HP Deskjet 3820 doesn't work

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Level 1

1 points

HP Deskjet 3820 doesn't work

Hi. We just upgraded from an iBook G3 (800 mhz) to a new Core Duo iMac (see info below). I'm trying to get my printer to work. I have two printers set up, a Brother MFC 8820D set up on a Airport Express as a Bonjour printer, and the Deskjet 3820 connected directly to the iMac through the USB port. The Brother works fine, but the Deskjet won't do anything, though when I send something to print, the printer blinks at me and sometimes pretends like it's going to print by making noise, then it just stops.

This is what I've tried:

1. Checked the OS X help files and made sure I covered my bases first.
2. Deleted the deskjet and then re-added it.
3. Reset my printers, then added them back.
4. I downloaded the printer driver again from HP (of course, I got the wrong one, then had to figure out how to get the latest one again). I currently have the latest driver installed (v. 3.3).
5. Fixed my disk permissions.
6. Since it is a similar product to the Deskjet 5550, I tried the suggestions from this discussion ( http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=2243415) and deleted the toolkit.

All of this has gotten me to the point where the computer knows the printer is there and tries to print to it, but the printer doesn't do anything. When I send a document to print, it does the blinking and noise thing, then disappears from the Dock and stops doing anything.

Has anyone else had this problem, and if they have, did they find a solution?

20 " iMac Intel Core Duo 2.0 ghz 128 MB video ram 2 GB ram, iBook G3 800 mhz 640 MB ram Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Posted on Jul 25, 2006 7:47 PM

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Answer 1

Jul 25, 2006 8:03 PM in response to plainbellied

hi there--

are these intel drivers that you have installed?? if not, that is why they are not working. drivers for this model are included as part of the operating system package for this computer. http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303057 you should delete non-intel drivers and then install them from the install disk. this article http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301229 will tell you how to custom install the drivers. hope that works for you. [ 8 ) ]

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Answer 2

plainbellied Author

Level 1

1 points

Jul 25, 2006 8:34 PM in response to sherry johnson

Yes, it is the universal driver that I have installed. I should have mentioned that I unintentionally deleted the driver that came with the computer in my travels through support **** (HP's website is horrible for figuring out things like this), then somehow got it back from the HP website. I have just re-installed the original driver from the install CD as you suggested, and the problems are the same as before. I re-installed the printer itself using the printer setup utility just to make sure, but no dice...

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Answer 3

Jul 25, 2006 9:55 PM in response to plainbellied

try unplugging everything from the computer, then disconnect the power cord from where it goes into the power supply at the back of the computer. wait about half a minute or so. then plug it back in. then see if the printer will work. [ 8 ) ]

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Answer 4

plainbellied Author

Level 1

1 points

Jul 25, 2006 10:38 PM in response to sherry johnson

Boy, do I wish that had worked! 😟

It does the same things as before. Incidentally, I turned off the printer and restarted it, too, and when I restarted, it fed a blank piece of paper. Then it blinked a warning light at me until I hit the button next to it (the paper feed button), and it consequently fed another blank piece of paper. When I sent a file to print, it actually went through the motions of opening up the printer and saying it was processing the job, and it went so far as to tell me that it had sent the job, then the printer dialogue just closed, as though it thought the page had printed.

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Answer 5

myhighway

Level 5

7,270 points

Jul 26, 2006 5:53 AM in response to plainbellied

Have you tried using Printer Setup Utility, highlight your printer, wait until the "Utility" icon at the top has become bold and then click on it. You can verify your settings and see if you can input your network password at "Networking"

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Answer 6

plainbellied Author

Level 1

1 points

Jul 26, 2006 4:35 PM in response to myhighway

Since my printer isn't set up as a network printer, that probably won't work. It is connected to the computer directly through the USB port.

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Answer 7

myhighway

Level 5

7,270 points

Jul 26, 2006 5:24 PM in response to plainbellied

Well, I just checked mine using the "Utility" icon, and I hadn't realized that it's low on toner. Also, I'm not sure, but I think my entire unit may be password protected for administration, not just the networking.

Was there any HP setup that you went through? If not, if it's availabe somewhere, you might want to give that a try.

Message was edited by: myhighway

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Answer 8

hrguy

Level 1

9 points

Jul 26, 2006 9:18 PM in response to myhighway

This printer has a well-known problem of jamming or breaking due to ink build-up internally (search www.fixyourownprinter.com for '3820' for more info).

I would suggest testing the printer on your other computer again to make sure you don't have the unfortunate coincidence of a printer hardware problem at the same time that you happen to be connecting it to the iMac. If the printer works on the other computer, it's not the jamming problem.

I spent a lot of time messing with drivers, research, etc. when it was a jam. Don't bother trying to take advantage of HP's extended warranty (referred to in the website above) if you have a jam; it has expired. Most of the posts about this printer refer to a broken gear, however when I took mine apart (a bit tricky) and cleaned out the giant wad of black ink gumming up the works, it worked fine. Still using it, and it connected to my iMac via USB just fine.

I don't recall the exact sequence I used to get it hooked up, but pretty much did plug-and-play, followed by going to HP's site and downloading the latest driver/utility

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Answer 9

plainbellied Author

Level 1

1 points

Jul 26, 2006 10:41 PM in response to hrguy

Having checked out the forum you mentioned, it looks like my problem is the gear issue. The flashing lights match what they are saying. It's three years old, so it's not surprising it died (since the engineering was apparently so flawed). I'm going to take it apart tomorrow and see about the ink problem, but I'm pretty sure it will be a gear issue.

Thanks a lot for your help!

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Answer 10

plainbellied Author

Level 1

1 points

Jul 26, 2006 11:40 PM in response to plainbellied

Just to bring some closure to this, HP offered an exchange on the printer, but there was no freebie involved. They give a credit for returning the broken printer and sell you a reduced-price refurb. I'm not a fan of refurbs, so I'm going to pass.

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Answer 11

hrguy

Level 1

9 points

Jul 27, 2006 10:25 AM in response to plainbellied

Plainbellied, thanks for the closure on this. I wasn't offered the refurb option.

Even if you're pretty handy with fixing stuff, this printer is a challenge to open and dig down to the ink well where you have to remove the gunk.

If you contact this guy who posted on fixyourownprinter.com (stevenh_964@...), he'll send you very good illustrated instructions for opening the printer, along with how to get a new gear if you discover that your's is broken. Hopefully, just cleaning out the ink wad will work, as for me.

17" iMac, 2b upgraded 2 Merom

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