Things You'll Need:
- Printer Driver
- Power cable
- Parallel Port cable or Parallel Port-to-USB adapter
- HP 15 black ink
- HP 17 color ink
-
Step 1
Run the power cord from the printer to the wall socket. If you have a newer computer, make sure it has a parallel-port Socket, otherwise you will need to get a Parallel to USB adapter from Best Buy or Circuit City. That should run you $20 or so. If you have a parallel-port socket, just plug the cable into both the printer and the computer. If not, plug one end into the printer, the other end into the adapter and then plug it into your computer's USB port. Install the ink, which is labeled clearly on the printer. Using a flap system, insert the ink and then close the flap on top of the ink to secure it.
-
Step 2
Turn the printer and computer on and install the driver. Once the driver is installed, it will print out test pages to show that both the printer heads are aligned and the computer and printer are communicating fine.
-
Step 3
Make sure that the printer is filled with paper at all times. The Deskjet 840 C can hold up to 30 sheets at a time. You can use paper sizes ranging from memo to legal. Just select "Print" from the program that you are using. Remember though, choosing a higher print quality will slow the printing process down. Also, if you are using a parallel-port, expect a slower communication time than if you were using USB.
-
Step 4
Use the Deskjet 840 C for text documents, brochures and home photos. Hewlett-Packard made it mostly for families, college students, writers and amateur photographers. Families can use the photo-editing software, called HP Expressions, but the software has far fewer options than Adobe Photoshop.
-
Step 5
Know what to do if the printer starts printing strange symbols instead of what you wanted. In this instance, stop the printing by right-clicking the print icon in the tool tray of your computer and select "cancel print." Turn off the printer and then turn it back on again after a minute. Remove any paper, make sure there are no torn or crumpled sheets and reload the tray. Check your cable to make sure it is connected securely to both the computer and the printer and then try printing again. If that doesn't work, try rebooting your computer.
-
Step 6
Know what to do if the printer starts using more than one sheet of paper at a time or makes a loud grinding noise. In this instance, make sure that you haven't overloaded or underloaded your paper tray. Take out the remaining paper and check the rollers to make sure they are still aligned or have nothing stuck in them.
-
Step 7
Know what to do if you see streaky lines on the page. This means your print heads aren't aligned anymore. Run the alignment diagnostic test through the HP Programs on either PC or Mac. Put in new printer cartridges if the diagnostic test fails. It's always a good idea to have spare ink in case of emergencies.
-
Step 8
Know what to do if your print work is faded or your color work has taken on different colors than what you wanted. In this instance, the ink is running low. Change whichever cartridge is low.
