Certopolis

CompTIA A+ Core 1

Laser printer streaks, specks and jams for A+ Core 1

Match the symptom to its first check. White lines down the page point to foreign material inside the machine; toner specks and poor fixing point first to a media type setting that does not match the paper. Multiple sheets feeding together is prevented by removing leftover paper and straightening the stack before adding more.

Print quality: symptom to first check

The examples below come from one Brother laser printer's troubleshooting table. Other models differ in detail, but the pattern of symptom then first check is the same.

White lines down the page: remove foreign material such as torn paper, sticky notes or dust from inside the machine and around the toner cartridge and drum unit. Replace the toner cartridge or drum unit if either may be damaged.

Toner specks: make sure the driver's media type matches the paper in use. Then clean the drum unit, and replace the toner cartridge or drum unit if either may be damaged. If the fuser may be contaminated, contact the maker.

Faint print: if the printer reports Replace Toner, install a new cartridge. Also check humidity and temperature, turn off Toner Save, and clean the drum unit and its corona wire.

Ghosting: check for low humidity or temperature, choose the correct media type, and clean or replace the drum unit or toner cartridge.

Poor fixing, where toner rubs off: match the media type to the paper, choose a toner fixing mode or a thicker media type, and check the levers inside the back cover.

Repeating marks

White spots or black spots that repeat at 3.7 in. (94 mm) intervals on this model point to foreign material such as label glue on the drum. The maker's fix is to clean the drum, and replace it if damaged.

A defect that repeats at a fixed spacing comes from a rotating part. Measure the spacing and compare it with the maker's figures for that model.

Jams and multiple sheets

Brother's jam guidance: always remove the remaining paper from the tray and straighten the stack when adding new paper. This prevents multiple sheets feeding at once and prevents paper jams.

Setting a new ream on top of loose leftovers is therefore a cause of multi-feeds, even when the pickup roller is clean.

Where the exam catches people

  • Believing toner specks always mean a bad fuser: the first check is that the driver's media type matches the paper, especially after a change of stock.
  • Believing a white line down every page means low toner: the first check is foreign material inside the machine, near the toner cartridge and drum unit.
  • Believing multi-feeds always need a new pickup roller: topping up a tray on top of leftover paper causes them, so remove the old paper and straighten the stack.
  • Believing faint print is always the toner cartridge: Toner Save, humidity, temperature and a dirty corona wire can all cause it.

Written from CompTIA's documentation

Try 3 questions on this

Pick an answer to see why each option is right or wrong.

  1. A laser printer prints a thin white streak down every page, always in the same position, through areas that should be solid black. The toner level is reported as good. Which of the following is most likely causing the issue?

    Right. In the game that’s Renown for your Hardware and Network Troubleshooting building.

    Not that one: C is right. In the game your Hardware and Network Troubleshooting building would lose a little Renown, and this question would come back later.

    Show the full explanation and doc quotes

    Brother's first check for white lines down the page is that foreign material such as torn paper, sticky notes or dust is not inside the machine; a damaged drum or toner cartridge comes next.

    Written from support.brother.com/g/s/id/htmldoc/printer/cv_hll2310d/use/html/GUID-EEC1EE16-C8ED-4BC3-B3C4-27B0AACF0D44_124.html

  2. An office laser printer has printed small scattered toner specks on every page since staff switched from standard sheets to a heavier card stock. No other change was made. Which of the following is most likely causing the issue?

    Right. In the game that’s Renown for your Hardware and Network Troubleshooting building.

    Not that one: D is right. In the game your Hardware and Network Troubleshooting building would lose a little Renown, and this question would come back later.

    Written from support.brother.com/g/s/id/htmldoc/printer/cv_hll2310d/use/html/GUID-EEC1EE16-C8ED-4BC3-B3C4-27B0AACF0D44_124.html

  3. An office laser printer often pulls several pages through together and then jams. Staff top it up by setting each new ream on top of whatever is left, and the pickup roller was cleaned last week. Which of the following should the technician recommend?

    Right. In the game that’s Renown for your Hardware and Network Troubleshooting building.

    Not that one: D is right. In the game your Hardware and Network Troubleshooting building would lose a little Renown, and this question would come back later.

    Show the full explanation and doc quotes

    Topping up on top of loose leftovers is the habit causing it.

    Written from support.brother.com/g/s/id/htmldoc/printer/cv_hll2310d/use/html/GUID-163C30CF-8F1B-4DD6-9E47-C668033D4334_118.html