In this article, we will provide you with solutions on how to clear HP printer issues in easy-to-follow steps.
Table of Contents
How Do I Clear My HP Printer Memory? [Solved]
To clear HP printer memory for LaserJet printers, follow the instructions that apply to your printer model below:
How to Clear the Memory of HP Printer LaserJet 8100, 8000, 5si, 5100, 5000, 4100, 4050, and 4000 Series
To clear HP printer cache of the above-listed printers, do the steps below:
Step 1: Turn off your HP printer by pressing the power button.
Step 2: Hold down the “GO” button.
Step 3: Turn on your HP printer by pressing the power button while still pressing down the printer’s “GO” button.
Step 4: Once the “Cold Reset” message appears on the screen, let go of the printer’s “GO” button.
Step 5: When “Offline” appears on the screen, press the printer’s “GO” button. This action will cause your HP printer to come back online and the memory will be erased.
How to Clear the Memory of HP Printer LaserJet 4101 and 4100 MFP Series
To clear printer memory on the above-listed HP LaserJet printers, do the following:
Step 1: Turn off your HP printer by pressing the power button.
Step 2: Hold down the “Select” button.
Step 3: Power on your HP printer by pressing the power button while still pressing down the “Select” button”.
Step 4: Once all the LED indicators light up, let go of the “Select” button.
Step 5: Push and then let go of the “Select” button. This action will cause your HP printer’s memory to reset. After that, your device will restart.
How to Clear the Memory of HP Printer LaserJet 4350, 4300, 4250, and 4200 Series
To clear the printer memory of the above-listed HP LaserJet printers, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Turn off your HP printer by pressing the power button.
Step 2: Turn on your HP printer by pressing the power button again.
Step 3: Press down the “Select” button while the printer’s screen displays a message indicating that a memory test is being performed.
Step 4: Once all the LED indicators light up, let go of the “Select” button.
Step 5: Press the “Down Arrow” key repeatedly until your printer displays “Cold Reset” on the screen.
Step 6: Press down and then let go of the “Select” button. This action will cause the screen to display “Ready” once your printer’s memory is cleared.
If you don’t know how to clear HP printer memory before disposal, then the steps above should help you resolve the problem if your printer was listed.
If your HP printer wasn’t listed above, then we recommend that you continue reading as the sections below discuss some other ways you can clear the memory of an HP printer.
How Do I Clear My HP Printer Queue? [Solved]
In this section, we will guide you on how to clear your HP printer queue on both Windows and Mac computers.
How to Clear HP Printer Queue on Windows
To clear HP printer queue on Windows, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Click on “Start” or the Windows Logo.
Step 2: For Windows 7, go to the “Search Programs and Files” box, then type “Run” and press “Enter” on your keyboard.
For Windows Vista, go to the “Start Search” box, then type “Run” and press “Enter” on your keyboard.
For Windows XP, just click on “Run”.
For Windows 10, go to the “Search” box, then type “Run” and press “Enter” on your keyboard.
Step 3: Now, in the “Run” box, type “control printers”.
Step 4: Press “Enter” on your keyboard.
Step 5: Right-click the icon of your HP printer.
Step 6: Click on “Open”.
Step 7: Click “Printer”.
Step 8: Click “Cancel All Documents”. This action will clear the print queue and also your printer’s memory.
If you are wondering how to clear HP 1020 printer memory or how to clear HP Photosmart printer queue, then you can use the steps above.
To read more awesome articles, click any of the links below…
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How to Reset HP Printer [Detailed Guide]
HP Printer Jam [Issues & Solutions]
HP Printer Says Out Of Paper [Solutions]
HP Printer Not Picking Up Paper [Solved]
How to Fix HP Printer Cannot Clear Print Queue
If your HP printer queue does not clear after trying the steps shared above, then you should try any of the fixes below:
1. Clear Your Printer’s Print Spooler
If your HP printer queue will not clear, then clearing your printer’s print spooler will resolve the issue. Follow the instructions in this link to clear the print spooler.
If you want a visual explanation of the steps involved in clearing the print spooler, then check out the video below…
2. Use the Command Prompt
If your HP printer queue won’t clear on Windows 10, then follow the steps below to use the command prompt to clear the files:
Step 1: In your computer’s search box, type “CMD”.
Step 2: Run the Command Prompt app as an administrator.
Step 3: When the window for the command prompt app pops up, enter the commands below one after the other:
net stop spooler
del %systemroot%\System32\spool\printers\* /Q /F /S
net start spooler
Step 4: The action in step 3 should clear the print queue.
3. Make a Batch (Bat) File that can be used for Future Issues
To prevent having to repeat the fix above any time your print queue won’t clear, then we recommend that you make a Batch file.
How to Make a Batch File
Step 1: On your computer, open Notepad++. If you don’t have that, you can use Notepad, but don’t use Microsoft Word or any other word processor.
Step 2: Type in the following:
net stop spooler
del %systemroot%\System32\spool\printers\* /Q /F /S
net start spooler
Step 3: Click “File”.
Step 4: Click “Save As” and do the following:
- The file type should be changed to “All files”.
- Type whatever name you want the file to be named, but ensure that the suffix “.bat” is added.
- Ensure that “Ansi” is the file’s encoding type.
- Save the bat file and remember the storage location.
Step 5: Whenever you want to clear your printer’s print queue, just click on the bat file you created.
4. Run HP Print and Scan Doctor Diagnostic Tool
With the HP Print and Scan Doctor diagnostic tool, you can clear the print queue without much hassle. Simply click on this link to download the tool if it is not installed on your computer.
How to Clear HP Printer Queue on Mac
To clear HP printer queue on Mac, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Click the icon for your hard drive.
Step 2: Click “Applications”.
Step 3: Click “Utilities”.
Step 4: Click “Print Center”. The dialog box of your “Printer List” will open.
Step 5: Click “Printers”.
Step 6: Click “Show Queue”.
Step 7: Press down the keyboard’s “Option” key.
Step 8: Click on “Quit Print Center”.
Step 9: Click “OK”.
If you want a different method on how to clear HP printer memory on Mac, then you can use the steps shared above.
How to Clear HP Printer Carriage Jam
If your HP printer says “clear carriage jam”, then you can resolve the issue by trying the solutions below:
1. Turn off and then Turn on your Printer
In some cases, doing turning off your HP printer and then turning it back on can fix the HP printer error clear carriage jam.
However, if it doesn’t, try the next solution.
2. Clear Paper Jam
The next thing to do if the above solution doesn’t work is to clear any paper jam in your printer.
There are different areas where paper might get jammed in your printer. The instructions in this section of a detailed article we wrote will guide you on how to clear HP printer jam error.
Also, if you want to learn how to clear jam in HP printer m1005, we recommend you also click the link above.
If clearing the paper jam doesn’t fix the issue, then you should try the next solution.
3. Confirm that nothing is Obstructing the Carriage Path
If the path of the carriage is obstructed by any foreign object, then it will lead to a carriage jam problem.
Therefore, to resolve this problem, you need to check if there are any obstructions in the carriage path. To do this, follow the instructions in this link.
If doing the above doesn’t clear the carriage jam, then move on to the solution below.
4. Remove and Reinsert the Cartridges
Another solution that could clear your HP printer jam is to simply remove and then reinsert your print cartridges.
To remove and reinsert your printer’s cartridges, follow the instructions in this link.
After removing and reinserting the cartridges, check if the jam is cleared. If it is not, then you should move on to the solution below.
5. Ensure that the Faceplate of your Printer’s Control Panel is Installed Correctly
If you discover that the faceplate is installed already, and your printer has been functioning properly for a while, then you shouldn’t reinstall the control panel’s faceplate. Instead, just press the faceplate firmly to ensure that it seats well. Once you do that, you can move on to the next solution.
However, if your HP printer is yet to be set up, then follow the steps below to ensure that the faceplate is installed correctly.
How to ensure that the Faceplate of your HP Printer’s Control Panel is Installed Correctly
Step 1: Place the faceplate above your printer.
Step 2: Push down the faceplate corners firmly to lock the faceplate in place.
Step 3: Try to print a document to confirm if the issue has been resolved.
If the carriage jam remains, then you should try the next solution.
Note: This solution does not apply to all HP printer models; it is mostly for all-in-one printers especially the HP PSC 2350 and 1600 printer series.
6. Plug your Printer into an Electric Wall Outlet Directly
Do the steps below to ensure that your HP printer is directly plugged into an outlet:
Step 1: Ensure that the power plugs of your printer and computer are three-pronged.
Step 2: Remove the power cord from your HP printer.
Step 3: Remove the power cord from any surge protector or power strip if it is connected to any.
Step 4: Directly plug the power cord into a wall outlet with three prongs.
Step 5: Connect the power cord to your printer.
Step 6: Turn on your printer.
Step 7: Try to print a document to confirm if the issue has been resolved.
If the issue persists, do the next solution below.
7. Partial Reset your HP Printer
At this point, you should perform a partial reset on your HP printer to clear the carriage jam. We will show you the way to do this for most HP printers and then specific ways for certain HP printer models.
How to Partial Reset Most HP Printers
To partial reset your HP printer, click on this link and follow the instructions you find there.
How to Partial Reset HP PSC 2500 and 1600 All-in-One Series Printers
To partial reset the above-listed printers, do the following:
Step 1: Press the printer’s power button to turn off your HP printer.
Step 2: Disconnect the power cable from your printer.
Step 3: Reconnect the power cable into your printer.
Step 4: Press the printer’s power button to turn on your HP printer.
How to Perform a Partial Reset on HP PSC 2210, 2170, and 2100 All-in-One Series Printers
To perform a partial reset on the above-listed printers, do the following:
Step 1: Unplug the power cable from your printer.
Step 2: Press down the printer’s “Cancel” button followed by the “Left Navigation Arrow” button.
Step 3: While pressing down the buttons, reconnect the power cable to your printer.
Step 4: When your printer displays “Reset”, let go of both buttons.
After resetting your printer, print out a self-report test.
If it doesn’t print, then move to the solution below.
8. Service your HP Printer
If none of the solutions above fixes the issue, then you need to service your printer.
Hence, you should reach out to HP Customer Support. You will then fix an appointment date for the repair or replacement as the case may be.
Note that the repair or replacement will be free if your printer is still under warranty. However, if your product is no longer under warranty, then you might be charged a repair fee.
If you want to clear carriage jam on HP c4280 printer and HP Photosmart c5280 printer, we recommend you try the solutions above first. If none works, then you can contact HP for further assistance.
How to Fix HP Printer Error Clear Cartridge Jam
If your HP printer says clear cartridge jam, you don’t have to worry as there is a simple solution for the problem.
We recommend you follow this link to find the instructions that will guide you on how to fix the error “clear cartridge jam” on your HP printer.
How to Clear an HP Check Printer Cartridge Error Code
To clear an HP check printer carriage error code, do the steps below:
Step 1: Press the power button to turn on your HP printer.
Step 2: Open the cartridge access cover.
Step 3: Take out the cartridge from your printer.
Step 4: Put the cartridge back into the print carriage.
Step 5: Close the cartridge access cover.
Step 6: Turn off your HP printer for 60 seconds.
Step 7: Turn on your HP printer.
Step 8: Print out a test page to confirm if the error has been cleared.
If this doesn’t clear the HP printer error, continue with the next step.
Step 9: Turn on your HP printer.
Step 10: Open the cartridge access cover.
Step 11: Take out the cartridge from your printer.
Step 12: Clean the contacts of the cartridge with a dry lint-free cloth by wiping the contacts in a top-to-bottom motion.
You should clean all the contacts in this manner.
Step 13: Put the cartridge back into the print carriage.
Step 14: Turn off your HP printer for 60 seconds.
Step 15: Turn on your HP printer.
Step 16: Print out a test page.
How to Clear Check Printer Cartridge Error Code on HP Deskjet and Photosmart Printers
To clear check printer carriage error code on HP Deskjet and Photosmart printers, do the steps below:
Step 1: Turn on your HP printer.
Step 2: Open the cartridge access cover.
Step 3: Take out both cartridges (color and black) from your printer.
Step 4: Close the cartridge access cover.
Step 5: Unplug the power cable from the wall outlet.
Step 6: Disconnect any cable connected to your router or computer.
Step 7: Wait for 60 seconds.
Step 8: Reconnect the power cable.
Step 9: Reconnect the cables you disconnected.
Step 10: Open the cartridge access cover.
Step 11: Insert the cartridges back into your printer.
Step 12: Turn on your HP printer.
Step 13: Print out a test page to confirm if the error has been cleared.
If the error remains, then you’ll need to get new cartridges for your HP printer. We recommend you get genuine HP cartridges to avoid further issues.
How to Clear Check Printer Cartridge Error Code on HP Officejet and PSC All-in-One Printers
To clear check printer carriage error code on HP Officejet and PSC All-in-One printers, do the steps below:
Step 1: Turn on your HP printer.
Step 2: Disconnect the power cable from your printer.
Step 3: Wait for 60 seconds.
Step 4: Reconnect the power cable to your printer.
Step 5: Press down your printer’s power button to turn on your printer.
Step 6: Print out a test page to confirm if the error has been cleared.
If the error remains, then you’ll need to get a new color cartridge for your HP printer. We recommend you get a genuine HP cartridge to avoid further issues.
How to Clear HP Printer Event Log
To clear the event log of your HP printer, you will have to perform an NVRAM reset on your device.
Follow the instructions shared in this link to perform an NRWAM reset on your HP printer.
How to Fix HP Printer Error Clear Output Tray Area
If your HP printer displays an error message “clear output tray area”, then it could be that the sensor flag is out of position or the sensor is dirty.
To fix the clear output tray area error on your HP printer, try the solutions and the steps we shared in this article.
How to Clear HP Printer Error Message
There are different kinds of error messages that might be displayed on your HP printer. Hence, we have written a comprehensive article that deals with most of the errors that you will encounter when using an HP printer.
To clear error messages, error state, or error codes on your HP printer, we recommend that you read this article to learn how to deal with these issues.