Topic: Canon S200 won't print

[Simon]

I've been asked to look at a printer which won't print.  It's a Canon S200, and it has not long had new ink cartridges.  It will print the test gridlines, but only in the three colours, not black, but it won't print anything else.  It goes through the motions, as if it is printing, but there's nothing on the page.  I've cleaned the heads, but to no effect.  Any ideas?

[Clive]

I would suggest that the black cartridge, despite being new,is a duff one.  This has happened to me and others on several occasions.

[DJ]

Ok now this sounds silly - but it has happened to me before.... have you removed all the tape seals from the cartridges.  

I had one that I thought I had remived all tape, but one little bit was still stuck on. This stopped the airflow through and therefore stopped any ink printing.

Just a thought  

DJ

EDIT - Kos eye kant spel.

[Simon]

Checked the tape, thanks DJ.  

I'm inclined to agree with Clive.  It wouldn't print at all at first, but I think I installed the wrong driver.    Now I have the correct driver, it will print in colour, but not black.  The owner is giving me another new cartridge tomorrow to try.

[Sandra]

My printer would only print in red a few weeks ago Simon  
I hadnt used it or even had it installed for over 12 months as I use a laser printer for black and white stuff.
I ran the cleaning utility a few times and it was printing ok on that cycle but still only red when doing a test page or any photos.
I took the cartridge out and wiped the part where the ink came out with a paper tissue and it was fine after that  

[Simon]

I took the cartridge out and wiped the part where the ink came out with a paper tissue and it was fine after that  

Yes, that was the first thing I did, Sandra.  Unfortunately, I couldn't use the cleaning utility, as I don't have the software for the printer, until tomorrow.  It's not as if this printer hasn't been used, as it's main use is for printing school work, which is obviously mostly black.

[Adept]

Sometimes the cartridges get air-locked. If you cover the nozzles with tissue or kitchen roll and tap the cartridge sharply but lightly onto a hard surface, this can sometimes clear a blockage. The tissue is there to catch any leaking ink.

I'm not sure if it is the same with Canon cartridges, but the electrical contacts on HP cartridges often have to have the gunk from the plastic tape cleaned off before they work correctly.

[Simon]

Well, it appears to have been a dodgy (empty?) cartridge.  I put a new one in, and it works fine now.    The owner swears he put a new cartridge in just last week, but there you go.