Just curious, since having this problem, how many people have looked inside their b9180s to change a printhead or what-not. Much of the inside of this HP gadget of mine is now covered in a thin, sticky, black ink film. The bar on which the printhead-cage rides back and forth is smeared black with ink that comes off if dampened. A spongy foam bit that runs the width of the printer at the bottom is soaked in tacky, black goo. I've not yet stuck a flashlight down in there for a better look around — waiting for protective gear to arrive.
When I went to manually check a complaining printhead today, the lid on the printhead-cage stuck to my fingers when I popped it open. I was surprised. It was completely black. I didn't realize it's actually blue, until I wiped off all the ink.
Question is: after the season of ink flooding, the ink-spill, is this coating on the inside of my photosmart normal wear and tear or something else? And why have my printheads gone from good to fair to fix-me, replace-me, feed-me-money?
Things that make you go hmmm.
Related thread https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3243855 in which included is the comment:
"I did contact HP by e-mial [sic] about this and got a call from them. They blamed Apple since it was downloaded from Apple Software Update. And Apple blame HP. Catch 22!"
Ah. All's (an ink)well that ends literarily.