How Does a Printer Self-Test Work?
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Introduction
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There may come a time that your printer will experience problems that may lead to malfunctioning. In order to assess the situation and aid in the troubleshooting of the printer issues, a user can perform a printer self-test. One can take advantage of the built-in printer self-test before calling the professionals, and then run some diagnostics in order to identify and fix the problems.
Performing Printer Self-Tests
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Not all printers are the same; therefore, it would follow that performing the printer self-tests on different make and models are not the same. Each printer manufacturer has its own method of performing self-tests; that is why it is always helpful to consult the owner's manual for further instructions. In case you lose your manual, you can go to the manufacturer's website to find the specific steps for your printer's make and model.
In general, for LaserJet printers, you can go to the menu functions and view on the LED display until where you are at and keep hitting the arrow keys until you get to where you can do a print self-test. On inkjet printers, you can generate a self-test page by holding down the "Hold" button while the printer is on for about a few seconds.
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Testing Tips
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It is worth noting that the "Test Print" on a Windows PC should not be confused with the printer self-tests. The printer self-tests are tests that users can perform directly on the printer and not just running a test page from the computer to the printer. It is, therefore, advisable to disconnect the printer from the computer when performing printer self-tests in order to better troubleshoot the problems without interference.
While the printer is healthy, especially after the installation, run the initial self-tests and keep them for your records. This way, you have a record of the default and healthy settings that you can use for comparison while troubleshooting future issues.
Diagnosing Using the Self-Tests
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If the printer self-tests print without any issues, you could probably start ruling out that the print mechanism of your printer is having problems. Instead, analyze the printout and compare to your first printer self-test while the printer was still working properly. Then, go to the manufacturer's website and search for the error codes that you see; usually the site will provide you with troubleshooting steps and ways to fix the problem. You can also call customer support and they can advice you with the steps based on the information you would read to them from the self-tests printout.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Panasonic.com, awu.edu
