Troubleshooting a Canon BJC-620 Printer

Calibrate the Ink Cartridges

If you are encountering this error after recently installing new ink cartridges, you might need to calibrate the printer to detect the new ink. Here are the steps:

1. Turn the printer off
2. Take out the ink cartridges
3. Unplug the printer’s power source, either from the wall outlet or the back of the printer
4. Beside the black ink cartridge there is a paper thickness lever, press it down to the bottom setting for plain paper
5. Close the cover of the printer
6. Plug the printer in and press and hold down the Power button and the button marked FF
7. Now you will hear a tone and the print heads will move - when they stop press Online and you will hear more tones
8. Move the paper thickness lever up to the envelope position
9. Close the cover
10. Press the FF button again - the printer should make a tone and then turn off
11. Unplug the printer again and reinstall all the cartridges
12. Set the paper lever back to the plain paper position

Diagnose a Print Head Error

If this isn’t an appropriate description of your problem, or if this fails to resolve your problem, you might have a print head error. This is especially likely if, when you turn on the printer, the Error light flashes and at least one of the Print Mode lights continue to flash for more than 3 minutes. The first time that you turn your printer on, a few minutes of flashing is normal and ok, as the printer initializes and sets itself up. However, if the flashing continues and doesn’t abate, you might have another problem.

Resolve a Print Head Error

To troubleshoot a print head error, follow these steps.

1. Turn off the power by pressing down the Power button
2. Unplug the power from the printer
3. Wait for half a minute then reattach the power cord
4. Remove the ink cartridges
5. Next, you will remove the print head, and might want to refer to your user’s manual for diagrams.
6. Press the tabs that are on either side of the compartment cover to remove it
7. Take out the print head
8. Re-insert the print head
9. Close the cover
10. Re-insert the ink cartridges
11. Turn the power on

Troubleshooting a CD/DVD Drive

Possible Causes of CD/DVD Drive Failure

Sometimes disk drive readers are affected by CD and DVD burning programs and faulty disk burns. If you run a disk burning program like Nero you might begin by uninstalling and reinstalling the program. If you run Windows XP, open your Start Menu, then select Control Panel, then Add/Remove Programs. Select your disk burning program and then opt to uninstall. If you are running Windows Vista, open the Start Menu, then Control Panel and then Uninstall a Program. Find the appropriate program and select to remove.

Check Drive Status with Device Manager

If you have made any recent changes to your computer system you might be missing drivers that your computer needs to communicate with the device. You can check the status of the CD/DVD drive using Device Manager. Device Manager is used to make sure things are working as they should be, to diagnose configuration problems, and to address and resolve device incompatibilities and conflicts. To open Device Manager, right click on your My Computer icon and then select Manage, and then Device Manager.  

Update Missing Device Drivers

You might be missing some recent driver updates that are not allowing your drive to work properly. Both Windows and the manufacturer of your computer’s hardware issue periodic updates to keep programs and devices up to date and compatible. For example, if you recently updated a software program, you might now need to load the corresponding data for the device. You can run Windows Update to check for updates.

Registry Issues

Another possibility, most likely if you are in fact using a third party CD/DVD reader and burner, is that there are corrupt or damaged files on your computer’s registry. Each time that you launch a program or initiate a command your computer creates a small data file that it saves to the registry, which is like a log of its activity. If there has been an issue with one of your programs, it is possible that there are corrupt files on the registry that are interfering with the normal use of your drive.

If this is the case, you will have to edit the registry to remove the bad data. Editing the registry is a serious endeavor, and mistakes can render the system unusable and require a clean install of the operating system. If the other suggestions are not helpful, and if you think that a registry error might be the problem, you can try running a software program like RegCure. Otherwise, you can write again and provide specific information about your computer, your operating system, and your CD/DVD program and disk drive. The process to edit your registry is not too complicated, but it is delicate. You might consider seeking technical assistance from a remote specialist who can ask you questions in real time to help you solve your problem.

Troubleshooting Printing Problems: Update the Printer Drivers

With some printers, an out-of-memory printing error is generated when the drivers have not been updated to current versions. Visit the website for the manufacturer of your printer and search for the driver download page. Look to see if your particular printer has any updated drivers. If it does, then download them at that time. Try your printer again to see if it works.

Troubleshooting Printer Problems: Not Enough Memory

Quite a few software applications use a lot of memory when they run. This includes Microsoft Office, certain operating systems, and applications for photos and images. Moreover, quite a few printers do not have their own memory. Therefore, when you run the printer drivers in order to use the printer, they use the computer’s available memory. If the computer runs out of available RAM, then the print job will not be completed and this error message is generated.

If your computer does not have enough RAM, then the “out-of-memory printing error” will appear. The best way to resolve this issue is to upgrade your memory by adding more. As a temporary measure, you can attempt to do your printing when you first boot up your computer before you use any other applications. Additionally, you can delete files, folders, unwanted photos and images, and unwanted software applications from your computer as well.

Troubleshooting Printer Problems: Reduce the Memory Required to Print

Certain types of files require a great deal of memory to print. Reducing the amount of memory needed to complete the task might help. For example, if you are attempting to print PDF files, you can make an adjustment that will reduce the resources required to print the file. To do so, you would limit the substitution fonts to one font. You could also elect to print at a lower resolution to lessen the amount of memory required to print your selection.

Although the cause of the problem is not clear, you know that it exists. Solving this type of issue generally involves some type of troubleshooting. There are a few things that you can try that might lead you to a solution for the problem. The fact that it works with Windows Media is encouraging, but probably frustrating to you. The fix might depend upon what you are trying to use the sound for. Try these generalized tips to see if any of them help. You can actually try them in any order that you want.

Uninstall and Reinstall the Audio Device

Even if the audio device is working properly with some applications, it is possible that the installation is not a good one. Faulty applications sometimes allow devices to function partially, while failing to function completely. Uninstall your audio device and reinstall it.

Install Audio Applications

If you downloaded audio applications but forgot to install them, you should do so now. DVD Player would be one of these.

Update the Drivers

Make sure that you have the latest drivers for the audio device that you are using. Visit the website for the manufacturer of the device that you are trying to use and download the latest drivers if any exist.

Check the Device on a Different Computer

If you are trying to use a specific device such as your iPod or MP3 Player, try it on another computer if you have access to one. This will eliminate that device as the culprit.

Check the CD Drive

Use the Device Manager on your computer to check the CD drive. Follow the troubleshooting tips that should be included there while you are at it. To use the “Device Manager,” follow these directions or some variation of them since they depend on the version of Windows that you have:

1)      Click “Start.”

2)      Click “Control Panel.”

3)      Click “Performance and Maintenance.”

4)      Click “System.”

5)      Click “Hardware.”

6)      Click “Device Manager.”

Or

1)      Click “Start.”

2)      Click “Control Panel.”

3)      Click “Sound and Audio.”

4)      Click “Hardware.” In the middle of the dialog box, you will see “Device Properties.” If the device is not working properly, a message should be included there.

5)      Click “Troubleshoot” for possible solutions.

Update the Operating System

If you haven’t updated your operating system lately or ever, that is an excellent place to start. Locate the latest update for it and see if that will solve the problem.

Vista Compatibility

The first thing I checked was the HP Web site to make sure that the HP 950xi all-in-one printer was compatible with the Windows Vista operating system. Good news - it is indeed compatible! The bad news - it is only somewhat compatible. For example, the buttons on the printer, such as the scan button, won’t work. This doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to print and scan though. I’ll show you how to work around the limitations in order to get this printer to print and scan.

Depending on when you purchased the printer, you may need to install the appropriate printer drivers in order to accomplish this limited compatibility. Disconnect the printer from your USB port now.

Update Windows Vista

The HP 950xi is a discontinued printer that does not have a dedicated Windows Vista compatibility driver package available from HP. Instead, you will need to use a basic printer driver which is available within your Windows Vista operating system. Before you begin, make sure that you have the latest updates from Microsoft just in case any improvements have been made to this particular driver since your last update. Go to Control Panel and click on Windows Update. Follow the prompts to set up regular updates and manually update your operating system right now.

Let HP Check to See if You Have the Correct Drivers

Another option is to go to HP’s 950xi support page and choose the option titled, “Automatically check to see if you have the latest software and drivers.” Note, you must have the printer connected to a USB or parallel port on your computer in order for this tool to work.

Let Windows install the Appropriate Driver

Connect the printer to a USB port on your computer and wait as Windows detects the hardware and automatically installs the appropriate driver. Due to the limitations of this driver, you will not be able to use the buttons on the printer or many of the printer’s advanced functions. However, you will be able to print and scan using the following workarounds.

Use the HP 950xi to Print

When you have a document that you need to print, you must use the File> Print command of the document’s software. This is fairly standard and not a big deal.

Use the HP 950xi to Scan

Windows Vista comes with a utility called the Windows Photo Gallery. You’ll use this utility to initiate scans. Go to the Start button> All Programs> Windows Photo Gallery. Go to the File menu and select Import from Scanner or Camera. Click the Import button followed by Scan.

You can also initiate a scan from MS Paint. Launch Paint (Start> All Programs> Accessories> Paint) and then go to the File menu and choose From Scanner or Camera followed by Scan.

Using the HP 950xi’s Memory Card Reader

If you have images on a memory card and wish to import them from your printer, insert the memory card into the printer. Windows will pop a screen up on your display giving you several choices. If this screen does not appear, remove the card and then reinsert it. Once the screen appears, make your choice such as Import Pictures, Open Folder, or View Pictures.

While this discontinued HP printer isn’t fully functional with Windows Vista, by following these tips, you should be able to make the most of it albeit in a roundabout fashion.

For more information about your HP 950xi printer, visit the HP support page.

Graphics Cards

Updating your graphics card is tricky business. It depends not only on what you have, but also on what you are willing to spend. When you have an old, low-end graphics card, the upgrades are endless and almost anything is going to be a true bonus for your computer activities. However, when you have something middle-of-the road or fairly decent as with your current NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT card, the choices are not so seemingly abundant.

Comparison Chart for VGA Cards

If you want to update your NVIDIA GeForce Card with the purchase and installation of a different card, I suggest looking at the comparison chart provided by NVIDIA. This chart can be accessed at this link, GeForce Graphics Processors. It provides comparisons and ratings for their 200 Series, 9 Series, and 8 Series. Your current card falls into the 8 Series. It offers information on each of the following categories:

• Type of user
• Gaming Performance versus Integrated Graphics
• Microsoft DirectX
• Photos, Office Applications, Web Surfing
• DVD Movie Playback
• HD DVD and Blu-ray Playback

Consider how you use your computer when shopping for a new video card. For example, if gaming is a major hobby for your, you will have different needs than someone who only uses their computer for e-mail and document creation.

Updating NVIDIA GeForce Card with NVIDIA Smart Scan

If you want to update the drivers for your NVIDIA GeForce Card, I suggest you use NVIDIA Smart Scan to locate the drivers. Updating the driver’s will improve the performance of your NVIDIA GeForce Card. You can access it at the following link: NVIDIA Smart Scan.

Tips for Updating Drivers

• Disable the “Download Accelerator” utilities whenever downloading any drivers.
• Close all virus protection applications before installing any drivers. If you allow virus protection applications to run in the background, the drivers will not be configured properly.