Basic Troubleshooting External Storage

The large storage capacity and portability of external hard drives and flash drives make external storage an extremely convenient way to back up, transport, and swap files. Many of us now rely solely on external storage to back up our internal hard drive or to transport multimedia libraries on our key chain. However, when the external storage device you’ve come to depend on is operating poorly or not at all, it can be frustrating and inconvenient especially if the drive contains important work documents or the entire contents of your hard drive. The following troubleshooting tips can help you restore and improve your external storage drive’s swapping and storing capabilities. Malfunction Junction When troubleshooting an external hard drive or flash drive, it’s wise to search the Internet for known incompatibilities relevant to your device and to visit the manufacturer’s Web site to make certain you don’t need any special software or drivers. To find the appropriate download, you need to know the drive’s name, model number, or serial number and its storage capacity. Typically, external hard drives display this identification above the bar code on the bottom of the drive, and flash drives include a name and model number in the accompanying packaging or user’s guide. Operating systems created after Windows 98 don’t require you to install any drivers to recognize external storage drives. Therefore, you can trace the majority of detection problems to a misconnection or incorrectly configured port. If you’re experiencing sluggish file transfer and drive access, the problem is more likely because of inadequate USB or FireWire hardware within your computer. While you can resolve both detection and slow drive problems, an external hard drive that exhibits grinding noises or extremely hot running temperatures may be on its last legs and you should remove data from the drive as soon as possible. The Computer Isn’t Detecting My External Drive

Problem: My external storage device isn’t listed in My Computer.

Solution: Partially connected USB or FireWire connectors (or devices that are inadvertently unplugged) are a common cause of undetected drives. The plug may appear firmly seated, but you should disconnect and reconnect the USB or FireWire connector to ensure the drive is plugged in. If your external storage drive connects to a USB or FireWire hub, ensure the hub has power and that its connector is plugged into the computer. Note that some external storage devices work poorly or not at all when connected to a hub; try connecting the drive directly to a port on the computer. If the drive still isn’t detected, test an external hard drive’s cable by switching it with another USB or FireWire cable.

Problem: My external storage device is connected but not recognized by Windows.

Solution: If you use an external hard drive, ensure the AC power cord and any subsequently connected power strip securely plugs into the power outlet and that both are switched on. Eliminate the port as the source of the problem by connecting your flash drive or external hard drive to another port. If the external storage isn’t recognized in another port, open Device Manger to determine if your port or drive has a system conflict. Select the Start button, Settings, and then click Control Panel. Double-click System, select the Hardware tab, and then click the Device Manager button. Click the plus sign (+) next to Universal Serial Bus Controllers for a drive that connects via USB and the plus sign next to IEEE1394 Bus Host Controllers for a Fire- Wire connected drive. A yellow exclamation point signifies the port has a driver conflict, and a red “X” indicates the port has been disabled. Right-click and select Enable to reopen a disabled port. To resolve a port conflict, right-click and choose Uninstall for each controller until all the USB or IEEE 1394 Controllers are removed. After you uninstall each controller, restart your computer and it will reinstall the proper Bus Host Controllers. To check for an external storage conflict, select the Disk Drives heading and find your external storage drive. If the drive has a conflict, you may need to install its included software and proprietary driver for the computer to recognize the device. If the drive still can’t be detected, uninstall the external drive and then reboot the computer to facilitate its detection.

Problem: My flash drive works fine at home, but isn’t recognized on my work computer.

Solution: Many office networks use mapped network drives that override Windows’ drive lettering system for removable devices. Through the Disk Management utility you can manually assign a drive letter to your flash storage device. Right-click the My Computer icon, select Manage, and then double-click Disk Management. Right-click your flash drive and choose Change Drive Letter And Path. Select an unused drive letter from the dropdown list and click OK. You should now see the flash drive listed under that drive letter in My Computer.

Problem: My computer runs Window 98 and it won’t recognize my external storage device.

Solution: To use any USB device on Win98, you need to update your installation of Windows 98 via the Windows Update Web site. Some USB devices have problems in Win98FE (First Edition) and most work better in Win98SE (Second Edition). You’ll also need to install the Win98 driver that came with your accompanying software. FireWire devices only work in Win98SE, and you’ll need to download a FireWire update before you can detect your FireWire drive. I Can’t Read/Write Data To My External Storage Device

Problem: My external storage device shows up in My Computer, but I can’t access or write to the drive.

Solution: The drive may be incorrectly formatted for Windows or have a corrupt partition. Windows 2000 and XP feature a utility called Disk Management that analyzes your external drive and assigns it an Online, Healthy, or Unreadable status. Open the utility by right-clicking the My Computer icon and selecting Manage. Under the Storage heading, double-click Disk Management to view your external storage drive’s status. If it has an Unreadable status, you need to format the drive to remove the corrupt partition or incompatible Windows file format. Before you do, attempt to transfer the drive’s data onto another computer because formatting completely erases the files on the drive. To format, simply right-click the external hard drive and click Format.

Problem: My external storage device works with Windows, but I can’t access it on Macintosh operating systems.

Solution: You drive is most likely formatted in the NTFS (NT file system) file format. To use external storage on both Windows and Macintosh operating systems, it must be in the FAT32 (32-bit file allocation table) format. You’ll need to reformat the drive and choose FAT32 when prompted for a file format. To reformat the drive, right-click it in My Computer and click Format. My External Storage Works Slowly

Problem: My new external storage device is USB 2.0 compatible but my files don’t transfer any faster than they did with the USB 1.1 external storage device.

Solution: At 480Mbps (megabits per second), USB 2.0 can transfer up to 40 times faster than USB 1.1. But both your computer and any connected hub must have USB 2.0 hardware to perform the higher-speed transfer. If you’re unsure of the computer’s USB capabilities, look under the Universal Serial Bus Controllers in Device Manager. USB 2.0 is denoted by either Standard Enhanced or USB 2.0 Enhanced. If your computer doesn’t support USB 2.0, you can install an add-on card to take advantage of the greater transfer speed. Note that for Windows to support USB 2.0, you must install Service Pack 2 for WinXP or Service Pack 4 for Win2000.

Problem: My FireWire external storage device transfers slowly.

Solution: FireWire 800 (also known as IEEE 1394b) can only transfer at 800Mbps when used with a 9-pin to 9- pin FireWire cable. A 9-pin to 6-pin cable allows for backward compatibility between older FireWire devices, but it only transfers data at 400Mbps. A major benefit of FireWire devices is that you can connect them in a chain, meaning you can connect your digital camcorder to your external hard drive and expect both to communicate with your computer. However, the entire FireWire chain shares the same bandwidth, and if multiple devices are active, you can significantly reduce your transfer speed. If you must daisychain FireWire devices, connect the external hard drive to the computer and place the slower FireWire devices at the end of the chain. In this fashion, your external drive’s data won’t have to pass through the slower devices.

Problem: My external storage drive accesses data slowly when it’s full.

Solution: You can improve your external drive’s performance by running Windows’ Disk Defragmenter utility to better organize the files on your drive. Select the Start menu, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and then click Disk Defragmenter. In the Disk Defragmenter window, select your external drive and then click Analyze. Although Windows may indicate the drive doesn’t need to be defragmented, doing so may still improve its performance. Check Disk (or ScanDisk as it’s known in older versions of Windows) is another helpful utility that locates errors and bad sectors on your drive. Open My Computer and find the icon for your external storage device. Right-click the icon, select Properties, and then click the Tools tab. Click the Check Now button and select Automatically Fix File System Errors and Scan For And Attempt Recovery Of Bad Sectors. During the repair, Check Disk may stop to give you the option to save unrecoverable data. This data is an indecipherable jumble of characters that won’t provide any usable files don’t recover the data and let Check Disk continue the repair. External Drive Produces Errors

Problem: Windows reports my USB or FireWire flash drive is write-protected.

Solution: Some flash drives have a write-protect switch located on the side of the drive that locks data from being written to it. Use a ballpoint pen or small object to unlock the drive’s write-protection. It’s also possible to trigger write-protection by unplugging a drive in the process of writing data. Although it’s typically fine to remove an idle flash drive, the Safely Remove Hardware tool in the taskbar is designed to stop Windows from accessing the drive. You can click this icon, even after the error has occurred, to remove the write-protection from the drive. If the drive is still protected, you may need to connect the flash drive to another port and reboot your computer to reset the flash drive’s settings.

Problem: Windows reports that my external storage is full even when it has more than enough free space.

Solution: If your drive uses the FAT32 file format, Disk Is Full or Not Enough Space error messages can occur when you transfer files larger than 4GB. Although FAT32 can’t work with files over 4GB, the NTFS file format can. Win2000 and XP feature a converter tool that lets you convert a drive from FAT32 to NTFS without removing any files from the drive. Before running the converter tool, Windows advises you to back up the drive’s data because an error during the conversion process could corrupt it. Click the Start menu, select Run, type cmd, and then click OK. At the DOS prompt, type convert (drive letter): /fs:ntfs and press Enter. For example, if your external drive’s letter is E, type convert E: /fs:ntfs to change it from FAT32 to NTFS. After you enter the command line, you may be required to enter the drive’s volume name, which will be listed in My Computer next to the external drive’s letter. Past Basic Troubleshooting Most external hard drive and flash drive manufacturers maintain substantial online databases that can help you resolve difficulties. If you experience a problem we didn’t have room to cover in this article, see if your drive’s manufacturer covers the problem online. Should you need to call the manufacturer’s tech support line, have your product identification handy and outline any steps you’ve already taken to solve the problem. This information will not only help expedite the troubleshooting process, but it will also provide the tech support agent a better understanding of your problem.

Basic Troubleshooting Speakers

After downloading a new track from your favorite online music store, you’re ready to jam. Much to your disappointment, you discover there’s something wrong with your computer’s speakers. You can’t hear a thing, even though the program you’re using to play the track appears to be outputting sound. In this article, we’ll look at some of the things you should check when there is no sound coming from your computer’s speakers. Most laptops have built-in speakers. With a laptop, you also have the option of connecting external speakers. Many laptops have the ability to mute the speakers and adjust volume using hardware buttons on the laptop. If you have a desktop computer, there may be an integrated speaker in the case, but you will need separate, external speakers in order to play music and other audio files. Sometimes, the sound card in your computer, rather than your speakers, causes the audio problems you’re experiencing. If you suspect this is the case, take a look at our articles on troubleshooting sound cards ("You’re Having Audio Problems") and ("Basic Troubleshooting: Audio Cards"). No Sound At All

Problem: You click a link to an audio file on a Web site, but hear nothing.

Solution: Some Web pages open a separate window in order to initiate the audio player. Popup blockers sometimes block this new window from opening. If you have a popup blocker installed, add the Web site you’re accessing to the whitelist to allow all popups. For more information on popup blockers, see “You’re Pestered By Popup Ads”. If you don’t have a popup blocker, or if it’s set to allow all popups from the site you are visiting, make sure your computer has completely dowloaded the audio file you’re trying to listen to. Depending on your Internet connection speed and the size of the file, it could take a few seconds or a few hours to download an audio clip. Finally, check to see if you can hear sound from other applications. Put an audio CD in your computer’s CDROM drive and play the files using an audio player such as Windows Media Player. If you’re able to hear sounds from other applications, make sure you have the appropriate software plug-in to listen to the audio file, keeping in mind that some Web sites use very specific audio players.

Problem: Regardless of the application, I cannot hear sound coming from my computer speakers.

Solution 1: Check all of the jacks that connect your speakers to the computer. Disconnect and reconnect the cords to ensure there is a solid connection. Make sure you have the appropriate speaker cords plugged into the appropriate jacks on your computer; look for Line In, Line Out, Microphone, and Joystick specific jacks.

Solution 2: Verify the external speakers have power by looking for a light on the speakers. Plug a different device such as a lamp into the same outlet to make sure that the outlet is live.

Solution 3: If your speakers have an external volume control, turn up the volume past the minimum sound level. If you’re having difficulty hearing sound in a specific program, check to see if the program has volume controls or a mute button that you may need to adjust.

Solution 4: Check the volume settings within Windows XP; navigate to the Control Panel and then open Sounds And Audio Devices. In the Sounds And Audio Devices Properties dialog box, make sure the box next to Mute is unchecked. Check other volume settings in this dialog box and click the Speaker Volume button to set the volume level for your speakers. Open the master Volume Control by clicking the Advanced button. In the Volume Control dialog box, make sure that none of the boxes next to Mute are checked.

Solution 5: Make sure the appropriate driver for your sound card is installed. To check for drivers, right click My Computer, select Properties, navigate to the Hardware tab, and click the Device Manager button. In the Device Manager, expand the tree for Sound, Video And Game Controllers. First, verify that the sound card is enabled. If the sound card is disabled, there will be a red X through the device icon in the tree listing. If there is no red X through the sound card icon, right-click the sound card and choose Properties. In the sound card properties dialog box, navigate to the Driver tab. On the Drivers tab, you will see driver information for your sound card. To update the driver for your sound card, click the Update Driver button. A wizard will walk you through the update process. For more information on troubleshooting sound card problems, see "Basic Troubleshooting: Audio Cards".

Problem: I hear audio from a Web site, but it stops abruptly.

Solution: Make sure the audio file has finished downloading; be patient, especially if you are using a dialup modem or are downloading multiple things at once.

Problem: I can hear sound from some applications, but not others.

Solution: Check all settings within the program that will not play sound. Look for any volume control or mute options. You may also want to look into the possibility that the program you are using is having a conflict with your sound card. If necessary, contact the software manufacturer for information on troubleshooting with your sound card. In addition, it never hurts to check the volume settings on the speaker to make sure they are set to appropriate levels. Next, check the volume settings on your computer to ensure they are turned up and not muted. You may need to check the volume settings both in Windows and in your specific audio player. To check volume settings in Windows, click the Start menu, navigate to All Programs, then highlight Accessories, Entertainment, and click Volume Control. In the Volume Control window, make sure all sound levels are set to appropriate levels and not muted.

Problem: I have a multispeaker setup, and I’m only hearing sound from some of the speakers in my setup.

Solution: Check to make sure that your computer is set to use all of your speakers. Navigate to the Control Panel, and double-click Sounds And Audio Devices. Select the Audio tab, and then click the Advanced button under Sound Playback. On the Advanced Audio Properties Speakers tab, choose the speaker setup that most closely resembles your setup. If you change this setting, click Apply, OK, and then OK again to exit the Sounds And Audio Devices Properties dialog box. Also, make sure you have the most current driver available for your sound card.

Problem: I can hear audio from programs on my computer, but I’m unable to hear audio from music CDs that I’ve inserted into my CDROM drive.

Solution: Check the wire that connects your sound card to your system’s CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive to verify it is properly connected. Also, make sure the CD audio isn’t muted and is set to an appropriate level in Volume Settings. Jam Time With a little bit of time, you should figure out what’s preventing your speakers from producing sound. If you suspect that the problem is with your sound card, rather than your speakers, refer to "Basic Troubleshooting: Audio Cards".

Basic Troubleshooting Scanners

Scanners convert text documents, paper photographs and images, slides and negatives, and even small three-dimensional objects into digital files. Essentially electronic copy machines, most scanners come in three main types: flatbed scanners, sheetfed scanners, and multifunction/ all-in-one devices. A flatbed scanner features a horizontal glass pane, usually in letter or legal size, on which you place a document for scanning. Scanners with an ADF (automatic document feeder; a slanted tray that holds documents for scanning) are sheetfed scanners. A sheetfed scanner may or may not include the flatbed component, and depending on the scanner model, you can place one or more documents to scan in the ADF. Finally, many multifunction or all-in-one machines include scanning capabilities, together with other features such as copying, printing, and faxing.

In addition to the hardware, most scanners come with software for editing images, previewing scans, and setting scan properties. To convert documents into digital text, many scanners include OCR (optical character recognition) software. To identify your scanner’s manufacturer and model information, first check the exterior of the scanner for brand and model labeling. If you cannot locate identifying information on the scanner itself, try the Windows Device Manager. To open the Device Manager, right-click My Computer, click Properties, select the Hardware tab, and click Device Manager. Expand the Imaging Devices section to view a list of installed devices, including scanners. Typically, scanner problems are related to one or more of four general areas: a faulty cable or connection, issues with the scanner software settings or the driver, physical characteristics of the document to be scanned, or maintenance/ cleaning issues. The following troubleshooting section discusses typical scanner problems and provides multiple solutions. If none of the suggestions work, contact the scanner manufacturer for assistance in case the scanner needs repairs or replacement. Steps For Troubleshooting Typical Scanner Problems Because most scanner problems have multiple solutions, we list a series of troubleshooting actions for each problem. Try the actions in the order presented, testing after each. If the action taken does not resolve your problem, move on to the next action.

Problem: My computer can’t find the scanner or the scanner doesn’t start scanning.

Solution 1: Check the power supply and cable. Verify that the power light is on and the scanner is ready. Make sure to use the power equipment that came with the scanner. If the power supply is plugged into a power strip or surge protector, try plugging it directly into the wall.

Solution 2: Check the USB cable, if applicable. If your scanner is connected to the computer with a USB cable, use the cable that came with the scanner. If you are using a different USB cable, it should be no more than 6-feet long. Try plugging the USB cable into a different USB port on the PC. If the USB cable is plugged into a USB hub, try connecting the cable directly to the computer. If you have another compatible cable, try replacing the current cable.

Solution 3: Check the SCSI or FireWire cable, if applicable. Some high-capacity scanners use a SCSI or FireWire interface. Use the cable that came with the scanner, and double-check the connections on your computer and the scanner itself. Try disconnecting and reconnecting the cables. If you have another compatible cable, try replacing the current cable.

Solution 4: Check the shipping lock. If the scanner has a shipping lock, verify that it is in the unlocked position. The shipping lock prevents carriage damage to the scanner during shipping.

Solution 5: Reset the scanner. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to reset the scanner. If you do not have instructions, disconnect the cable that connects the scanner to the computer. Disconnect the scanner power cable to turn the scanner off. Turn off the computer and wait a couple of minutes. Turn on the computer, reconnect the scanner power cable to turn the scanner on, and reconnect the cable that connects the scanner to the computer.

Solution 6: Update the scanner driver and software. Check for updates to device drivers and new software patches. Install the updates as instructed by the manufacturer.

Solution 7: Check the device driver in the Windows Device Manager. To open the Device Manager, right-click My Computer, click Properties, select the Hardware tab, and click Device Manager. Look in the Imaging Devices section for a yellow exclamation mark or red X indicating a problem with the device or driver. If a problem is indicated, right-click the scanner and click Properties. In the Device Status box, look for any messages about problems with the scanner, or click the Troubleshooting button for additional help.

Solution 8: Verify scanning software settings. Most scanning software automatically opens when you attempt to perform a scan. If yours does not, open the software manually. If you don’t know the correct software settings, change the settings to the factory default, or refer to the software’s online help or support information.

Solution 9: Close all open programs and disable antivirus software. If this solves the problem, the antivirus software may be interfering with the scanning software. Check with the antivirus software manufacturer to resolve the conflict.

Solution 10: Try repairing the scanner software. Click Start, Control Panel, and Add Or Remove Programs. Select the scanning software and click Change or Repair. Follow the onscreen instructions.

Solution 11: Uninstall and reinstall scanner software. Click Start, Control Panel, and Add Or Remove Programs. Select the scanning software and click Remove. Follow the on-screen instructions to remove the software. Reinstall the scanner software using the original installation CD.

Problem: I don’t have enough disk space, or memory errors occur when I use my scanner.

Solution 1: Try scanning to a lower resolution. Most scanners let you scan at different resolutions. Image resolution is measured in dpi (dots per inch), which is sometimes referred to as ppi (pixels per inch). As dpi/ppi increases, so do image quality and file sizes. How you plan to use the scanned image dictates the dpi/ppi level to use. Ideally, you can use the following guidelines for dpi/ppi settings. If your computer is running out of memory or hard drive space, however, try a lower setting. Image for email or CRT (cathode ray tube) display: 75dpi/ppi Image for on-screen LCD display: 200dpi/ppi Text documents and medium quality images for printing: 300dpi /ppi High-quality images for printing: 600dpi/ppi High-quality images for enlarging: 1,200dpi/ppi (may require 100MB or more of drive space)

Solution 2: Reduce memory use. Close all unnecessary applications, such as email and word processing software. You can also reduce the number applications running in the background with the Windows configuration tool. To do this, click Start and Run. In the Open dialogue box, type msconfig and click OK. Select the Startup tab and remove the checks from any applications you do not want your computer to start automatically. If you’re not sure, do not remove the check write down the name of the item and research it later. When you have completed unchecking items, click OK and restart your computer. Windows restarts in the Selective Startup state. If your system does not operate correctly in Selective Startup or you want to return to the previous state, select Normal Startup and restart Windows again.

Solution 3: Increase hard drive space. To up the amount of space available on your computer’s hard drive, start by emptying the Recycle Bin. To do this, right-click the Recycle Bin on the Windows Desktop and click Empty. You can also run the Disk Cleanup utility. To do this, click Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and Disk Cleanup. Follow the on-screen prompts to select files to remove. You can free additional space by removing applications you do not need. Click Start, Settings, Control Panel, and Add Or Remove Programs. For each application you no longer need, select the application and click Remove.


Problem: My ADF is experiencing feed errors and paper jams.

Solution 1: Inspect documents for obstructions. Make sure the documents you are attempting to scan do not have staples, paper clips, binder holes, glued edges, punch holes, tears, or other characteristics that interfere with the ADF.

Solution 2: Check document compatibility. Do not place documents in the feeder that the ADF is not designed to handle, such as multipart forms. If you’re scanning a document that’s not a standard size, check the scanner documentation to verify the sizes it supports.

Solution 3: Confirm ADF installation and document placement. Verify the ADF is installed properly and in the correct position. If you are scanning multiple documents, do not exceed the recommended ADF capacity, and fan the pages prior to placing them in the ADF to separate them.

Solution 4: Work with different types of documents and sizes. If you are scanning pages of different sizes, try scanning only the same size pages at the same time, or scan each page one at a time. If the paper has a glossy or semi-glossy coating, try non-glossy paper.

Solution 5: Clean the ADF. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning the ADF assembly. If parts such as pads or rollers appear worn, refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for replacing them.

Problem: My scans are blank or of poor quality.

Solution 1: Check ADF document placement. If you are using an ADF, make sure you have placed the documents correctly in the ADF. For example, make sure it is facing up or down, as indicated in the manufacturer’s directions.

Solution 2: Inspect the original document or image. Verify that the original is clear and not distorted or damaged.

Solution 3: Clean the scanner glass. Most manufacturers recommend cleaning with a lint-free cloth and nonabrasive glass cleaner or isopropyl alcohol.

Solution 4: Preview the scan. If available, use your scanning software’s preview feature to verify the scan quality. Adjust software settings to increase sharpness and/or resolution. For color images, use 24-bit output, and for black and white use 256 shades of gray (8-bit grayscale).

Solution 5: Check the scanning software. Verify that photo scanning is not selected for text or line drawings and vice versa.

Solution 6: Check for bleed through. If the original document is two-sided, the information from the reverse side of the document may bleed through. Adjust brightness, contrast, and threshold settings to reduce bleed through.

Solution 7: Reinstall or update the scanner driver. Check the manufacturer’s Web site for an updated driver or reinstall the current driver following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Problem: My scans have vertical lines or stains.

Solution 1: Scan a blank sheet of paper. If the lines or stains continue to appear, clean the scanner components.

Solution 2: Clean the scanner glass. Most manufacturers recommend cleaning with a lint-free cloth and nonabrasive glass cleaner or isopropyl alcohol.

Solution 3: Clean the ADF mechanism. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning the ADF assembly. If parts such as pads or rollers appear worn, refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for replacing them.

Problem: The scans are clipped, incomplete, or skewed.

Solution 1: Place the image or document correctly. If you are placing the image on a scanning bed, make sure it is positioned correctly. Try turning the image 90 degrees and rescanning.

Solution 2: Check ADF issues. If you are using an ADF, align the page in the sheet guides and do not exceed the ADF sheet capacity. Make sure the sheet guides are not loose or broken. For multi-page scans, especially pages of different sizes, scan one page at a time. If the paper you’re using has a glossy or semi-glossy coating, try non-glossy paper.

Solution 3: Verify your scanner’s software settings. Check whether your scanning software has an automatic cropping feature enabled. Additionally, if the scanning software includes an automatic straightening feature, it may attempt to straighten an image that includes a large graphical design. Turn the feature off and try the scan again. If a page is missing from the scanned document, turn off any scanning software options that automatically remove blank pages.

Problem: The scanned image’s color or brightness is incorrect.

Solution 1: Verify software settings. Check the settings for color and brightness. Adjust as needed, using the preview feature if available.

Solution 2: Move the document. Try rotating the original document 90 degrees in the scanner.

Solution 3: Use default settings. Set the scanner and software to the original factory default settings.

Solution 4: Adjust settings for colored paper. If you are using colored paper, set the output type to black and white. Change the color channel to red, green, or blue to determine the channel that works best with the background. Magazine pictures and postcards might benefit from the descreening option, if available, which reduces undesirable patterns.

Problem: Scanning is very slow.

Solution 1: Change to black and white. Reduce scan time by choosing black-and-white output, if possible.

Solution 2: Adjust resolution and file size. Modify the scanner software to reduce the resolution and decrease the file size. Avoid using the 24-bit color output, if possible. Lower-quality settings generally result in faster scans.

Solution 3: Decrease the image size. Crop or resize the photo to a smaller scan dimension.

Problem: Text created by the OCR software is incorrect.

Solution 1: Ensure software settings are correct. Check the scanner software to be sure you selected a text document for scanning. Also, select a minimum dpi of 300. Even under ideal conditions, the OCR software may not be able to convert all text correctly.

Solution 2: Check the original document. OCR software is less reliable when the quality of the original document is poor.

Solution 3: Reformat the scanned document. Word processors may not be able to read all of the scanned document’s fonts if the font is not available on your PC. Also, the OCR software may not preserve columns, tables, and other formatting. Use the word processor to reformat the document as needed after scanning.

Basic Troubleshooting Laser Printers

Laser printers are a complex combination of mechanical, electrical, and chemical components. Without the proper care and operation, a laser printer’s inner workings can suffer and cause printer malfunctions or poor print quality. But you can apply logical troubleshooting to identify many laser printer issues and perform the appropriate laser printer maintenance or software adjustment to resolve many printing problems. The following problems and solutions assume that your printer is responsive (see “What To Do When . . . Your Printer Won’t Print”) and concentrate on correcting the most common laser printer annoyances. Although your first instinct may be to rip open the printer and look for the “smoking gun,” the printer’s outputted pages provide the most solid trail of evidence. If your pages are flawed by smears, smudges, or lines, the problem is most likely within the printer because it’s doubtful a print setting could cause such defects. Laser printer components tend to degrade over a long period of time, so sudden changes in printer performance are more often the result of an improper print configuration in your application or printer settings. For example, if you have trouble printing from Microsoft Word but not from Internet Explorer or Microsoft Excel, a print setting in Word is causing the problem. If you’re unsure what your print problem is, first check your application settings or printer properties for faulty print configurations. A quick inspection of these settings can save you from wasting time and frustration pursuing other solutions.

Wheels Within Wheels To transfer a digital image to paper, laser printers employ a xerographic printing process that requires the near-instantaneous interaction of all its components. The printer shoots a laser beam onto an OPC (optical photoconductor) drum, and the drum’s electrostatic charge attracts a black or colored powder called toner. The toner is then applied to the paper and passed through a fuser that bonds the toner to the paper through heat and pressure. For the process to work perfectly, the toner cartridge, drum, fuser, and paper in the laser printer must meet product specifications. When purchasing any replacement parts, make certain the product is compatible with your laser printer’s model. If you don’t know your model or manufacturer, it’s displayed on the laser printer’s case, many times near the control panel or in the upper-left or right-hand side. To ensure quality, purchase replacement products from the manufacturer because their parts are optimally designed to work with their laser printers. Before opening your laser printer’s case, unplug the printer to prevent electrical shock from the printer’s internal components. If you recently used the laser printer, let it cool down for a few minutes so that the fuser mechanism and photoconductor drum don’t burn your fingers. Don’t touch the OPC drum or the oil on your skin may stick to its surface, get baked onto the roller, and cause smudges on all your future prints. If toner gets on your clothes, wipe it off with a dry cloth and wash your clothes in cold water because hot water will set the toner into the fabric. Laser Printer Paper Problems

Problem: My laser printer reports it has a paper jam, how do I remove it?
Solution: Open the front panel of the printer. Your printer’s users guide, user CD with flash animation, or an illustration on the printer can show you how to do so. Remove the toner cartridge from the printer and hold it horizontal to the floor to keep the toner from spilling. Place it on a disposable sheet of paper to confine any loose toner. Once you find the paper jam, gradually pull the paper out so that you don’t tear the jammed page. If the page can’t be moved, look for illustrations next to the rollers that indicate how to manually advance the paper. Should the paper rip, remove all the torn pieces, or they may jam the printer again.

Problem: The paper is stuck at the rear of the laser printer.

Solution: A paper jam stuck in the printer’s fuser mechanism is often unreachable from the front panel. For this reason, many laser printers include a removable rear panel. You may need to remove a few screws from the panel and the fuser assembly to reach the paper jam. Once the back cover is areas or blank spots.

Solution: The paper manufacturing process can sometimes cause paper to reject toner. Try a different type or brand of paper in the printer. If your paper is stored in a humid environment such as a basement or storage room, check the paper for moist spots on its surface. The paper may not feel damp, but its moisture content may affect how the toner fuses to the paper. Set the PERIPHERALS Laser Printers open, gradually extract the paper from the fuser assembly and pick up any torn pieces inside the printer.

Problem: The laser printer often feeds multiple pages into the printer.

Solution: Laser printer paper comes in many weights (the heavier the weight, the sturdier the paper) and finishes. Generally, laser printers work with a variety of paper types, but check your product specifications to make certain the paper currently in the tray is compatible with your printer. The main paper tray of most laser printers supports paper weights from 20 to 24 pounds, and the manual feed tray is designed to work better with heavier or specialty paper such as transparencies, stationery, and envelopes. Check that the paper isn’t warped or stuck together because this can cause the feeder to grasp multiple pages. Pick up the stack of paper and separate any pieces that may be stuck together by fanning the stack with your thumb. Remove any warped or bent pages and straighten a wavy stack of paper by bending it in the opposite direction. After you insert the paper, slide the back guide and side guides until they fit tightly against the stack of paper but not so firm that they cause the paper to bow. Avoid mixing different paper types in the same tray because their different textures and weights can make it difficult for the printer to grab a single sheet.

Problem: The printer won’t use its manual feed tray.

Solution: Laser printers typically automatically sense paper in the manual feed tray through a trigger switch next to manual tray’s entrance. If the paper or media isn’t firmly inserted into the tray, you may need to set the side guides or insert the paper farther into the tray to activate the trigger switch. If the printer still uses the main tray, change your printer’s properties to always grab media from the manual feed tray. Click Start, Printers And Faxes, and then right-click your printer and choose Properties. Click the Device Settings tab and in the Paper Source drop-down menu choose Manual Feed. Once you finish printing from the manual tray, change the Paper Source back to Main Tray, or it will continue to grab media from the manual tray.

Problem: My laser printer won’t feed transparency sheets, or the transparencies are coming out melted or warped.

Solution: Before you print a transparency, remove the white piece of gripper edge tape because the printer may have trouble grabbing or moving the polished edge through its paper path. Typically, transparencies feed better through the manual tray because it’s designed to handle specialty media. Transparencies have a rough and smooth side, and you should print on the rough, grainy side of the sheet. If your transparencies come out of the laser printer slightly melted or warped, you need to purchase laser printer compatible sheets because unsuitable transparencies may melt and injure your printer’s internal components.

Problem: I’m having trouble feeding envelopes in the laser printer and getting the text to appear in the correct location.

Solution: Each laser printer handles envelopes in a different fashion, and you should follow the laser printer’s guidelines exactly. Typically, the manual feed tray’s paper path is better at handling thicker and smaller media, so it’d be best to insert your envelopes in the manual tray. Any envelopes you use should fall within the type and thickness recommended in your laser printer’s manual and meet general laser printer standards. The heat and pressure applied to the glue during the fusing process could seal unsuitable envelopes. When you insert an envelope, adjust the paper guides so that they will pull the envelope straight through the printer. Remember to reconfigure your printer’s software for the proper envelope size. Once you set the correct media size, use the print preview function to make certain the text is correctly formatted. The Print Quality Is Poor.

Problem: My laser printer prints out pages with randomly faded-out areas or blank spots.

Solution: The paper manufacturing process can sometimes cause paper to reject toner. Try a different type or brand of paper in the printer. If your paper is stored in a humid environment such as a basement or storage room, check the paper for moist spots on its surface. The paper may not feel damp, but its moisture content may affect how the toner fuses to the paper. Set the paper in a dry room or storage container for a week or two before reinserting it in the printer. The toner cartridge may also be running out of toner. Remove the cartridge and shake it horizontally to redistribute the remaining toner. If the blank spots still crop up, it’s time for a new toner cartridge.

Problem: Blank spots or faded-out areas appear in the same spot on every page.

Solution: The photoconductor drum underneath or inside your toner cartridge needs to be cleaned, or it has been damaged. Although the drum may not appear dirty, it could have residual electrical charges that impede the laser printer from applying new charges. Depending on your printer, its software may include an internal cleaning utility that can wipe the OPC drum of both residual toner and electric charges. Various programs label their utilities differently, but your users manual will indicate which program to use and provide step-by-step instructions. You could also purchase laser printer cleaning sheets that feed through the printer to remove toner particles from the internal rollers and drums. If cleaning the print drum doesn’t fix your problem, you may need to purchase a new toner cartridge or OPC drum.

Problem: The entire page prints out black.

Solution: If your printer has a Print Density setting, verify that it has not been turned to the darkest level. If the Print Density is set correctly, your toner cartridge may be damaged or incorrectly installed, causing it to release too much toner. Remove the toner cartridge and make certain it fits within your laser printer’s product specifications. Although a little loose toner is normal, excessive amounts within your printer not only cause bad prints, but will eventually cause the failure of your printer’s mechanical parts. Wipe the internal printer cavity with a dry, lint free cloth and use a brush to clean toner particles off the components. If the toner cartridge needs to be cleaned, follow the manufacturer’s directions in your users manual to both clean and correctly install it.

Problem: The printer only outputs blank pages.

Solution: If the toner cartridge is new, make certain you removed the sealing tape covering the toner cartridge’s opening. If you noticed the laser printer outputting lighter and lighter pages, the toner cartridge may be running out of toner.

Problem: The printer occasionally prints completely blank pages.
Solution: Your laser printer may be configured to separate different print jobs by attaching a blank page after each individual document or image. Click Start, Settings, and Printers And Faxes. Double-click your printer, select the Printer menu, and click Properties. Click the Separator Page button, remove the separator page file, and click OK. If no separator page is selected, you may have extra spaces or blank lines attached to the end of your documents.

Problem: The same object or letter repeats down the length of the page at even intervals.

Solution: This effect is called ghosting, and it usually occurs with images that require a large amount of toner. When the toner cartridge can’t provide sufficient toner, a residual electrical charge can be left on the drum that will repeat down the length of the page. To resolve ghosting, try printing in Landscape mode because the different perspective may distribute the toner better. Click the Start menu, select Settings, and then click Printers And Faxes. Double-click your printer and select Properties. In the laser printer’s Preferences, change its Orientation radio button from Portrait to Landscape. If that doesn’t do the trick, lower the Print Density setting through your printer’s control panel. You could also try inserting a high-quality paper that will better adhere with the toner. In most cases, this condition only affects certain images because their detail requires a sizeable amount of toner.

Problem: My photo prints tend to look mediocre.

Solution: Although standard office paper works great with text, photos have greater detail and look dreadful on anything less than photo-quality laser printer paper. If your photos still look bad using photo-quality paper, make certain the printer is configured to output on photo-quality, glossy, or thick paper. Besides setting the paper quality, make certain your printer is set to output on the highest resolution possible. Each printer’s software is different, but typically you can choose the paper quality and print quality in the printer’s preferences.

Problem: Some images in photo prints are wavy or seem twisted.

Solution: Typically, this happens with photo paper or glossy paper that isn’t intended for use with laser printers. Make certain the paper fits within the printer’s specifications or try using another kind of paper. If the laser printer is outputting a scanned image, the paper on the scanner may have moved during the scanning process.

Problem: There are black horizontal or vertical lines on every page.

Solution: Other than smoke billowing from the printer, consistent black horizontal or vertical lines are the worst problem a laser printer can display. In most cases, the black lines mean the printer’s OPC drum has a scratch that has accumulated baked on toner. Even if you clean off the toner, new toner will collect each time you print a page and result in the same horizontal or vertical line. Because the drum is a cylinder, the lines will appear at equal distances down the page. However, a dirty corona wire can also cause distinct lines and fuzzy areas along the length of the page. Your users manual will indicate the correct way to access the wire, and you can clean the particles off it by running a brush or cotton swab along the wire. Check the printer’s preferences and verify the line isn’t caused by any watermarks or hidden lines in your application. If the line persists and the laser printer is older, consider purchasing a new one because a new toner cartridge or print drum can be almost as expensive as a brand new laser printer.

Problem: The page is full of garbled text or is missing portions of text.

Solution: The cable that connects your laser printer to the computer may be too long or has become damaged. Your printer’s specifications usually list a recommended length; parallel cables generally need to be less than 6 feet, and USB cables should be less than 10 feet long. If you connect the laser printer to a USB hub, your printer may be sharing the same port with another device that’s causing interference. Directly connect the printer to the computer’s USB port. If the printer still outputs rubbish, download and install an updated driver for your printer from the manufacturer’s Web site. The Next Step If your problem isn’t covered in this article, consider searching your manufacturer’s Web site for some model-specific troubleshooting. If the manufacturer doesn’t offer many online solutions, try running the software CD that came with your printer. Many newer laser printers include a CD with troubleshooting advice and flash animations to help you perform basic maintenance. If you’re still unable to fix the problem, call the manufacturer’s tech support for further advice.

Basic Troubleshooting Keyboards

I magine a computing world without a keyboard. Doesn’t seem plausible, does it? Though they’re often taken for granted, keyboards are vital toward helping us input data into email, Word and Excel documents, Web sites, and more. They also let us quickly open Windows programs, execute commands, control multimedia content, and play games. If you’ve experienced a keyboard related problem, you know computing life seemingly stops until the problem is rectified. Depending on whether you use a notebook or desktop system, your keyboard likely has 80 to 110 keys and uses a traditional QWERTY layout vs. a Dvorak or other layout. Most keyboards connect to a computer via a cable that has a connector that plugs into a computer PS/2 or USB port. The connection provides the keyboard power and relays electrical signals between the keyboard and computer. Wireless keyboards typically use battery power and a receiver that you connect to the computer for communicating, usually via RF (radio frequency) or Bluetooth technology. Inside a keyboard, a built-in microprocessor and circuitry manages those electrical pulses, which occur when you press a key and it connects to a sensor that’s underneath. The microprocessor, or controller, analyzes the pulses, converts them to binary form, and passes them to the operating system, which executes the appropriate command or enters content into the proper program. Fortunately, keyboards are fairly simple devices and don’t generally experience many problems. Still, there may come a time when you notice incorrect characters or no characters at all displaying on-screen, multimedia keys not functioning, error messages indicating a keyboard isn’t present, or keys sticking. The following are common keyboard-related problems and possible fixes. Simple Problems, Simple Solutions Most keyboard problems usually relate to the keyboard’s cable, proprietary software, its cleanliness, or mechanical failures. Fortunately, most of these problems are easily corrected.

Problem: Your keyboard only types capital letters or the numeric keypad won’t display numbers or text you enter overwrites existing characters.

Solution: These problems are usually caused by keys with functions you can toggle on and off. For example, if the keyboard only displays capital letters, the CAPS LOCK key is probably on. Press it to turn the function off. The same applies to the NUM LOCK, INSERT, and SCROLL LOCK keys.

Problem: You’ve spilled fluid on the keyboard.

Solution: Drink enough coffee, soda, or other beverage around your computer, and accidents are bound to happen including spilling liquid on your keyboard. If this happens, acting quickly is imperative, as the underlying circuitry is in immediate risk of being permanently damaged. To (hopefully) rescue the keyboard, first shut your system down to turn off electricity to it and then tip the keyboard to drain as much fluid as possible. Follow up by wiping it with a dry rag or towel. If the fluid was something other than water, use warm water to wipe the board clean. Some experts advise rinsing the entire board. If you do, make certain the keyboard is completely dry before plugging it back in, as electricity and water don’t mix. Using a hair dryer can accelerate the drying process, especially underneath the keys, but take care not to damage the circuitry with excessive heat. For safety reasons, consider waiting several days before using the keyboard again. If these steps don’t do the trick, a replacement is probably necessary.

Problem: Certain keys stick when you press them.

Solution: Your keyboard will usually let you know if a key is sticking by ringing out a continuous beep, indicating the keyboard’s memory buffer is packed. Otherwise, characters may display erratically, or you’ll physically feel the key is stuck. Keys stick for several reasons, including if the board is particularly dirty. Over time, keyboards accumulate significant dirt, dust, and debris on and under keys. A cloth tissue with a little water usually is enough to clean the board’s surface, and using a can of compressed air will clear most junk from underneath the keys. If you still notice keys sticking, power your system down and try to gently pry off the stuck key with a flathead screwdriver, cleaning the space with a cotton ball and some isopropyl alcohol. Beyond The Basics Although most keyboard-related problems aren’t severe, a few go beyond a cable simply being loose. The following problems require a bit more effort to resolve.

Problem: Your computer isn’t recognizing your keyboard.

Solution: If Windows displays an error message that a keyboard isn’t present or characters you type aren’t displaying on-screen, check the connection to the computer. Shut your system down and then look at its back to make sure the connector is securely plugged into the proper PS/2 or USB port. PS/2 keyboard ports are typically colored purple, and the connector will only fit one way. Check also that the connector’s pins aren’t bent or broken. It’s possible to gently bend a pin back in place, but if it’s broken, replacing the keyboard is your only option. If the pins are fine but you suspect the board isn’t receiving power, plug another keyboard into the computer. If it works, your keyboard’s circuitry may be damaged, and you’ll likely need a replacement. If the substitute also fails, the PS/2 or USB port or a motherboard controller may be bad, and it’s possible you’ll have to replace the motherboard. Finally, if the keyboard is plugged into a USB hub, the hub may not be capable of supplying sufficient power to the keyboard. Try connecting the keyboard directly to a dedicated USB port.

Problem: The multimedia or quick-launch keys won’t work.

Solution: Many keyboards include special keys for controlling multimedia content, such as adjusting volume levels, or for opening commonly used programs, such as a Web browser. Accessing these functions or customizing the keys usually requires installing proprietary software and a device driver that the keyboard’s manufacturer provides. If these keys aren’t working, check that the software is installed and the configurations set correctly. Check also that the keyboard meets Microsoft’s compatible tests. (You can check at testedproducts.win dowsmarketplace.com.) If your board isn’t listed, check with your manufacturer for updated software.

Problem: You accidentally turned on Sticky Keys and can’t turn it off.

Solution: Windows provides the Sticky Keys tool for those who have trouble holding down two keys at once, such as CTRL-Z. With Sticky- Keys turned on, you can push one key one at a time to perform a key combination. Pressing the SHIFT key five times turn Sticky Keys on. Pressing SHIFT five times again turns it off.

Problem: Characters repeat onscreen when you type.

Solution: If characters consistently and unintentionally repeat on-screen, adjusting the sensitivity of your keyboard’s keys can help. Do this in Windows XP by clicking Start and Control Panel and then double-clicking Keyboard. On the Speed tab, use the sliders under Repeat Delay and Repeat Rate to experiment with how long you have to hold a key down before it repeats and the rate at which repeated characters display. When you find a setting you’re comfortable with, click OK. Other Keys To Success Other options for curing what’s ailing your keyboard include checking if Device Manager shows the keyboard as being problematic. In WinXP, click Start and Control Panel and then double-click System. In the System Properties dialogue box, click the Hardware Tab, click Device Manager, and look for the Keyboards entry. If your see a yellow exclamation mark or red X, there is a problem. Highlight the keyboard and click the Uninstall button. Reboot the system, and Windows will reconfigure the board. If your board displays odd characters on-screen, check that Windows is using the correct language setting by opening Control Panel and double clicking Regional And Language Options. On the Languages tab, click Details and check that English (United States) – US is set as the default. If not, click the Add button under Installed Devices and select it from the dropdown menu.

Basic Troubleshooting Inkjet Printers

Most of us have experienced the frustration of encountering a printer error just as we attempt to print a quick copy of a document. It seems that printer problems never occur at a convenient time, but at least with the right knowledge and a little bit of effort, you can troubleshoot your way through most of your inkjet printer woes. What You Need To Know Before you begin to troubleshoot your printer, make sure that you know if you have an inkjet printer or a laser printer.

There are several differences between an inkjet and laser printer. For instance, an inkjet printer dispenses small droplets of liquid ink from a cartridge onto a sheet of paper. A laser printer, on the other hand, uses toner, a powdered form of ink. To make the toner adhere to the paper, the toner must be hot so that the powder can fuse to the paper. A laser printer uses a laser and static electricity to do this. You may not be able to tell just by looking at your printer whether it is an inkjet or a laser printer, but generally paper comes out of an inkjet printer relatively cool, whereas paper comes out of a laser printer quite warm to the touch. Often, you can tell from the name of a printer whether it’s a laser or an inkjet. For instance, laser printers may contain the word “laser” in the product name, and inkjets may contain the words “jet” or “photo” in the name. Of course, the best way to find out for sure which type of printer you have is to look in your users manual or visit the manufacturer’s Web site.

This article deals primarily with the type of problems you may encounter when you use an inkjet or photo printer. If you have a laser printer, see the article “Basic Troubleshooting: Laser Printers”. The first thing you should do is identify the manufacturer of your printer, as well as its model name or number. Usually this information is printed on the face of the printer. Some common inkjet printer manufacturers include Canon, Epson, HP, and Lexmark, among others. The model number usually (but not always) consists of a series name, one or two letters, and a string of numbers. For example, you might have an Epson Stylus Photo R300. Epson is the manufacturer, Stylus Photo is the series name, and R300 is the model number. It’s important to have this information so that you can download drivers, manuals, and any other necessary files from the manufacturers’ Web site. You may also find it helpful to have a copy of your printer’s specifications. You can usually find the specs either in your users manual or on the manufacturer’s Web site. Typically, on a company’s Web site, specs are located either on the product page or in the Support section.

In the specifications, you’ll find information such as the maximum paper-handling capacity of your printer so that you don’t overload the inkjet tray with paper. You’ll also find what resolutions the printer supports, which can help you determine if your prints reflect the image quality you would expect from the printer. The specifications also contain vital information, such as what types and weights of papers are safe to use with your printer. Basic Troubleshooting Regardless of the type of problem you have with your printer, you should start with several basic troubleshooting steps, which we’ve listed below. By checking these things first, you can save a lot of time as you try to solve your printer’s problem. Check cable connections. First, check to ensure that the power and data cables are firmly connected on both ends. If a cable is loose, data communication errors may occur when you try to print. Update drivers. Visit the manufacturer’s Web site and check the Support, Downloads, or similar section for the most recent drivers for your printer. If you find a newer driver version than the one that you have installed, download and install it. Often, a simple driver update resolves a problem. Check the paper tray.

This may sound obvious, but when your printer refuses to print, you should verify that there is paper in the tray and that no sheets of paper are jammed in the printer. Print a test page. Some printers include the option to print a test page. The test page is a document that prints directly from the printer and that does not require you to load a file from your computer. If you cannot print a specific document on your computer but you can print a test page, the problem most likely lies with the software you’re using, the printer driver, or some other software-based element that resides on your computer. If your printer will not print a test page, you know that the cause is more than just a problem with the program in which you opened the document you wanted to print. If a printer cannot even print a built-in test page, something is wrong with the computer itself. This could be something as serious a printer malfunction or as easily-remedied as a paper jam. If you don’t know if your printer can generate test pages, consult your users manual or the manufacturer’s Web site for more information. The procedure varies depending on your brand and model of printer, and some inkjet printers do not produce a test page at all. (Test pages are more common on laser printers than on inkjet printers.) Print a different document. Make sure that you have tried to print more than one document. This will help you to determine whether the source of the problem lies with a single, possibly corrupted document or if the problem is more widespread. Print from a different application. Whenever you have a problem printing, you should try to print a document from another application. This way, you can determine if the printing problem is system-wide or if it is just a single program that cannot send documents to the printer properly. Check the Page Setup and Print options. In most applications, you can access both Page Setup and Print through the File menu. Check the configurations in both of these dialog boxes. Often, the source of a problem is a simple misconfiguration. When Nothing Prints The first and probably most distressing type of problem is when you can’t get anything to print at all. There are several potential causes.

Problem: When I send a document to the printer, nothing happens. I don’t hear the printer charge the ink, attempt to pull paper through its rollers, or anything.
Solution: As you should with any troubleshooting venture, start by checking the simplest things. Start by verifying that the power cable is plugged into the printer and a wall outlet, power strip, or surge protector. Next, make sure the printer’s power button is turned on and that the printer’s data cable is connected to both the printer and your PC. Next, make sure there isn’t a sheet of paper stuck in the printer. If there was a paper jam earlier, your printer may not even attempt to print any more documents until you remove the paper that’s stuck.

Problem: My document won’t print, and there’s a light flashing on the body of the printer.
Solution: When a light flashes on the face of the printer, it usually means that the printer has encountered an error. That’s the bad news. The good news is that you can usually learn more about the nature of the error by examining how many times the light blinks or by launching the printer utility that came with your printer. First, consult your users manual or the manufacturer’s Web site and look for “Blink codes,” “LED (light-emitting diode) status codes,” or similar guidelines to printer errors. You may learn, for instance, that a certain number of blinks indicates that the printer is out of paper and that a different number of blinks means that there’s a paper jam. If your printer doesn’t have LED codes, launch the printer utility that came with your printer. Often, this tool provides valuable information about the type of error your printer encountered. For example, the printer utility may tell you that one of your ink cartridges is empty, that your printer lost its connection to your PC, or that a necessary driver is missing. Something Prints, But It Looks Bad

Problem: There are tiny, blurry smudges across my print.

Solution: Usually, if you see small smudges across your prints, some type of lint or other debris has worked its way into your printer. As the ink heads deposit ink, some of it soaks the small bits of debris, which are then forced through the printer’s components along with the paper. As a result, you’ll see smudges of ink on the paper where the ink-soaked debris rubbed against the sheet of paper. The key to handling such ink smudges is first to ensure that you keep your printer clean and free of debris. Next, make sure that you only use papers which are safe to use in your printer. For example, if you want to use a cloth-based paper, such as a velvet or canvas, check your documentation or call the manufacturer to confirm that this type of paper will work with your printer. If your printer has already accumulated debris, the best way to clean things up is to clean the print head. The procedure for cleaning the print head is different for each printer, but usually you do this either by pressing a button on the face of the printer or by clicking a button such as Clean Print Head in the printer utility. You may need to clean the print head several times to remove debris if your printer is especially dirty. Cleaning the print head consumes some ink, so plan to use up a bit of the ink in your cartridges. If cleaning the print head does not clean the printer enough to remove smudges from prints, you will need to call an authorized repair center. Do not try to disassemble and clean the printer yourself.

Problem: There are small, white lines or gaps in my print.

Solution: When you see small gaps in your printouts, this, too, usually means that it’s time to clean the print head. See the previous problem and solution for more information about cleaning the print head. Rarely, gaps in printing occur because a print head is out of alignment. Again, your printer utility should have a tool for aligning the print head. If you’ve cleaned and realigned the print head but you’re still having problem with gaps in prints, you should either take your printer to an authorized repair center or buy a new printer. (Keep in mind that inkjet printers aren’t very expensive, so it may be cheaper to buy a new printer than to repair your current printer.)

Problem: My prints have a severe color cast. The overall tint seems to be more red, yellow, green, or blue than it should be.

Solution: You’re likely to see a color cast in your prints if you haven’t used your printer for several weeks or months. This is because the nozzles of the ink cartridges can dry out if they aren’t used periodically. If one or more of the ink heads is dry and clogged, your printer cannot deposit the proper proportions of colored ink on the paper. If you notice a color cast, the first thing to do is clean the print head, as we discussed earlier in this article. If the color cast continues after you clean the print head a few times, you should buy a new cartridge to replace the one that you suspect is dried out. To avoid such problems in the future, try to print something at least once every week or two. You don’t need to use a lot of ink to do this. You can print a test page from your printer or a very small document. You may even conserve ink by printing in draft mode. The important thing is that every so often, the ink cartridge dispenses some ink so that the ink heads don’t get clogged with dried ink. Besides dried-out ink cartridges, there are a couple of other things that can cause a color cast. First, an improperly calibrated monitor may display colors that are quite different than the colors that print. Calibration is a complicated topic that requires more space than what we have here. However, you can search the Smart Computing Tech Support Center (www.smartcomputing.com/techsup port) and the Web to find information about monitor calibration. Finally, some printer manufacturers have specially formulated inks that do not appear as the correct colors unless they are used with the manufacturer’s proprietary inkjet papers. For example, if you use Canon paper in an Epson printer, some of the colors may look funny. The best option in this case is to buy the paper that the manufacturer recommends.

Problem: There’s a slight difference between how my photos looked on my computer monitor and how they look when I print them. Specifically, it seems as if some colors are darker or lighter than they were on the screen.

Solution: Start by cleaning the print head and calibrating your monitor. Also, though, check your print settings. Make sure that you have selected the right type of paper, the desired print quality, and the correct color settings (if the option is available). If you have not selected the right type of paper in the Print Setup or Print Properties dialog boxes, your printer may deposit the wrong amount of ink on the page. For example, if the Print dialog box indicates that you’ll print on glossy photo paper but you insert standard inkjet paper, your printer will likely print much too heavily for the weight and finish of the standard inkjet paper. Likewise, if the Print Properties dialog box says that you will print on transparency paper, your printer will leave much less ink on the page than it would if it were printing on standard paper. Always make sure that you’ve selected the right type of paper before you begin printing. Paper Problems.

Problem: A sheet of paper is stuck in the printer.

Solution: Unfortunately, most of us have had a sheet of paper get stuck in the printer at some time. It can be a very common occurrence. To resolve a paper jam, you usually gently pull the sheet of paper back out of the printer and then reset the printer. However, to avoid damage to your printer, you should consult the users manual to first ensure that you remove the paper jam in a way that is safe for your printer.

Problem: The printer feeds more than one sheet through at a time.

Solution: If your printer pulls more than one sheet of paper through at a time, there are three likely causes. The first is that you’re using a paper type or thickness that your printer doesn’t support. (Check your documentation to determine if the paper is the problem.) The second possible cause is humidity. If your printer is in a humid room, the sheets of paper may become slightly moist and curl or stick together, causing them to feed through the printer improperly. You have a few options to fix this problem. First, you can run an air conditioner or a dehumidifier in the room. This will remove excess moisture from the air. Second, you can move your printer to a room where the air is drier. Third, you can store your paper in a dry location and retrieve paper only when you’re ready to use it. The third cause of a printer grabbing more than one sheet of paper at a time is a malfunction. It’s possible that the rollers that grasp the paper may need an adjustment. If you can find no other logical reason for the misfeeds, you should contact an authorized repair center to do this work for you.

Problem: I can hear the printer attempt to grab paper, but no sheets are actually entering the printer.

Solution: A printer that cannot grasp paper likely has one of the same problems that we just discussed (wrong paper type, high humidity, or malfunction). Read the previous solution for more guidance in resolving these problems.

Problem: My printer supports borderless photo printing, but there’s a gap around the edges of the pictures I print.

Solution: First, make sure that you’ve selected the proper paper size, such as Borderless 4x6, in the Page Setup and Print Properties dialog boxes. Then look for your printer’s Expansion setting. The name may be slightly different depending on the make and model of your printer. If you can’t find this setting, consult your users manual. Many printers that support borderless printing let you configure the degree to which your printer should expand your images to make sure that they print all the way to the edges of the paper you’re using. If the current expansion setting is too low, increase the expansion setting a little bit and try again. This should fix the problem.