HP Printer Test Page

Ben Elder · Post by **Ben Elder** » 17 Nov 2014 8:44 am

I have a small older HP printer (C3180?) that I turn on only at the very occasional times I actually use it.

Every time I turn it on, I have to wait for it to print a test page-- a waste of paper, ink and time. Is there any way to disable this test-page nonsense?

Michael Maddex · Post by **Michael Maddex** » 17 Nov 2014 9:22 am

I have had a few older HP printers over the years that were given to me. If fact, I'm using one now. Anyway, in each case I went to the HP web site and was able to download the original manual in PDF format. If you haven't done that already, I think that it would be worth a try. If there is one, the answer to your question might be in the manual.

OTOH, you can put a piece of junk paper on top of the tray before you turn the printer on.
(Won't save your ink and aggravation, though.

)

HTH.

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 17 Nov 2014 10:01 am

I did a Google search for this printer and this problem and found that you aren't alone. A lot of folks had this trouble. I did find one post from 2010 that may have the solution. It is...

Apparently. it's a procedure with which HP requests you to align a newly loaded cartridge. Just put the test page on scanner screen and scan it. HP will align the cartridge and stop printing the test page for you.

Try it and see if it works!

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 17 Nov 2014 10:04 am

HP has an official troubleshooting page for the printer and problem.

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 18 Nov 2014 12:41 pm

I have to scan the test page in my HP Deskjet F4180 whenever I replace an ink cartridge. As Wiz stated, just scan the test page. Mine even tells me to do that on the test page.

Ben Elder · Post by **Ben Elder** » 19 Nov 2014 1:46 pm

Thanks for the info. My earlier attempts at HP Support went nowhere. And yeah, I do use remanufactured cartridges--b/w only, not much need for color so those are dry. So HP wants to mess with me for all that.

Dave Potter · Post by **Dave Potter** » 20 Nov 2014 11:06 am

Ben Elder wrote:Thanks for the info. My earlier attempts at HP Support went nowhere. And yeah, I do use remanufactured cartridges--b/w only, not much need for color so those are dry. So HP wants to mess with me for all that.

I don't blame them. I'm sure it gets old when people try to get by on the cheap by using third party stuff in their printers, then call HP to complain when something goes wrong. There's a reason they always advise customers to use only genuine HP replacement parts.