How should you troubleshoot this printer output?



The output from a graphics program to a laser printer shows a thin black streak that runs the length of the page. What’s the first thing you should do to troubleshoot this problem?

A) Reinstall the graphics program

B) Clean the corona wire

C) Print a test page

D) Replace the toner cartridge


The answer: C) Print a test page

Before going through the process of replacing cartridges and reinstalling software, you should always eliminate the easiest problems first. Printing a test page is simple and quick, and it will tell you immediately if the problem is related to the printer or the graphics application. You may still ultimately need to replace cartridges and/or clean the printer, but that shouldn’t always be your first option.

Want to know more? Watch “Troubleshooting Printers and Scanners.”

When the printer or scanner is down, where do you start the troubleshooting process? What tools will you need to solve the problem? In this video, we’ll show you where to start troubleshooting, what tools to bring to the job, and what common problems you can expect to see with printers and scanners.