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Help - Printer won't print

My Brother MFC-5440CN is not printing.

I replaced my Black ink as it said it needs to be replaced. I went to Staples and bought a new ink cartridge. I come home and install it and now it says that my other 3 colors need to be replaced. I don't need color. Why won't my Brother let me print in black or "grayscale?"

I downloaded the manual from Brother's website but that does not give any explanation of how to disable color settings.

The brother won't let me touch any buttons on the printer itself because it keeps telling me to replace the color cartridges. How can I turn that off so I may just print in black?

ps I don't need the manual I have read it and downloaded the PDF already. Don't post a link to the manual please.

famousnametaken

ASKER

"MFC will stop Color/Grayscale print operations when one or more of the ink cartridges are empty."

This message displays in the Printing Preferrences. How do I disable this so I may just print in black?

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Gary Case

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Gary Case

... at least Brother doesn't use cartridge date as a criteria; some of the newer HP printers look at the date of the cartridge and will not print if it's beyond an internal usage date (usually it's about a year after the stamped expiration date). HP says its to prevent ink problems with old ink -- a skeptic might think it's to prevent refilling ink cartridges.

nobus

try checking the ink level on all cartridges - pg 11-19 in the manual :

http://www.brother-usa.com/Data/Documentation/Fax/User/UM_MFC5440CN_5840CN.pdf

SOLUTION

scrathcyboy

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imacgouf

Hi Have you try to uninstall the driver and reinstall again.
Also update your Brother firmware...

There is a new Firmware Update Tool
Language Version Size Release Date File
English 2.0.0 0.41MB 01/23/2006
More Information and Download
http://welcome.solutions.brother.com/bsc/public/us/us/en/dlf/dlf/000000/001100/dlf001155.html?reg=us&c=us&lang=en&prod=mfc5440cn_all&type2=4&os=7&flang=4&dlid=dlf001155

For Utilities
http://welcome.solutions.brother.com/bsc/public/us/us/en/dlf/download_index.html?reg=us&c=us&lang=en&prod=mfc5440cn_all&type2=2&os=7&flang=English&dlid=

For Drivers:
http://welcome.solutions.brother.com/bsc/public/us/us/en/dlf/download_index.html?reg=us&c=us&lang=en&prod=mfc5440cn_all&type2=1&os=7&flang=English&dlid=

SOLUTION

maduropa

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nobus

this is for making a resetter (for Epson) but may help topo :

http://www.eddiem.com/photo/printer/chipreset/resetchip.html

prasanna_lakkundi

Go to the properties of Installed printer go the color management tab and choose the option Manual and add the color profile as BlackWhite.

Click apply ok to come out and try giving the printouts

klyles95

It seems like the cartridge contacts on the printer are having a hard time communicating with the cartridge. Go to your printers folder and right click on your printer. Go to properties and you are going to look for something that says maintenance or clean print heads. If this doesn't work you may need to find an updated driver for your operating system.

famousnametaken

ASKER

I didn't see anywhere in the manual of how to disable color permanently until I want to to turn it on myself. If I'm going to have to spend almost $100 for 3 cartridges I have no intention of using how do I prevent this?

Gary Case

As I noted last night, "... there's no setting to "ignore" the empty cartridges." The manual specifically says, "The MFC will stop all print operations" when an Ink Empty state is noted on any cartridge (Page 11-2).

Buy yourself a color ink refill kit (the $13.95 "starter kit" is all you need since you never print in color) and refill your color cartridges ==> they'll last a LONG time since you only print in black :-)
http://www.ink-refills-ink.com/_detail.php?id=1482&porc=p&sty=2&src=froogle

famousnametaken

ASKER

I'll have to suffer :( Well I guess that's the scheme of things...

Thanks for the help I appreciate it!

famousnametaken

ASKER

I will have to remember to print in grayscale, that seems like my best alternative solution since I can't disable color ;)

Thanks again you were all great!