How do I Fix an HP PSC 1110 With a Wrong Printer Cartridge Error?

HP ink cartridges

The HP PSC 1110 is an all-in-one inkjet printer manufactured by Hewlett-Packard. It prints color and black-and-white photos and documents, and its attached copier tray can scan and copy. Sometimes a new ink cartridge will malfunction and return an error message. Rather than immediately discard it, try some troubleshooting on your own. The process should take you somewhere between five minutes and half an hour.

Things You'll Need

• HP PSC 1110 printer
• HP PSC 1110 new ink cartridge
• Printer paper
• Cotton swabs
• Isopropyl alcohol

Instructions

1. Turn on the printer. Note which lights blink next to messages on the top left lid of the printer. If the yellow light next to "Check Print Cartridge" is blinking, check your computer for error messages. If you've installed the included software that came with the printer, a message will pop up on your computer specifying what is wrong with the cartridge.

2. Close the cartridge cover if the error message says, "The cover is open." The cartridge cover is on the front of the printer just above the paper tray. When the lid is open it rests on the paper tray. Just push it closed.

3. Check the error message for the problematic cartridge. If the error message says that either the color cartridge or the "right side" (black) cartridge is "missing, not detected, or incorrectly installed," troubleshoot for that color. If it doesn't say which cartridge is malfunctioning, open the cartridge door, grip the front and back of a cartridge, and pull it up and out. Close the lid. If the error message disappears, the cartridge you removed is the problem. If not, it's the other cartridge.

4. Look at the bottom of the problem cartridge. It came with a tab on the bottom that was supposed to be removed completely. It looks like scotch tape. Any remaining pieces can block the cartridge from working. Pull off anything from the bottom that looks like tape, but do not remove or scratch the copper square. Put the cartridge back in and see if the error message is gone. Do not attempt to use your printer after installing a new cartridge and closing the lid until the noises stop. The printer head is resetting so using the printer can damage it.

5. Clean the cartridge and the ink tray. Dip a cotton swab in isopropyl alcohol and swab it around the bottom of the cartridge. Gently wipe the inside of the ink tray where the cartridge rests. Let everything dry completely and reinsert the cartridge to see if the error message is gone.

6. Try printing a test page. Sometimes the cartridge chip is faulty and the printer cannot read how much ink it has. This doesn't always prevent the cartridge from working. If the test page prints, you can continue using the cartridge and ignore the error message.

7. Contact Hewlett-Packard for a replacement or refund if none of the troubleshooting steps work.

References

• HP: PSC 1110 Check Print Cartridge Light