Submit Hint Search The Forums LinksStatsPollsHeadlinesRSS
14,000 hints and counting!

Faint printing, LaserJet 4MP+, and 10.2 System
Suddenly, my HP Laserjet 4MP+ started printing light grey everything. Toner was fine, printer settings all fine. Then I remembered I'd installed 10.2 since using the printer last.

The problem was that because Jaguar had recognised the printer OK, I hadn't installed the HP 4,5,6 drivers for Mac OS X from the HP site. Once I'd done that, proper blacks were immediately available again.

Not a sophisticated 'tip', but one that might spare others some anguish!
    •    
  • Currently 0.00 / 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  (0 votes cast)
 
[4,722 views]  

Faint printing, LaserJet 4MP+, and 10.2 | 9 comments | Create New Account
Click here to return to the 'Faint printing, LaserJet 4MP+, and 10.2' hint
The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Problem is default of "Economode" on
Authored by: sjonke on Oct 17, '02 11:18:01AM

For some reason in 10.2 the toner saver "Economode" defaults to on (in Printer Features). I semi-fixed this by creating a custom preset with this setting off, but it's a nuisance as you have to do the same thing on every computer you use and make sure it is selected when you print. I hadn't thought to try reinstalling the drivers from HPs site, I will do that tonight and see if it works....



[ Reply to This | # ]
Thx
Authored by: jyu on Oct 17, '02 02:53:10PM

I have the same problem. But since I don't print too much to this printer I didn't paid too much attention to it. Now I know the cause. Thanks for the tip.



[ Reply to This | # ]
A quick, dirty fix
Authored by: moshingkow on Oct 17, '02 06:35:53PM

I think that the problem for this is the drivers. Originally, when I installed 10.2, I could not print at all. The app that I tried to print from quit when i tried to print. I then changed the driver from Laserwriter 4mv to Generic, then it began to print well. Then it started to get grey, and lightly colored, after I had switched over to 10.2.1 which had a "fixed" driver. So, once again, going to "generic" when asked to select the printer, will fix this problem, but this may also create the problem of misprinting pdfs, where tehre will be random lines in some places, but that is not that big of a problem.



[ Reply to This | # ]
10.2.1 and LaserJet 4M Plus
Authored by: DGShaw on Oct 18, '02 09:36:37AM

I ran into the same fading problem and traced it back to installing 10.2.1, finding that printing worked fine from Classic sw only. Economode is turned off. I've reinstalled LaserJet drivers 4, 5, 6 and yet pages still come out faded. Any ideas of what to try next?



[ Reply to This | # ]
10.2.1 and LaserJet 4M Plus
Authored by: Stuart A Bell on Oct 18, '02 02:37:45PM

I removed the LJ from the list of active printers before installing the HP drivers, "just to be sure" - that might help if you didn't.

Concerning the 'economode' issue, I had checked that the printer wasn't in economode when started up, so presumably the Jaguar driver sets it 'temporarily' before it starts printing?

Stuart



[ Reply to This | # ]
10.2.1 and LaserJet 4M Plus
Authored by: DGShaw on Oct 18, '02 04:59:12PM

Thanks for your follow up comment. I hadn't removed the LaserJet from the print center, so I did, then reistalled the drivers, and unfortunately that didn't do the trick either. I hate to give up on this great work horse of a printer...



[ Reply to This | # ]
Faint printing on HP LJ 4+
Authored by: Tiburon on Jan 19, '03 02:08:28PM

The thread here is quite old, I don't know if it is still of interest.

I added the printer as HP LJ 4+ and then changed the PPD to the HP LJ 5. And with this setting the printing works fine...



[ Reply to This | # ]
Faint printing, LaserJet 4MP+, and 10.2
Authored by: Don Austen on May 18, '03 05:18:22PM

This problem is not supported by HP, but the fix is as follows:

Go to HPs website.

Download and install the new printer drivers.

(You may do a custom install for only OS X if you prefer.)

Restart your computer

Turn on your printer

Open the Print Center.

Set the top menu to AppleTalk.

Add the HP Laserjet 4 Plus.

Ignore any error message that says there is no information about the printer's configuation.

Highlight your printer name.

From the Printer Model dropdown menu choose HP.

Scroll down to Laserjet 4 Plus v2013.111 and choose it.

You're done.

Grateful individuals may make a contribution to Thursday's Child, a national charity for runaway, abused and at-risk teens. Our website is www.thursdayschild.org. Click on the girl for more info.



[ Reply to This | # ]
Faint printing, LaserJet 4MP+, and 10.2
Authored by: anne on Aug 27, '04 04:54:07PM

Hi, I know this is an old one, but I'm still having issues.

I've put in the new drivers as recommended above, but, using Word X, I have someone who will get faint printing when clicking on the icon in the menu bar, but perfectly okay dark print when pulling down under file.

It's the same issue in Excel, too.

I tried removing the toolbar and replacing it; no effect.

Has anyone else seen this variation?

Thanks!

anne



[ Reply to This | # ]