# Installing HP Officejet Pro 8600



## CATCRAW (Mar 27, 2008)

I just received a HP Officejet Pro 8600 as a warranty replacement for a defective HP Photosmart. After unpacking, I noticed it did not come with any ink cartridges, so I went and purchased the correct HP cartridges. I went through the setup process and it continues to fail at Alignment. It seems that it only wants to install using special setup ink cartridges, which of course were not included. I have completed the setup, but I cannot get the printer to print other then blank pages. Anyone know how to get this printer to print with the purchased ink cartridges? HP sure doesn't know how!!!


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

Don't have an answer, but special setup cartridges are a new one for me...but fits for HP.

Personally, I think they should ship you free setup cartridges.


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## hilmar2k (Mar 18, 2007)

This might help:

http://www.resourcesforlife.com/docs/item4792


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## CATCRAW (Mar 27, 2008)

New one for me too! They are shipping me a new printhead with the cartridges. But I fixed my issue - I had to do a Clean Printhead process 3 times and then Align and voila - it prints!!!!! I found a video online that showed the process to fix printing issues - so I figured it couldn't hurt to try and it fixed whatever was wrong.


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## dmspen (Dec 1, 2006)

I have given up on HP printers. I have a Photosmart HP 6300 All-in-one and I hate it. It constantly loses wireless connection. It will even lose its hard-wired connection.

Also, when doing ANYTHING, the blasted unit realigns and cleans itself which takes upwards of 2 minutes. It does this even when doing a scan to a USB drive.

The print head failed in the warranty period and it took me over 2 hours on the phone with HP for them to understand the problem and send a new print head.

When the wireless connectivity failed, I got HP to agree to get on the phone with a local HP tech to run through the setup. They completely screwed up the agreed upon time. Apologies were made and we finally worked it out (until it lost itself again). 

Currently I use the thing as a stand-alone since it has trouble connecting with my PC. Oddly, just plugging the USB cable into my daughters Mac works fine. The printer doesn't even show up on my PC.

What's ironic is I work directly across the street from HP HQ.


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## 4HiMarks (Jan 21, 2004)

I've given up on HPs as well. I have an OJ 4500 All-in-one that keeps freezing up. It won't print, copy, scan, or even turn off unless I pull the power cord. It resets, and all is normal again, until the next time it freezes.

It also slurps ink like water. The last time I needed some (you never run out when you aren't printing, right) I went to Staples, and they were selling Brother laser printers for only slightly more than an HP ink cartridge. I bought one and haven't had any problems. Now we only use the HP if it *has to* be in color, or we want to scan, fax, or copy something.


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## CATCRAW (Mar 27, 2008)

I too have had issues with HP Printers, but I have to admit, they have always made it right. They agreed to send me a new printer since I have had ongoing printhead issues and my printer would be out of warranty in April. Only it would have been nice if they sent the "special ink setup" with the printer or at least mentioned it in the setup guide. I didn't find out until I purchased brand new ink and installed it that I had an issue. I finally figured out how to get around it and make it work - you would think HP Techs would have known, but no..... Scary that I could figure it out and they couldn't......


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## 4HiMarks (Jan 21, 2004)

Did you really get to talk to an HP tech? Or was it someone in an Indian Call Center? I had an issue with an older HP All-in-One that had an early multi-card reader in it. I bought a new Compaq desktop, and every time it booted, it would hang if the printer was attached (by USB). Since HP bought Compaq some years previously, you would think they would make sure their computers worked with all existing models of their own printers, or at least know of problems that might turn up. All I got out of the Call Center was 1) Run System Restore to reset your (brand new) computer to factory spec, and 2) contact your printer manufacturer (uh, that would be you, dip$4!+). 

While arguing with him that I wasn't about to re-install all the software and drivers I just installed, I was also searching the HP/Compaq support website, and finally found a KB article explaining that the computer considered the card reader to be a removable drive and for some stupid reason the BIOS was set to boot from it in preference to other media, so it was waiting for me to insert a bootable Compact Flash or SD card. I changed the boot order and that fixed the problem. As far as a I know, if I had depended on him, I would still be waiting for him to find the solution on his company's own web site.


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## dmspen (Dec 1, 2006)

CATCRAW said:


> I too have had issues with HP Printers, but I have to admit, they have always made it right.


Despite the problems I mentioned previously, HP always made it right. The issue is I have spent hours upon hours with tech support, both local and not-so-local trying to work things out. If I by a product, I expect it to work reliably for a minimum of the warranty period.

I mentioned my woes to one of my work colleagues. He asked me how much the printer was. I told him and he said, "Throw it away and get something else, it's not worth your time"

I guess that's true, but what aboutt he extra in cartridges? They're worth more than gold!


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## Cholly (Mar 22, 2004)

I've been an HP user ever since the days of the 820 monochrome inkjet. On the whole, I've seen fewer paper jams an NO skewed printouts with the many HP's I've owned. My current inkjet is an HP Photosmart 1215 (1210 family) that I have networked. I've had a few issues with the duplexer when doing two sided printing, but otherwise, it operates flawlessly. I also have a Brother ML2170W monochrome laser printer running wirelessly to several computers throughout the house. If it only had duplex capability, it would be doing all my B/W printing.


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## billsharpe (Jan 25, 2007)

I've had an HP 1315 all-in-one for about six years.

I've only had two issues. Envelopes often don't feed at all and I have to retry a couple times after getting an error message and clearing the jammed envelope. HP Advanced photo printing paper won't feed at all, but HP Premium photo printing paper works just fine for pictures. The back of the premium paper is rough; the back of the advanced paper is smooth.

I have refilled cartridges a couple times at Costco and the refills work and are a money saver.


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