Change printer settings for HP Laserjet 1300

Question

Level 1

4 points

Change printer settings for HP Laserjet 1300

I just replaced the ink cartridge and the printer immediately printed with very pale print. I checked

the settings and it is in EconoMode. Prior to replacing the cartridge, the print was much darker so

it must not have been in EconoMode..

The computer is running OS 10.14.6 and the printer driver is 19.13. I can view the current settings by looking at the presets but can not change them.

I wish to get out of EconoMode. Is there a way to do it?

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Jun 21, 2020 2:37 PM

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Answer 1

Eau Rouge

Level 8

42,620 points

Jun 22, 2020 1:39 AM in response to HikingNut

Interestingly the HP printer driver page for your printer does not give any route to drivers

for your printer later than 2003. Have a look.

https://support.hp.com/gb-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-laserjet-1300-printer-series/238320

Ok here is a link to the HP drivers 5.1 which was updated in 2017,

https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1888?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

this includes the 19.13 driver that you have on your mac but will not be harmful to

reinstall. Another link here, https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201465#HP

will take you to the list of printers that are supported under this HP print driver package,

keep scrolling down till you see your printer, it is in there.

Once downloaded double click to install.

It would be preferable to have the printer connected directly to the mac.

Also if no further progress is made try resetting the printing system,

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT203343

Scroll down the article to resetting the printing system.

And just for good measure make sure the ink cartridge has been inserted correctly.

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Answer 2

Old Toad

Level 10

211,027 points

Jun 21, 2020 4:13 PM in response to HikingNut

Print out a Self Test/Device Configuration page. On the page look for the IPv4 address. Enter that address in the URL window of your browser and it will take you to the HP printer where you can click on the Settings link, then the Print Settings link. There you should be able to set the print darkness.

Or find the printer utility for the HP (I renamed my HP as the Gutenberg Press).

Launch it and under the General section click on the Show Printer Webpage… link. Then you can work your way to the Print Settings.

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Answer 3

HikingNut Author

Level 1

4 points

Jun 25, 2020 3:51 PM in response to HikingNut

Hello, today when I turned on the computer and checked the drivers just to see if anything was different on the presets, I noticed that the HP LaserJet 1300 showed in the System Preferences>Printers & Scanners as not connected to the computer. The printer was connected to the computer by USB and was turned on. Normally the default printer, if turned on, shows it is ready (green dot under its name) but this was different with a red dot and the symbol for something not connected. I could still use the printer and the dot would turn green when the printer was in use. I tried al sorts of attempts for fix it but nothing seemed to make a difference. Finally I restarted the computer and for now, that seems to have corrected the problem.

On to the main problem with the driver, I installed the HP Printer Drivers v5.1 for OS X and as far as I can tell it was installed but the print quality is still EconoMode and I can't do anything to change it. See the attached screen shot of the presets from the print dialog box. This is where I am trying to make the change. Is this where the settings would be changed?

One additional bit of information I discovered today is the printer has what is called a Go Button. Pushing it once prints out a page with information about the printer. The print quality is what I would expect as Normal quality, definitely not EconoMode.

The next thing I will do is Reset the Printing System.

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Answer 4

HikingNut Author

Level 1

4 points

Jun 25, 2020 11:14 PM in response to Eau Rouge

The current driver is 19.13 which was updated from the link to HP Printer Drivers v5.1 for OS X and is also the same driver that was installed before updating from Drivers v5.1. See attached:

How do I fine the version 5.05?

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Answer 5

HikingNut Author

Level 1

4 points

Jun 21, 2020 10:55 PM in response to Old Toad

Hello Mr. Old Toad, I tried the second part, using the printer utility but discovered that there is no Show Printer Webpage link under the General section. See attached:

I have also noted that the driver must be an Apple product. Does that have any bearing on this?

Second, I printed a Device Configuration page and it came out blank. Absolutely blank. Could this have anything to do with the printer being connected to my Apple Time Capsule and not to my computer directly?

Tomorrow, I will be gone most of the day, hiking in the Sierra, but will get back to this tomorrow evening or tuesday.

Thank you for your help. I will keep working this.

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Answer 6

Old Toad

Level 10

211,027 points

Jun 22, 2020 10:06 AM in response to HikingNut

How are you connected to the Airport Time Capsule? Wirelessly?

As ER suggested try connecting your HP directly to your iMac via Ethernet cable. Then see if you can reach the configuration menu to change the print density.

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Answer 7

HikingNut Author

Level 1

4 points

Jun 23, 2020 5:09 PM in response to Old Toad

The printer has been connected to the Time Capsule via USB. I now connected it to the computer by USB. In the list of printers is a different driver for the HP 1300. I opened it but was still not able to see a Show Printer Webpage under the General section.

I then opened a print dialog box, selected the new driver and looked at the presets. EconoMode still showed but I was unable to change it.

Next I will try the other steps to take listed in Eau Rouge's reply. I don't know how far I will get as I now have to get ready for another day in the mountains tomorrow, Yosemite, but will get back into this thursday. I wish to thank both of you for your help and will keep working at it.

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Answer 8

HikingNut Author

Level 1

4 points

Jun 25, 2020 4:39 PM in response to HikingNut

I took one more attempt at getting a Self Test/Configuration Page and this time got results but I see nothing about an IP4V address. See attached. It also indicates Economode =Off.

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