Color ink out. Replace color ink cartridge. Press Enter to continue.

A few months ago, I purchased three HP 14 c5010a tri-color ink
cartridges and three black c5011a ink cartridges and placed them all in
service in an HP d145 officejet all-in-one printer on the same day
(rotating them in sequence).

Leaving just one of the HP14 black and tri-color cartridges in place,
I've been printing ever since (ever so sporadically as I prefer my B&W
HP laser printer).

Tonight, Christmas Eve, when trying to print the kid's cards for their
presents, I get the warning from the Hewlett Packard d145 printer:
"Color ink out. Replace color ink cartridge. Press Enter to continue."

Not to worry. I put the second color ink cartridge (never used except
that first day a few months ago). Guess what? Same message. Huh? How
can that be?

So, I put the third color ink cartridge in the HP d145 office jet.
Again. The same thing. Color ink out. Even though the ink was used a
few months ago for a single sheet of paper and the tape put back over
the holes and it was sealed in a baggie the whole time.

What is going on?
Can anyone explain this madness?

On 25 Dec 2004 00:33:06 -0800, "Orak Listalavostok"
wrote:

So, I put the third color ink cartridge in the HP d145 office jet.
Again. The same thing. Color ink out. Even though the ink was used a
few months ago for a single sheet of paper and the tape put back over
the holes and it was sealed in a baggie the whole time.

I just ran a search for you.
See this article at http://hardware.mcse.ms/message36090-3.html
Mayby you can remove the HP d145 battery for an hour.

That battery is visible (with a flashlight) if you open the cover
(like you do to replace the HP 14 ink cartridges).

Look way left against the sidewall.
A battery the size of a quarter is held in with a clip
on a black plastic shell on a small brown circuit board.

It's hard to get your head in there but I just tried and was
able to remove the battery (with some difficulty) using just
a large paper clip. I used the paper clip to pull back on the
surprisingly long spring and then used my fingernail to pry
the battery out at the 11 o'clock and 1 o'clock detents provided
in the black plastic battery holder for this purpose.

I was glad I previously pulled the plug as the batter fell
down and I had to remove everything I could from the printer
and then shake the d145 printer upside down to get the
battery back.

Use needlenose pliars or equivalent so you don't lose
that battery like I did. One good thing came of shaking
the printer in that a few shreds of crumpled paper fell out.
I have no idea where *they* were hiding!

It's late on Christmas morning and nothing worked yet.
What infernal logic has HP foisted upon us?

Removing the battery didn't work (even after an hour).

When I replaced the full OEM cartridge of HP ink, the printer said:
Color in out. Replace color ink cartridge. Press Enter to continue.

WHERE IS HP STORING this totally erroneous ink setting?
How do we get this darn HP printer to accept its own ink?
Are there any printer experts out there who can help?

Help,
Orak

I do believe some HP printers read cartridge dates, and may not print
under conditions where the cartridge is beyond expiry date.

However, I suspect it is only HP printers that have semi-permanent heads
which are separate from the ink cartridge. Otherwise, it makes no
real difference in operations, if the cartridge is too old or not, since
if it is, the self contained head can't be "reused" nor is HP concerned
about damage to it, since they don't wish you to refill the cartridge
anyway, so I can't understand why they would have a head-contained
cartridge have a fail-safe or time bomb built in.

I would try very gently cleaning all the contacts for the cartridge on
both the printer side and the cartridge itself, making sure any tape or
adhesive residue is cleaned off. Then make sure the head/cartridge fits
securely in place. Make sure you are following whatever procedures HP
suggests for cartridge replacement in terms of the status of the printer
when it is done.

Again, hopefully, our friendly and helpful HP knowledgeable person will
be back on this group soon to rescue you.

Art

Orak Listalavostok wrote:

It's late on Christmas morning and nothing worked yet.
What infernal logic has HP foisted upon us?

Removing the battery didn't work (even after an hour).

When I replaced the full OEM cartridge of HP ink, the printer said:
Color in out. Replace color ink cartridge. Press Enter to continue.

WHERE IS HP STORING this totally erroneous ink setting?
How do we get this darn HP printer to accept its own ink?
Are there any printer experts out there who can help?

Help,
Orak

Actually, the wierdness doesn't have anything to do with "expired" ink.

The inexplicable HP situation is why did all three HP14 tri-color
ink cartridges say COLOR INK OUT (when 2 of 3 are chock full of
HP OEM original ink filled at the HP factory in Singapore)?

Further wierdness is why didn't, on Christmas eve, a battery
removal reset the low-ink situation (the date on the D145 LCD
display now says "Jan 00 00 00:00a" & it is not changing).

More wierdness occurred this morning.
I received a Christmas gift (of sorts) from HP.

This morning, Christmas day, one of the new (completely full) HP14
c5010a tri-color ink cartridges still said "Color ink out"; but,
wierdly, the ORIGINAL cartridge now allowed printing (albeit with
low cyan easily seen by the redness of the results)! Huh?

How can this be?
Can a printing expert explain this?

Strangely, what got me full-quality printing again (at least for now)
was immediately dripping a few ml of ink into each of the tri color
felt sponges at the bottom of the HP14 c5010a ink tanks
(done with the HP14 c5010a ink tanks upside down).

Of course I had already tried this fill-'er-up remedy 12 hours ago;
and it didn't work then; but it just worked now. What is going on?

I suspect that the HP d145 burns the DATE into each HP14 c0150a
tri-color ink cartridge at the TIME OF INITIAL INSTALLTION (which
was the same for all three HP14 tri-colors). This, I suspect,
CONFUSED the HP d145 printer who (I guess) thought all three
were the SAME CARTRIDGE. That's all I can think of to explain
why all three would show up as "COLOR INK OUT" when two were,
in fact, totally full of HP ink and never used except for that
first day put in service in October 2004.

As for the original HP 14 c1050 cartridge now working, I cannot
explain. I guess my hypothesis is that the one-hour cmos battery
removal actually worked (but then why didn't it work for the
other cartridge which was decidedly full of original HP ink)?

It would be great for an HP expert (Bob Headrick?) to explain
how this situation can possibly occur (as indeed it did).
Orak Listalavostok

Orak Listalavostok wrote:
The unexplained HP engineering is why did three HP14 c5010a ink
tanks (all of which were placed in service on the same date with
all but one of which were immediately removed from service) report
"COLOR INK OUT" (even when 2 of the 3 were full of HP OEM ink!)?

.... twas the night before Christmas ... my HP ink level sank ...
.... not a printer was printing ... nary one of 3 tanks ...

The good news:
- We're back printing beautifully (better than before) scores of prints
- Using (strangely) the original HP14 c5010a tri-color cartridge
- Which previously exhibited the correct "COLOR INK OUT" message!

The bad news:
- I have no idea what particular event "cleared" the HP "memory"

The lessons learned:
- Switching the three cartridges Dec 24 had no effect on COLOR INK OUT
- Filling the one empty cartridge also had no effect on COLOR INK OUT
- Removing the CR2032 3V CMOS battery had no immediate effect ...

The day after:
- Yet, about 12 hours later (on Christmas day)
- The completely full cartridge was removed ...
- And then replaced with the original empty cartridge ...

And it printed without error!
After subsequent refilling ... the original PRINTER INK OUT HP14
tri-color ink cartridge is printing beautifully vibrant photos even
after scores of sheets of paper (and multiple refills).

I guess it's the first Christmas present from HP to all of us.
I can't explain it; if you can - please do!

Orak Listalavostok

"Orak Listalavostok" wrote in message
oups.com...
A few months ago, I purchased three HP 14 c5010a tri-color ink
cartridges and three black c5011a ink cartridges and placed them all in
service in an HP d145 officejet all-in-one printer on the same day
(rotating them in sequence).
[snip]
What is going on?
Can anyone explain this madness?

I cannot explain it. Why would *anyone* open six new cartridges and put them
in a printer, only to immediately take four of them out and put them in a
plastic bag for months? Regardless of the other issues it seems this is a bad
idea as the cartridges will start to dry out.

- Bob Headrick

"Arthur Entlich" wrote in message
news:Emfzd.21303$KO5.5701@clgrps13...

I do believe some HP printers read cartridge dates, and may not print under
conditions where the cartridge is beyond expiry date.

However, I suspect it is only HP printers that have semi-permanent heads
which are separate from the ink cartridge. Otherwise, it makes no real
difference in operations, if the cartridge is too old or not, since if it is,
the self contained head can't be "reused" nor is HP concerned about damage to
it, since they don't wish you to refill the cartridge anyway, so I can't
understand why they would have a head-contained cartridge have a fail-safe or
time bomb built in.

The D series all-in-one units use separate ink supplies and printheads. The
failure to print with an empty ink supply is designed to prevent damage to the
relatively long life printhead.

- Bob Headrick

"Orak Listalavostok" wrote in message
ups.com...

It would be great for an HP expert (Bob Headrick?) to explain
how this situation can possibly occur (as indeed it did).

Sorry Orak, I am an expert in the integrated printhead side of the HP printer
line, I only have a passing knowledge in the separate ink and silicon designs.
I would expect that each supply would have a unique serial number, in addition
to information stored in the ink cartridge about its installation date and
expiration date. If the message had been that the cartridges had expired it
would make more sense to me, but a message that they are out on ink is a puzzle
to me.

- Bob Headrick, not speaking for my employer HP

In article , "Bob Headrick"
wrote:
The D series all-in-one units use separate ink supplies and printheads. The
failure to print with an empty ink supply is designed to prevent damage to the
relatively long life printhead.

Hi Bob,

Whilst this may be true, the OP noted he refilled the original ink cartridge
and he put two new originals which were (he said) "chock full" of ink so the
print heads were never in danger.

I had a similar problem when I saw the low ink message for a few sheets of
paper. Then one sheet came out totally reddish and the next one refused to
print. Geez. It sure runs out fast. The one sheet before was fine and the next
was all red.

When I put a new cartridge in, my HP Office Jet d series printer also said low
ink. I was dumfounded. Being about fifty years old, I remember the good old
tube-tv days, so I banged the sides of the printer with the palm of my hands.

After a few of those persuasive hits, the low ink out message on my HP printer
went away. I didn't even have to turn the printer off and remove the battery!

It worked for me but only experts like you can explain why it worked.

Tom