I have had quite a lot of experience with monochrome laser printers. To be honest, the affordable HP LaserJet Pro P1102w is not the best thing out there. However if you have one, this printer is still a keeper. It is relatively cheap to run. And although the printouts are not top class, the quality is still pretty decent and consistency more than makes up for it.
What I will be sharing today are the top three tips and or tricks that I use to easily resolve printing blank pages. All of these are applicable but not limited to the good ol’ HP LaserJet Pro P1102w.
#1 - Complete power cycle
First things first, have you tried a complete power cycle? There are times when even seasoned printers like the HP LaserJet Pro P1102w fail to detect or function with a new consumable. A complete power cycle, otherwise known as resetting, is the act of turning an equipment off and then on again. This may be the oldest trick in the book but it works like a charm particularly when installing a brand new HP 85A toner cartridge. I recommend trying this out before anything else since it usually does the job. But you need to be thorough because a complete power cycle only works after following a specific order. What you can do? Check this guide for the full process.
#2 - Check the shipping lock.
May it be an OEM or a compatible HP 85a toner cartridge; all cartridges have a shipping lock mechanism. This appears as a thin plastic strip that holds the toner inside the cartridge and prevents the toner particles from leaking while the product is being shipped. The presence of this strip is a very common cause of printing blank pages even after the printer detects a fully functional cartridge. If this is the cause of the printing problem, then you are in luck since this is a quick and easy resolution. What you can do? Turn on the printer, remove and check the cartridge, and take off the shipping lock.
#3 - Shake it like you mean it.
There are times when toner settles on one side of the cartridge. This incidence prevents toner from being dispensed, hence, printing blank pages. What you can do? Shake the cartridge from side to side and make sure that toner is not clumped and stuck. Do not exert too much force though as you can potentially damage the insides of the cartridge.
The tips discussed above work wonders. But if they so happen to fail, there is a good chance that you are dealing with a defective cartridge or possibly something with the printer. After trying all that and the problem still persists, I would try placing a spare HP P1102w toner</a> to further isolate the problem. If the spare cartridge works then you most likely got a defective cartridge subject to RMA.
Do give us an update on the comments down below and tell us about your experience with the good old HP LaserJet Pro P1102w and if these tips work for ya.
