550 printer are the four print cartridges, the transfer unit, and the fuser. TCP/IP An internet protocol (developed by the U.S. Department of Defense) that has become the global standard for communications. toner The fine black or colored powder that forms the image on the printed media.
Index Symbols/Numerics 2-sided printing binding options 101 blank pages 101 control panel settings 100 A accessories ordering 251 auto continue 57 auxiliary connection configuration 71 B booklet printing 102 C clearable warnings setting display time 57 color adjusting 126 halftone options 126 HP ImageREt 3600 124 managing 126 matching 128 print in grayscale 126 printed vs.
HP Jetdirect print servers installing 248 HP toolbox using 119 hp toolbox 25 HP Web Jetadmin checking toner level 135 using to configure e-mail alerts 141 I I/O menu 48 images printing 96 information menu 42 input trays configuring 43, 54, 80 IP address displaying 53 J jam recovery setting 59 jams common causes 183 configuring e-mail alerts 141 envelopes 219 locations 181 recovery 181 Japanese VCCI statement 269 job held timeout 52 job storage limit 52 K Korean EMI statement 269 L language changing 59 light
life expectancy 133 managing 132 non-HP 132 replacing 135 storing 133 print quality menu 45 print server card installing 248 printer connectivity 11 driver 14 printer information pages troubleshooting 152 printer personalities 56 printing booklets 102 printing menu 44 private jobs deleting 109 printing 108 product stewardship 266 stopping a print request 105 storing jobs deleting 107 printing 107 private jobs 108 proof and hold jobs 107 quick copy jobs 106 storing 106 subnet mask 64 supplies ordering 251 r
278 Index ENWW
© 2004 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. www.hp.
