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HP Deskjet D2400, D4200, and D4300 Printer Series - Aligning Ink Cartridges

Introduction

Aligning the ink cartridges is necessary to obtain the best possible printing performance. Align the cartridges in the following instances.
  • As a final step in setting up your product
  • Whenever you install a new cartridge
  • When ink does not line up on the printed page

Aligning Ink Cartridges

Use one of the following methods to align the cartridges.

Method one: Print an alignment page using HP Solution Center

  1. Press the Power button () to turn on the product.
  2. Load plain white paper into the input tray.
    note:
    Do not waste your HP Photo Paper or other specialty papers by using them to align the cartridges.
  3. Double-click the HP Solution Center icon () on the desktop to open it.
    If the HP Solution Center icon is not on the desktop, follow these steps.
    • Windows XP: On the Windows taskbar, click Start, click All Programs, point to HP, and then click HP Solution Center.
    • Windows Vista: On the Windows taskbar, click the Windows icon (), click All Programs, point to HP, and then click HP Solution Center.
    • Windows 2000: On the Windows taskbar, click Start, click Programs, point to HP, and then click HP Solution Center.
  4. In HP Solution Center, click Settings, click Print Settings, and then click Printer Toolbox. The Printer Toolbox opens.
  5. Click Align the Print Cartridges.
  6. Click Align, and then follow the on-screen instructions. The product prints an alignment page, aligns the cartridges, and calibrates the printer.
  7. Recycle or discard the alignment page.

Method two: Print an alignment page using the printer properties

  1. Open the Printers folder:
    • Windows 2000 and XP: Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Printers and Faxes.
    • Windows Vista: Click the Windows icon (), click Control Panel, and then double-click Printers.
    The Printers folder opens.
  2. Right-click the icon for your product, and then click Printing Preferences.
  3. Click the Features tab, and then click Printer Services. The Toolbox opens.
  4. On the Device Services tab, click Align the Print Cartridges. The Align the Print cartridges dialog box opens.
  5. Click Align, and then follow the on-screen instructions. The product prints an alignment page, aligns the cartridges, and calibrates the printer.
  6. Recycle or discard the alignment page.