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General discussion

Printer feeds handfull of paper

Feb 21, 2004 1:18AM PST

Have Windows XP Home edition on a Dell Dimension 2.0MHz.CPU.
HP lazer printer grabs too much paper and gets jammed when trying to print anything. Tried an HP Deskjet and it does the same thing. Using Windows drivers for both. Prints fine by feeding single sheets.
Both printers OK on another XP machine. Any help greatly appreciated.

Discussion is locked

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Re:Printer feeds handfull of paper = not a PC issue.
Feb 21, 2004 2:25AM PST

I've never found the PC to be at issue on this. I can only share what I found to help short of a trip to a repair depot.

1. Fan the paper like we used to with the old Xerox machines.
2. The rubber rollers AGE in the printers. HP at one time sent out a 2 inch square of very fine sandpaper to scuff up the rubber pick-up rollers. You can try similar.
3. Dusting it out. Maybe printers I see spew a small cloud of dust and paper bits if I remove the covers, pick it up and hold it upside down over the trash can. Paper dust and more can interfere with the printer works and many never cleaned such out.

Bob

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Re:Re:Printer feeds handfull of paper = not a PC issue.
Feb 21, 2004 12:20PM PST

I do not think that this is the problem as both printers print a test page without a problem. I also have tried them both on another Windows XP machine without a problem.

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You'll have to ask HP them (or the makers.)
Feb 21, 2004 12:26PM PST

The printers do different mechanical things from page to page. And a slower machine that gives pause between pages could make it seem that the PC is the problem.

Hopefully the printer maker will offer a fix.

Bob

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Bob Proffitt: I know this is a very old post, but it worked
Jan 20, 2008 5:03AM PST

I have a HP Deskjet 3745, and kept getting message "out of Paper", when it wasn't. Tried everything on HP's website and nothing worked. Did a search on CNET and found this post. I used fine sand paper on the rollers and cleaned them off with dampened cotton swabs and it worked. Printer is working fine now. I was ready to throw it out and get a new one.

Thank you, Bob.

Shirley,

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Thanks for the report.
Jan 20, 2008 5:28AM PST

Yup, old post but the tips are still useful if your printer is getting a few years old...

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I don't know how to clean up my HP Deskjet 3745 Printer!
Jan 27, 2008 12:49AM PST

Shirley, can you please demonstrate how exactly you did it?
Did you remove any of the screws there?

Or maybe you can post a step-by-step illustrated tutorial specific on the HP Deskjet 3745, Bob?

Thanks!

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Manual, page number, etc.
Jan 27, 2008 12:57AM PST
http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c00248178.pdf and page 44 is all they offer. It's "just another printer" so any detail beyond the usual is unlikely. You need to do what we do to all printers. Remove any dust, scraps of paper, wipe it down and keep it spic and span and hope all the tips help.

These printers are DISPOSABLE and only repaired at prices above what a new one can be obtained for. Also, they last about 2 years.

Bob
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TynTyn
Jan 27, 2008 5:27AM PST

Bob's link should help you clean up your printer.

To clean the rollers, I turned off the printer and unpluged it from the power outlet. To remove the rear access door, press the handle to the right and then pull out the door. I did not remove any screws. To clean the rollers, I cut about a two inch piece of FINE sand paper and folded it in half (rough side out) Grin. I then GENTLY rubbed the FINE sand paper against the individual rollers. I kept turning each roller until the entire surface was sanded. I then wiped them off with dampened cotton swabs. I replaced the door, pluged the printer in and turned it on. Typed a test page and it worked.

Hope this helps.

Shirley,

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Good tip Bob
Jan 20, 2008 5:10AM PST

I'll send a copy of this to my wife who uses the printer the most. Maybe one of use will remember it. I hope so.