HP LaserJet 4200 Blank LCD...How do I get my messages back?

[judgehopkins]

I have an HP LaserJet 4200 that serves as a printer for the network.

Recently, the printer became overwhelmed with jobs being sent to it and crashed. We purged all the documents in the print queue and restarted the printer.

At that point, the LCD no longer showed messages. It is still brightly lit; there are just no words on the screen.

We have re-booted the server and re-started the printer; all to no avail.

I turned off the printer and disconnected the cabling to it and left it down for 15 minutes. I reconnected the cabling then turned it back on. Nothing.

I then turned the printer off, and then turned it on while holding down the button with an arrow on it. Nothing.


How do I get my messages back? Thanks!



"If the people don't want to come out to the park, nobody's gonna stop them." - Yogi Berra

 

[hpwizzard]

Is the printer displaying anything at all in the display when powercycling ?
Try removing the JetDirect card and see if the printer will boot normally.
Else try to perform a cold reset on the printer with the JetDirect card removed by pressing and holding the select (V) button during powercycling the printer when the memory starts getting counted and not before ! until it reads Select Language. Then use the arrow up or down until it reads Cold Reset and press the select (V) button again. Printer should now clear the memory and all settings made in it.

 

[judgehopkins]

As I said, "At that point, the LCD no longer showed messages. It is still brightly lit; there are just no words on the screen."

If you could tell me how to do what you suggest without being able to read the LCD, I would certainly appreciate it!

(I have reset the SIMMs or DIMMs or whatever you call 'em. No help. Is that the same as the JetDirect card?)

"If the people don't want to come out to the park, nobody's gonna stop them." - Yogi Berra

 

[hpwizzard]

And you did try to powercycle the printer with the JetDirect card removed ?

 

[judgehopkins]

You said: "And you did try to powercycle the printer with the JetDirect card removed ?"

No, I did not.

Two questions:

(1) What does "powercycle" mean?

and

(2) What is the JetDirect card?

and

(3) If the JetDirect card is the one behind the metal door that is kept in place by cream-colored tabs, then if I take it out and do a cold reboot, will it hurt the printer?

Thank you for your patience....

"If the people don't want to come out to the park, nobody's gonna stop them." - Yogi Berra

 

[judgehopkins]

FYI

I found out the problem: The LCD connection was physically disconnected!

"If the people don't want to come out to the park, nobody's gonna stop them." - Yogi Berra

 

[hpwizzard]

Just to make the last message a little more clear:
The JetDirect card is the internal removeable networkcard connecting your printer to your network if not shared via an external card one or a PC.
Powercycling means simply turning a printer off then back on again.
Cheers...

 

[judgehopkins]

Powercycling means simply turning a printer off then back on again."

But, alas, I thought a powercycle was Harley-Davidson!







"If the people don't want to come out to the park, nobody's gonna stop them." - Yogi Berra

 

[DansDadUK]

judgehopkins wrote:
I found out the problem: The LCD connection was physically disconnected!

which implies that something (which we weren't told about) other than:
the printer became overwhelmed with jobs being sent to it and crashed.
happened to the printer, surely?

 

[hpwizzard]

LOL... Really must have been so overwhelming that the printer got so "shaken" it would make the cable to the LCD panel go loose... Hm... My best 2 cent is that some "common customer violence" happened to that poor printer here, making the the cable go loose. We all know the reactions to a simple paperjam by some people

Humor is important - Even in our buisness !

 

[judgehopkins]

Actually--although I must admit that I had wanted to commit violence against that printer--I will have to tell you that the repairman said that the connection is pretty unstable and that simple opening and closing of the front door to remove paper jams, putting in new cartridges, etc. could cause it to come loose.

Even HP technical support did not come up with the exceptionally simple diagnosis: "It's unplugged."

We should all learn a lesson to start with the simple solutions and then work our way up to the hard solutions.

One would think, would one not, that the folks who design printers could a little better job.

"If the people don't want to come out to the park, nobody's gonna stop them." - Yogi Berra

 

[DansDadUK]

I use a 4200dtn and so far it has been rock solid!
I have never had any problems with the display, and I can't remember ever having a paper jam either!
[Note: I have no connection with HP].

So the 'exceptionally simple diagnosis: "It's unplugged."' would be one of the last things to spring to mind, especially in view of the original symptoms and description provided.

I think hpwizzard has a right to feel a bit aggrieved at your attitude.

 

[judgehopkins]

Folks, no need to get all upset here. I am just reporting what the repairman told me.

The printer has 25 people using it; I cannot watch the thing day and night.

All I am saying is that the printer had one of its cables loose and no one (including yours truly) thought about that as a problem.

My first description of the problem was and is totally accurate.

I am not sure what "attitude" anyone is aggrieved at. I think people may be reading something into the previous exchanges that is not there.

I have posted a lot of stuff on this forum and if I present a problem that no one on the forum can solve (like this one) and I or someone else eventually solves it, then I post the answer, hoping that others learn.

That's all. It's pretty simple actually.

"If the people don't want to come out to the park, nobody's gonna stop them." - Yogi Berra

 

[desktoprat]

Ok, granted, I am on vacation and shouldn't even be reading this right now, but I still have a question about this whole situation.

I have only dismantled the 4200 during LJU classes so my rememberer is having a hard time. But with the 4000 and 4500, the LCD is a single ribbon cable as I remember it. No reason to expect much difference with the 4200. If that is true, how was it glowing at all. Physically disconnected would mean no power to the LCD as well as no data.

Also, I would get your management involved. Song and dance about these units cost toooo much for users to be trying to 'help' fix problems. We ended up having to replace an entire 4500 thanks to user 'assistance' in trying to fix a jam.

 

[judgehopkins]

Thanks, desktoprat!

I appreciate your comments and suggestions.

I AM the management (owner/bossman/etc.) and I have told everyone, "Don't touch that printer!"

How about that?!



"If the people don't want to come out to the park, nobody's gonna stop them." - Yogi Berra