Use a printer long enough and you’ll eventually see error messages. From paper jams, to not enough memory, to obscure code errors, as with the rest of your system you will eventually need to do a little troubleshooting of your own. We’ll walk you through a couple of the most common HP printer error code-causers.

Paper Outages and Jams

Paper jams are very common printer errors, especially when printing high-volume projects. It seems the more pages you need printed, the more often printers can jam. You will generally be alerted to the paper jam by a somewhat annoying and hard to ignore alarm tone. Your HP printer’s screen will give you an error message regarding the jam. You’ll need to open the cover of your printer to discover whether the paper jam occurred upon the page’s entry, exit, or registration and then gently dislodge it. If the problem is a consistent one, examine your pick up roller (if it’s shiny, pitch it and spring for a new one) and your plastic arm exit sensors, which can get stuck or misaligned occasionally.

If your HP printer error is politely telling you that you are out of paper despite the full paper tray, check out your tray tabs to make sure they are in working order by depressing them and listen for the click sound. It could also be that your paper tray is just slightly misaligned.

Driver & Software Updates

Your printer error code could be related to a corrupt or out of date driver or old software. If you suspect this is the case visit HP’s web site and go to their Support & Drivers section. Here you will be able to download new drivers or any needed software updates for your HP printer.

Memory

If the job you are attempting to print is quite large, it could eat up your printer’s memory. Before you purchase additional memory, try lowering the dpi of your project or breaking it into smaller pieces to see if it will print properly. If not, you can find good deals on HP printer memory online.

Cords & Cartridges

Your input/output cord could be to blame for your printer powering up but not delivering. Try unplugging and then re-plugging it from the back of the printer. The connection could just be loose or you may need to replace the cable. As for toner cartridges, when your toner gets low you will receive an error message. Try removing the cartridge and gently shaking to redistribute the remaining toner. That will get you a few more pages, but you’ll still need to hit the store for a new one.

Additional Resources

For specific codes and dozens of other fixes and suggestions, check out these sites.

http://welcome.hp.com/country/us/en/support_task.html
http://www.fixyourownprinter.com/reference/errorcodes/hp
http://www.fixya.com/support/hp/printers