Brother MFC-L2740DW Doesn't Print For The Most Part - Stuck on Receiving Data Message

[thegazelle]

I don't know whether there is a systematic problem with the MFC 27xxDW series. In order to try to troubleshoot another problem with one of my printers (2730DW, see other thread), I bought a MCF-L2740DW which the seller in advance reported does not print, except for two specific occasions:

1. Can print via scanned or ADF page copies
2. Can print internal user settings page

Other than that, it doesn't print. He tried troubleshooting it.

Unlike my other printer, this one was a working touch screen.

Based on the price I thought I'd try to take a shot at fixing it.

So first thing I did was boot it up when I got home. Sure enough, it went to a main screen, all of which works insofar as the touchscreen function. I set the date and time.

I then installed the 2740DW driver set to my Windows 10 laptop, and connected the USB. It correctly detected the printer as a 2740DW. I tried to send a test print through. And that's when I saw on the LCD screen "Receiving Data". It was stuck on this screen for at least 5 minutes until I unplugged it and restarted it.

I tried this again, after I went to the printer menu and reset everything to factory defaults (which the previous owner said he already tried, but I figured I'll try again). When I set it up and then subsequently sent in another print, same thing "RECEIVING DATA" stuck on screen.

So I thought I would see if it needed a firmware update. So downloaded the firmware update for this model and connected the USB and started to apply the update. Again "Receiving Data" stuck on the screen. I left it overnight with it still doing that, so I shut it off.

I then thought I'd try updating the firmware from my app, with the printer connected to my home network via ethernet cable. Set it up and got the IP address, went into my Brother iPrint, logged into the web interface of the printer, selected firmware and check update and the printer detected there is newer firmware available and it needed to update - so I used my phone to apply the update...a couple of seconds later, "Receiving Data" on the display screen of the printer. Again I left it overnight with no change.

I then put it on WIFI as well, I used the Brother utilities on my laptop to connect to the printer, where it detected that it needed a firmware update, but the Brother utilities status on the printer was OFFLINE. Again, everything was OK until the printer was contacted and that was when I saw the dreaded "RECEIVING DATA" screen.

The drum and toner cartridge are originals OEM Brother. The toner is brand new 100% left, and the drum has 60% left.

There doesn't seem to be anything mechanically wrong with the printer since it DOES print the user settings test page no problem and it can do copies using the scanner/automatic document feeder. Unfortunately, it does not print anything else. I would suspect that a firmware update would fix this but how to update the firmware without using using the Brother utilities seem to be a challenge.

As per usual, the Brother website is not helpful with its FAQs, and doesn't cover this exact situation. The Brother forums are also not relevant as they deal with developing SDKs and geared towards programmers, not hardware technical issues by end users.

From what I can see on the internet a number of other people have had this exact issue with different models of the 27xx series, with the exactly same symptoms of what works and what doesn't. Unfortunately I haven't seen any solutions to this problem.

Any insight/help would be welcome. Thanks.

[emiliorsg]

The problem is probably on the main PCB.

[tsbservice]

I think the same as emilio.

[thegazelle]

Thanks for the replies. What is interesting about this one as opposed to my 2730DW that doesn't even power up mechanically (definitely logic board) though it has power, is that in both cases, the computer when attached by USB DOES recognize both the presence and the correct make/model of the printer. If I were to delete it and then reattach the USB, it will detect a 2740DW but flag is as OFFLINE. It seems like the issue with the RECEIVING DATA prompt is due to a signal going to the logic board. That would explain why the self test prints and the scan from feeder prints and the copy prints work OK because maybe it's not sending any data to the board.

It is really too bad that there is no way to force the firmware onto the board - I read for some other brother models, the printer (or at least the storage within) can be configured to recognized as an external storage device / removeable hard drive, and as such, the firmware file can be placed on that space and then the printer's internal menus have a firmware update function that can read from that space and update accordingly.

I have also loosely read about people who use 32-bit Windows 7 and earlier computers to somehow write data to the PCB. But several prerequisites and requirements have to be met for that to happen, not the least of which is locating some file that is unique to the printer.

I may still keep this as a project to try to fix this at some point. The printer itself is in too good of a condition to just relegate it to the junk scrapyard, though my kids highly recommend that their Dad does not add another piece of electronics clutter to the house...

[dalewb74]

why wouldn't you use the Brother utilities to update firmware? have you done a network reset?

[thegazelle]

why wouldn't you use the Brother utilities to update firmware? have you done a network reset?

I did use the utilities. Same result. yes network reset done. same result.

Looks like a few others have reported similar issues with the 2730 and 2740 family and the culprit seems to be a combination of bad firmware on pcb board