Associate Level Material
Appendix D

Troubleshooting Computer Hardware

In this worksheet, you must identify solutions to four separate computer printer problems. For each solution, you must prepare an answer of at least 150 -words within the Answer boxes.
Part One: Wireless Printing
Problem
The computer will not connect to the printer wirelessly.

Details
Julie has just purchased a Canon® Pixma™ iP6220D inkjet printer for her house. She connected it to her laptop computer using her USB cable and it works fine; however, Julie regularly uses her laptop in different locations throughout the house, so using a USB cable for printing is not an option. She tried sending a document to the printer wirelessly, but it did not work.
Questions
1) What type of wireless technology does the printer use? What optional part(s) do you need for the printer to make it work wirelessly?
2) Julie’s notebook does not support Bluetooth. Suggest a device that she can purchase that will use a USB port and allow her to connect to her printer wirelessly.
Hint: Use the Web to find answers and solutions to these questions.
Answer

The wireless technology that the Canon Pixma iP6220D uses is Bluetooth 1.2. The optional part required to use the printer wirelessly is the Canon Bluetooth Unit BU-20 or BU-30. With the optional Bluetooth Unit connected to the computer through a USB port, Julie will be able to send files to the printer wirelessly. One device that Julie may purchase to enable Bluetooth connectivity on her laptop is an ASUS USB-BT211 Mini Bluetooth Dongle USB 2.0.

I was unable to find any information on whether a computer can connect to the printer without the Canon Bluetooth Unit BU-20, or whether the Canon Bluetooth unit connects to the printer itself or to the computer. If the Canon Bluetooth Unit connects to the printer, any Bluetooth adapter will enable Julie to connect to the printer wirelessly. If the Canon Bluetooth Unit connects to the computer, that would indicate that the printer has a Bluetooth device built in and uses the Canon Bluetooth Unit to connect from the computer.

Part Two: Cleaning an HP LaserJet Printer
Problem
Printouts from a Hewlett-Packard® (HP®) LaserJet® printer are faded and show smeared toner.

Details
Users are complaining that the office HP® LaserJet® V printer is showing signs of wear. Printouts are faded and sometimes show specks, lines, and smeared toner. You replace the toner cartridge, but the problem still persists.
Question
What do you think is causing the toner to appear smeared and faded on the printouts? How would you solve this problem?
Answer

According to the symptoms and the fact that the toner cartridge was recently replaced, my first thought is that the rollers inside the printer are dirty and need to be cleaned. Specks on the printouts usually indicate that there is debris or toner residue on the rollers. The first step that I would make is to print a cleaning page from the printer options. If this fails to fix the problem, I would then shut down the printer and allow approximately 30 minutes for the fuser to cool down. Once cool, I would then remove all cables from the printer and remove the print cartridge. Taking a lint-free cloth, I would wipe down all components inside the printer while being careful not to touch the transfer roller. After cleaning the inside of the printer, I would then print another test page to determine whether or not the print quality has improved.
Part Three: Printer Maintenance Kit
Problem
LaserJet® printouts are faded and show smeared toner.

Symptom
You finished cleaning your HP® LaserJet® V printer, but the toner is appearing smudged and faded on your printouts. You decide to address the problem by using a LaserJet® Maintenance Kit.
Questions
1) At what page count does HP® suggest you install a maintenance kit?
2) What is the part number of the maintenance kit you would need, and how much does it cost?
3) List the parts of the maintenance kit and the steps required to install them.
Answers

HP® suggests installing a Maintenance kit every 200,000 pages that are printed. The printer will display a message when it is time to install a Maintenance kit. The user may also choose to temporarily clear the message; this option clears the message for an additional 10,000 pages.

Part numbers:
C3914A
C3915A

Price:
Between $120 and $220 depending on vendor

Parts included in Maintenance Kit:
One fuser
One transfer roller
One plastic transfer-roller tool
One pickup roller
Six feed rollers
One pair of disposable gloves

The first step is to turn the printer off and allow 30 minutes for the fuser to cool down. Remove all cables and the print cartridge. Next, replace the transfer roller located beneath the area the print cartridge was removed. The plastic transfer-roller tool is needed to lift the left end of the metal shaft upward. After removing the transfer roller, put on the disposable gloves before removing the protective sheet from the new transfer roller. Making sure the black collar is oriented correctly, install the new transfer roller. Reinstall the print cartridge and close the top cover.
Next, install the tray one pickup roller by sliding apart the two latches. After installing the new pickup roller, install the feed rollers in tray 2. After the feed rollers are replaced, install the fuser. Complete instructions can be located at hp.com.

Part Four: Clearing Paper Jams
Problem
The printer stops printing, and paper fails to leave the printer.
Details
You hear a crumpling noise coming from inside your HP® LaserJet® V printer. On the LaserJet® message panel, an error message reads “Paper Jam.”

Question
Search the HP® Web site for instructions on clearing a paper jam. List the necessary steps in the Answer box. Include a brief description of all the components with which you must interact during the clearing process.
Answer

Paper jams can occur in various places in the LaserJet V printer. The first step in clearing a paper jam is to locate where the paper is jammed into the machine. The first place to look, if the location is not obvious, is the top cover under the print cartridge. To remove a paper jam from this area, first remove the print cartridge. Once the print cartridge is removed, use the green handle to lift the paper access plate and slowly pull the paper out. If the paper is difficult to remove, attempt to remove it from the tray area. Open tray 1 and remove the entrance cover. If paper is present under the entrance cover, remove the paper. Replace the entrance cover and close tray 1. If the jam is located in the optional envelope feeder, remove any envelopes from the feeder and lift the tray extension up to the closed position. Press and hold the release button on the left side of the envelope feeder and carefully pull it out of the printer. Once removed, check for any jammed envelopes in the feeder area and remove them. If the paper jam is from one of the trays, open the tray and look for any damaged paper. If paper is visible, gently pull the paper out (note: pulling straight out will cause the paper to tear). If the jam is located in the optional duplexer, lift the duplexer and remove it from the printer. Next, slowly pull any paper out of the duplexer before reinstalling the item in the printer. If the jam is located in the rear output bin, open the bin and remove the paper. If the majority of the paper is still in the printer, it may be easier to remove from the top cover area. If the paper jam is located in the fuser area, the printer will need to be powered off and unplugged before proceeding. Allow 30 minutes for the fuser to cool before continuing. The first step to removing the fuser is to remove the optional duplexer. Lift up on the duplexer and pull it out of the printer. Next, open the rear output bin and pull the extension until it stops. Remove the rear output bin by bending the middle of the bin down to release the two hinge pins. Finally, push the blue levers up on the fuser and pull it straight out of the printer. Remove any paper from the fuser and fuser area before reinserting the fuser.