Faded print on HP Color 4600

[buf7579]

I have an HP Color 4600 with a very strange print quality issue. Black print near the right edge of the paper prints lightly, but only under this specific scenario: when printing all black documents from Microsoft Office apps (confirmed in Word, Excel, and Outlook 2007 and 2010, all in Windows 7).

Printing anything with any amount of color prints perfectly from all sources (MS Office and anything else). Printing anything all black from other sources (web pages, PDF documents and such) also results in perfect print quality. Engine test pages all print perfectly.

I upgraded the firmware to the newest revision (20061010) but that did not change anything. Unfortunately there was not a spare black toner at the client site to test, but the PQ test pages, which all came out perfectly, do not suggest any defective toners.

Am I missing something? I can’t think of anything else hardware-wise to combat this MS Office-only print quality issue.

Thank you in advance for any assistance.

[Lance15]

If you print the PQ Diagnostics, what does the all black page look like? If it looks the same, it could be a bad black toner cartridge, or it could be laser/scanner contamination.

[buf7579]

If you print the PQ Diagnostics, what does the all black page look like? If it looks the same, it could be a bad black toner cartridge, or it could be laser/scanner contamination.

Black PQ page is perfect. That would rule out laser assembly and black toner.

[Lance15]

Sorry. Didn't see you already said PQ pages were fine. Very strange.

Maybe a weird font?

[buf7579]

Nothing unusual font-wise. Common fonts like Times New Roman and Arial.

Another detail: my client converted an MS Word document (simple one page letter with a common font) to pdf, and THAT pdf had the fading, as well. Other pdf documents not converted from Office print perfectly.

[Phil B.]

I have an HP Color 4600 with a very strange print quality issue. Black print near the right edge of the paper prints lightly, but only under this specific scenario: when printing all black documents from Microsoft Office apps (confirmed in Word, Excel, and Outlook 2007 and 2010, all in Windows 7).

Printing anything with any amount of color prints perfectly from all sources (MS Office and anything else). Printing anything all black from other sources (web pages, PDF documents and such) also results in perfect print quality. Engine test pages all print perfectly.

I upgraded the firmware to the newest revision (20061010) but that did not change anything. Unfortunately there was not a spare black toner at the client site to test, but the PQ test pages, which all came out perfectly, do not suggest any defective toners.

Am I missing something? I can’t think of anything else hardware-wise to combat this MS Office-only print quality issue.

Thank you in advance for any assistance.

did you check the driver to see if they are using " composite black"? I have had that very issue on the 4600 & 4700. ( composite black is ALL colors combined to create black. )

[buf7579]

did you check the driver to see if they are using " composite black"? I have had that very issue on the 4600 & 4700. ( composite black is ALL colors combined to create black. )

Where is this setting? I cannot find it anywhere in the properties or preferences in the installed printer on my laptop. And should composite black be on or off?

[Phil B.]

Where is this setting? I cannot find it anywhere in the properties or preferences in the installed printer on my laptop. And should composite black be on or off?

well seeing how all drivers are not formatted the same ( fields ect ) it could be in the Document properties or the driver... since you didn't even let us know what OS they are running ..... what drivers they have installed and using .... kinda hard to tell you where EXACTLY to look

[buf7579]

well seeing how all drivers are not formatted the same ( fields ect ) it could be in the Document properties or the driver... since you didn't even let us know what OS they are running ..... what drivers they have installed and using .... kinda hard to tell you where EXACTLY to look

Windows 7 on my laptop and client PC (I mentioned Win7 in the original post). PCL5 driver on my laptop, cannot recall the driver on the client PC.

[Lance15]

Your using the UPD, yes? Pretty sure starting w/ Win7, the UPD was the main driver to use. Maybe try using an older version of the UPD (5.5 or so). Have found older versions work better with older printers.

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