Canon Mx870 Won't Print Black

I have a Canon Pixna ip3000 which has stopped printing texr. I changed the black ink a few days ago when documents weren't printing. Just had to read through this forum as my Canon Pixma MP560 stopped printing black ink - colour was fine, and even the Nozzle Check Pattern was printing fine. I removed the brand new cartridges and the the print head completely (very easy process, consulted the manual but you do have to be extremely careful when handling the print head).

• Canon Mx870 Print Head
• Canon Mx922 Print Head Cleaning
• Canon Mx870 Troubleshooting

This has become a popular post so I'm copying over the answer from the official HP forums rather than linking to it.Hi,Unfortunately it is not possible to print using the black and white while any of the ink cartridges are empty.Using the Black ink only possible while there is color ink as well.While the color ink is not required for prinitng purposes, it dorequired for,maintnance operations of the device.As the device contain an internal printhead (IIC system), lack ofcolor ink will damage the printing system shortly. Therefore thedevice will not be functional when there is no ink in order to avoiddamaging the system.For users who wish to print using just black ink (despite the reducedprint quality), many HP printers offer options. For example, a drivercolour setting (by selecting 'print in greyscale with the blackcartridge only' in printing preferences) specifies printing using onlyblack ink. In addition, many IPH printers can operate in 'reservemode', which allows the user to continue to print with just the blackcartridge when the colour cartridge is removed or not installed.In HPIIC systems, all supplies are required to be installed in the printerfor the printer to function.

Just to clarify, the asker's actual printer couldn't actually print in just black. Bit.ly/HsLpXa for information.However, if you do have color and want to print in black, try this:Go to Print and a window should pop up. Go to the drop down menulabeled 'Copies & Pages.' Then select 'Paper Type/ Quality.' And finally, under Paper Color, select 'Grayscale.'

Or go to print, preview the item to be printed (It should open as a PDF), and there should be a dropdown menu where 'Preview' is selected. Click on 'Quality and Media', and check the 'Greyscale Printing' box.I hope these help you! This depends on the printer. On many printers with printheads built in, ink must be in the printhead at all times to prevent damage, although there may be a limited reserve of ink available for temporary printing.From what I know, some newer HP printers, even IIC models where the printhead is built into the printer, do allow a limited amount of 'reserve' printing when a cartridge runs out.

Canon Mx870 Print Head

At a minimum, the printer will likely try to complete the current print job; on my printer (HP Officejet Pro 8630), there is a limited ability to print with an exhausted cartridge.I suspect that what the printer does is that it draws upon the ink already in the system to try to continue operation. Do note that if you do this, the printer may need to purge the remaining ink and reprime the system to clear air bubbles once you install a replacement cartridge which can consume more ink from the new cartridge.It is important to bear in mind that HP and Canon inkjet printers use thermal printhead technology, which uses microscopic resistors on the printhead to heat the ink and cause it to bubble and spray out the nozzles at high speed. The intense (but highly localized) heating inherent to this process requires that ink be present in the printhead at all times to keep temperatures in check.

Canon Mx922 Print Head Cleaning

If a thermal inkjet printhead is operated dry, it can literally burn itself out and fail.If your printer is an IIC model, it is imperative that a full set of cartridges is always installed in the printer, and that the printer is never turned off with a missing cartridge. (This isn't an issue with IPH printers, because the printhead would be replaced with the cartridge anyway, while Epson and Brother inkjet printers use piezo printhead technology which is not subject to this limitation.)explains in detail how ink is used in HP printers.

Canon Mx870 Troubleshooting

. 4345 AnswersSOURCE:Hi ThereFollow these steps to unclog the printhead1. Right click in the printer driver name2. Select Properties menu3. Click Maintenance tab4. Click on cleaning sign for regular cleaning. Perform this up to 3 times.5.

1218 AnswersSOURCE:It's probably a waste absorber issue.A fix from FixYa Support:1. Start with printer off2. Press and hold resume Button (triangle in the circle) and click 'Power' button.

Green led should be on3. While holding the Power button, release the Resume Button.4. Without releasing the Power Button, click 'Resume' button for two times and release Both Buttons.5.

Click 'Resume' for four times then soon click 'Power' button, to confirm the selected action (reset counter absorber).6. Turn off the printer and turn on againHope this helps.Posted on Sep 27, 2010.