Printer prints blank if paper type set to Plain

LM2007 · 30 Nov 2023

I was given an HP Printer HP officejet 5200. I installed the drivers and apps, removed and reinstalled again, but the paper still coming blank if paper type is set to plain (the paper i use indeed is plain). It only prints if i change the type of paper to glossy paper or photo paper which these methods are really slow and i suppose it uses more ink.

Curiously i have an Epson 6100 XP that one day started with the same odd problem and had to stop using it.

Windows 10 Home 64b
Version 10.0.19045 Build 19045

fishingfool · 01 Dec 2023

Hi LM2007
It may be that your paper selection and print quality selections are at odds, From your description. it sounds like it's printing at high quality. I.m no printer expert but I''ve had 3 office jet printers (currently 8022e) and I've never had to install drivers from hp, nor would I want the hp printer software installed on my system either. Try playing with your quality settings.
Will it print a test page.?
Will it print with black ink only usiing the normal paper selection?

cereberus · 01 Dec 2023

fishingfool said:

Hi LM2007
It may be that your paper selection and print quality selections are at odds, From your description. it sounds like it's printing at high quality. I.m no printer expert but I''ve had 3 office jet printers (currently 8022e) and I've never had to install drivers from hp, nor would I want the hp printer software installed on my system. Try playing with your quality settings.
Will it print a test page.?
Will it print with black ink only usiing the normal paper selection?

Yeah - it may be set to print US paper size instead of A4 or vice versa.

LM2007 · 01 Dec 2023

fishingfool · 01 Dec 2023

Your print quality is set to "draft". There is a couple more options there. Try them and see if it cures it. Click okay when you make the change. Also on the advanced tab, make sure "print in max dpi" is not selected. Did you try printing a test page using the control panel on the printer itself with plain paper?
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Printer prints blank if paper type set to Plain-advanced.jpg

LM2007 · 01 Dec 2023

Yes and it finished it.l, but if i do a print test from the laptop paper kept blank.

hroldan · 01 Dec 2023

Oh, HP. I had a few similar issues with 2 models (HP, both ink), and one Canon, in those cases in particular the problem was a clogged nozzle. Why? because these printers that I mention were able to detect the type of paper via... infrared sensor? optical sensor? I don't know, but they did, and so they would use a diff set of nozzles (high quality), and if you selected high quality using plain paper, it wouldn't print as it would complain about the mismatch.

Just sharing, I understand your printer is laser, not ink. BUT... I do remember some laser printers had issues with the coating on some glossy paper, it created a sticky mess.

* BTW, while I enjoyed optical or IR sensors on those printers instead of mechanical ones, at times it was a problem. The good thing is, you could fool the printer sticking two pages together leaving at least of 1 inch first of the type of paper you wanted to be detected. Many used this trick to print on other types of materials.

LM2007 said:

Curiously i have an Epson 6100 XP that one day started with the same odd problem and had to stop using it.

With these specifics it sounds like a software issue, and not a printing issue.

MisterEd · 01 Dec 2023

fishingfool said:

Hi LM2007
I.m no printer expert but I''ve had 3 office jet printers (currently 8022e) and I've never had to install drivers from hp, nor would I want the hp printer software installed on my system either.
Will it print with black ink only usiing the normal paper selection?

Why wouldn't you install at least the basic HP driver for your printer? I have been using HP printers for 25 years and always install the HP drivers.

HP I tries to get you to install HP Smart app but I use the basic offline driver instead. It is annoying that HP installs HP Smart app anyways but I always uninstall it because I don't need or want it.

MisterEd · 01 Dec 2023

LM2007 said:

I was given an HP Printer HP officejet 5200. I installed the drivers and apps, removed and reinstalled again, but the paper still coming blank if paper type is set to plain (the paper i use indeed is plain). It only prints if i change the type of paper to glossy paper or photo paper which these methods are really slow and i suppose it uses more ink.

Curiously i have an Epson 6100 XP that one day started with the same odd problem and had to stop using it.

What makes this strange is that you are having the same problem with two totally different printers. Is there anything unique about the paper you are using?

I always used cheap copy paper with my inkjet printers. The only exception is envelopes, thicker card stock or photo paper which works OK too.

Steve C · 02 Dec 2023

My normal solution with printer drivers is to uninstall all traces of the offending driver and software and start again. Be sure to have a backup. Yesterday I couldn't get Print to PDF working having been too aggressive removing traces if a bust Canon printer and had to recover from the last Reflect backup!