My HP OFFICEJET 6978 printer died so I replaced it with a new HP OFFICEJET PRO ALL-IN-ONE printer that was on sale for $99 (list price $169.99). The HP instructions said EASY, FAST INSTALLATION! FALSE! The printer installation was neither easy or fast. I followed the instructions to go to the HP installation web site. I downloaded the software. I ran the software. Then I tried to print. Nothing happened.
I repeated the steps. Reinstalled the software. Still nothing. With frustration mounting, I went to the HP Tech Support web site and started an online CHAT with Manish Kumar, a tech support representative. It took about a half an hour, but Manish Kumar finally got my new printer to print. The problem was caused by conflicted software issues.
Once upon a time, you could just plug a printer into your computer, plug the printer into a power source, run the installation software and the printer would print. Now, in this Wi-Fi, wireless printing world we’ve slid backwards. More complications, more issues, less reliability. How are you and your printer getting along?
Same problem: Our printer (which is an HP, but I can’t check the model right now because it’s in Julia’s room and she’s sleeping after being at a Madrid Gras parade until late last night) can print documents sent from some of our devices, but not others (and, sometimes, the printer is capricious and will/won’t print from a device it previously wouldn’t/would). I realize it’s probably caused by the same problem you had—software conflicts. We usually try a workaround: sending the document to a device that has previously had printing success and printing it from there. It’s tedious, but generally works.
Deb, I used to love my HP printers (I’ve owned seven over the years including an HP Laserjet that I used to print over 10,000 pages–including my dissertation). But the last HP Officejet Pro 6978 was the noisiest printer I’ve ever owned. And, like your HP printer, it would print when it felt like it. Exasperating!
I’m not technically inclined, and recently had a hell of a time just breaking in a new mouse. My printer and I are not currently on speaking terms.
Michael, I miss the Old Days of “plug-and-play” printers. Today, the whole WI-FI and wireless world is so complicated…and unreliable.
“Capricious” is a good word, Deb. I’ve had similar problems with my HP. I don’t use it that often, but normally everything is fine. Then, all of a sudden and for no apparent reason, it won’t print when I want it to. Sometimes turning it off and back on helps, but other times I just shut it down, then when I go back and turn it on a day later (say), it suddenly starts printing all the back items it refused to print in the first place! As a rule now, most concert tickets we get go right to the phone so I don’t have to print the tickets, though that is something that usually works. If it is an email, it always prints, so if we get TDF (Theatre Development Fund) tickets for a show, the receipt we need to take to the box office does print.
Weird.
Jeff, we had the identical problems printing tickets on our old HP Officejet Pro. Sometimes it would perform…and sometimes not. And, the HP ink cartridges cost a fortune!
The cost of ink cartridges is another issue. Just as I often say, it’s not the cost of the car, it’s the on-going cost for insurance, it’s the same thing for printers. You can get a reasonably reliable home printer for less than $150 these days—but, baby, you’re gonna be paying for that ink forever!
Deb, you are so right! In the Old Days, an ink cartridge used to last a few months. Today, the ink cartridges run out after a few weeks! And, I don’t do that much printing anymore!
Absolutely. I get relatively good prices at Costco, but ink price are as ridiculous as paying $5 for a box of Kellogg’s cereal.
Jeff, it infuriates me that new cereal boxes when you open them are half empty!
Jeff, when you have a backlog like that, go into the Print Queue and delete the things you don’t want any more.
I know that, but sometimes I forget…or just don’t bother.
George, as far as cereal boxes go, I think it’s wonderful of the makers to give us all that extra cardboard. It’s an aesthetic decision, enabling a larger, more powerful and vivid image on the box.
The next time you walk down the cereal aisle, take a moment and enjoy the experience.
Dan, New York State is on the cusp of banning “single-use plastic bags” in hopes of improving the Environment. Diane and I recycle our plastic bags but apparently we’re in the minority. Paper bags loom as the replacement, but I can predict problems with that solution. Meanwhile, I’ll wander down that cereal aisle and bask in the experience as you suggest.
Oregon has already banned plastic bags. Unfortunately, we used them for a necessary chore (cat box related) so we’re now in a bind.
Rick, plenty of dog owners are frustrated because they used the plastic bags for their dogs’ poop. Paper bags are not going to work!
We had a bagful of free reusable one time use bags, because we used them to line the kitchen garbage pail. But the new pail is too big, so Jackie recycled them and we had to buy bigger bags in Costco.
I don’t have a printer, never had. I have limited elec. outlets and no space for one near the computer. I can go to the library or the mail boxes etc place I get packages to print if I need to, or ask a friend. I’m super tech challenged (no Patrick!) and got my first computer in 2008. (went to the library before that). I always say anyone who has to help me with tech stuff should get hazardous duty pay.
I’ll never pay $5 a box for cereal. I get it on sale and stock up a bit. If there is a grocery outlet near you, you can find great deals. CVS also sometimes has cereal for $2
Cal. has banned single use bags for a couple of years now, but smart & final and Costco business stores sell them. We also have to ask for plastic straws. I only want a plastic straw after dental work when I have my “treat” – a milkshake. I bought a bunch of paper and avocado pit straws on markdown last year at my local ralphs (Kroger). boxes of 30 were 25c for the avocado pit ones. The mouth feel isn’t the same, but it’s a small thing to do for the environment. My paper still comes in a plastic bag even in nice weather (miss the rubber bands) and I use those to dispose of banana peels and fruit cores. among other things.
We can buy thick plastic bags at stores for 10c they do last. We are also charged for paper bags, the same amount, though not all stores offer them I wish they’d go back to paper bags for an option in the produce section (no charge for those plastic bags)
Maggie, here we put all food waste in the same garbage bin as our yard debris and it’s all ground up for compost. I’m surprised that doesn’t happen in SD.
only some areas have yard waste pickup and non have food waste. I have a lot of bags my newspaper comes in, give me your address, rick and I’ll send some to you they aren’t like store bags, though narrow to fit the paper. I used to carry them when I walked by elderly friends dog
A friend needs them (store bags) for her bedridden mothers sanitary waste and got some at Smart and Final (1000) Costco business has them for less $$
Some stores still give them away, Best Buy Harbor Freight to name 2 Grocery stores still have plastic bags in the produce section
Maggie, your area has been dealing with the plastic bag issue longer than New York State has. Plenty of people are complaining all ready and the ban hasn’t even gone into effect yet! Yes, I miss the Amazing Patrick taking care of my tech problems when he was living at home. There’s only so much Patrick can solve over the phone now.
That is just one reason I have switched, long since, to Epson printer/scanners. I have had no problems of the kind mentioned by you and others here, and can print from all devices. I’ll bet the HP people tried to blame it on your Mac. I use the scanner as much or more than the print mode, as I scan books for posts and so forth.
Rick, no blame was leveled at my Mac by the HP tech. But I may have to consider an Epson or Canon next time I need a printer. My first printer was an Epson dot-matrix printer (remember them?) way back in the 1980s.
Yes I do! Noisy things.
Jackie has collected a bunch of Trader Joe’s bags from around the country (Maggie and Deb’s daughters have contributed) and we bought several reusable bags at Publix down here, plus some from stores in New York. The trick is remembering to bring them with you, but I keep them in the car.
Jeff, Diane keeps Wegmans bags in her Altima and I keep a couple bags in my Rogue. But, as you say, the trick is to remember to bring them into the store.
I have a HP All-in-One that works most of the time. Like Rick, I use it more for scanning these days. But the ink seems to dry up quickly if I haven’t been using the printer. As for plastic bags, one of our major grocery chains stopped using them about two weeks ago. I carry reusual bags in my car and the only time I don’t use them is if I’m in a mall that has a grocery store I sometimes use and am too lazy to go back out to my car to get them. Poor excuse, I know. The majority of my grocery shopping is at the store that has banned the plastic bags. I notice in thrift stores that they always are looking for donations of plastic bags.
Kent, I noticed that the HP printer ink seem to dry up quickly, too.
HP sucks! Don’t get and Epson! They don’t allow you to use refurbished ink cartridges and theirs are expensive! My old printer wouldn’t allow my upgraded Windows 10 to work! I had to get a new printer! It was a $69 Epson but the first cartridge was close to $20! I think I’ll replace it! By the way, HP sucks!
Bob, I’m not happy with HP, either. Canon has been getting good reviews. I might just buy a Canon next.