HP CP1215 colour alignment issues

[Peter W]

Hi all,

I have a pretty old CP1215 which has been several years in dry, temp controlled storage, and I recently got it out thinking it might be useful. Since it had a few new toner cartridges with it, in sealed bags/boxes, I (probably foolishly, I should have sold them perhaps) fitted these. So it has brand new toner.

Now the problem is that all 3 colours are off alignment with each other and with the black. I have:
1. printed multiple test pages
2. installed the latest firmware and Win10 drivers
3. removed and replaced the toner
4. performed several hard/cold resets
5. tried printing pages from different programs
6. performed "calibrations" from the HP Windows control panel
7. Changed the paper (HP says to do this though I can't see what difference it could make)
8. thumped the printer on the side in frustration (but not very hard)

The colours are still off alignment.

The next step according to HP is to send it for service, which would be daft as for less money (they quoted £150+VAT) I could get a new, modern laser printer with guarantee.

So, learned members, is there possibly any other next step I could try (I don't mind opening the case) before taking it to the recycling dump?

Best wishes,
Peter

 

[stratman]

You are not alone with an alignment problem. A Google search brings up a number of posts on your issue.

Can you post a scanned, cropped image of the problem?

Long list of things to try per HP:

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c01691296

Have you printed a diagnostic test page? The above instructions state you can do this three times. Please scan, crop and post.

The next link says something about an "advanced reset" if all the other steps fail to resolve the problem.

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Laser...aser-Jet-CP1215-Misaligned-color/td-p/6418496

I wonder if this advanced reset is the procedure described in the following article:

https://www.fortwayneprinterrepair....-color-laserjet-cp1210-cp1215-cp1510-printer/

 

[Peter W]

Great, Stratman, thanks for replying.

No scanner at present, but I took photos of the output with my phone. There is a spot of curvilinear distortion but you get the idea.

The first pic is what comes out by pressing Resume on the front panel. The second two are of the test page generated by the HP Print & Scan Doctor 5.2.1 freshly installed into Win10.

I've carried out all the flowchart steps up to advanced reset (NVRAM initialization), which is:

Printer off
Cables out, wait 10m
Cables in
Press green (Resume) button and switch on, wait 10s until Attention triangle lights up
Release Resume button, press red "X" button twice
Something happens as there is much clunking from inside, and the lights cycle: Attention - Ready - Resume
When this all stops (after approx 2m 20s), calibration is (supposedly) complete.

I've seen it recommended to do this several times, when the alignment will improve more and more each time, but in my case it makes no difference, I waste reams of A4 and nothing changes, alignment remains off by millimetres.

The next step in the troubleshooting flowchart is "HP Service required". I fear a more realistic next step is "take to dump". It is after all 10 years old (although I have a 21 year old HP Laserjet 6P, which is utterly bulletproof and working perfectly).

 

[PeterBJ]

I've found what might or might not be the proper service manual for the printer. Here is one download. The manual looks to be wrong, but the file name suggests that your printer is also covered. Two other download sites offer the same manual and with very similar file names. Here is download no 2 and here is no 3.

 

[Peter W]

Thanks Peter, the first link was good. It purports to be a service manual for the CP1215, but nowhere in 266 pages does it mention colour alignment or registration, so presumably it's either not a problem that ever happens, or it can only be fixed by changing major parts inside. The only mention of colour calibration is a 5-line suggestion to press the Colour Calibration button in HP Toolbox, not of course available for Win10 but which I found and downloaded for Win7.

This huge bloated HP Toolbox (550MB!) has no test print facility (what?!), but I found a Factory Reset button and performed it, followed by a Colour Calibration. I then went back to the 9MB HP Print and Scan Doctor for a test print.

No improvement at all.

Ho Hum.

 

[stratman]

The images you posted look pretty bad. You seem to have done all one can do. I am sorry to hear that there is no improvement after all the maneuvers are performed. Unless some new information appears then it might be time to send the printer to HP or let her go. If you have significant investment in supplies remaining for the printer then consider a refurbished/used one

It is hard to give up a trusty friend. My wonderful Canon MP830 recently errored out and I eventually replaced her with a Canon Maxify, so far a wonderful printer, too, in its own way.

 

[Peter W]

No problem giving this one up as I have my old HP LaserJet 6P which is a reliable monochrome if slow, and an Epson WF-7720 which has been good so far and is A3+.

The CP1215 reports 37k pages. I thought this sounded a lot, but apparently it isn't. Never mind, it will be dismantled for useful bits and pieces, the 4 toners (the only supplies I have) will be offered free on Freecycle, and the carcass will be recycled.

It's an ill wind, etc.

My next colour laser will be half the size, print double sided, and be three times as fast.

Thanks for all the help.

Peter

 

[stratman]

Sounds like you are on a good path. Best of luck with your new printer!

 

[Peter W]

Thanks!

I'm sure I'll be back, it's friendly here .