How to Fix an HP 3845 Printer (5 Steps)

1. Make sure that the power cable is connected to a wall outlet and the USB cable is connected from the printer to your computer. Remove the power cable from the wall outlet, wait for ten seconds, and then plug it back in again. Power on the printer and try to print again. Attempt to use a different wall outlet if the printer won't power on at all to make sure your outlet hasn't ceased functioning.
2. Pull open the top plastic cover of the printer and wait a moment for the ink cartridge carriage to slide into view. Pop open the covers over the cartridges and pull them out. Check the orientation of the cartridges and push them back into place. Pop the covers back on and then visually inspect for a paper jam. Remove any jammed paper and close the top of the printer.
3. Open the software program that you installed when you first setup your HP 3845 printer and click on 'Toolbox.' Click the tab that says 'Clean the print cartridges' and then click on the button that says 'Clean.' Wait for the self cleaning process to finish and then attempt to print again. Go back to the HP software if it is still printing too much or too little ink and then click on 'Printer Properties.' Choose the 'Advanced Features' tab and then slide the slider bar either towards 'heavy' if there is not enough ink printing or towards 'light' if there is too much ink printing.
4. Set a single sheet of normal letter sized paper in the tray if the printer is printing off center. Navigate back to the HP printing software and click on 'Toolbox.' Choose the 'Align the Device' tab and then click on 'Align.' Wait for the alignment process to finish and then attempt to print again.
5. Check the power light and see if it is flashing when you attempt to print. Close the HP software if it is flashing when printing and navigate to your Start bar and then click on 'Control Panel.' Click on 'Remove Programs' and remove the HP software. Unplug the USB cable from your computer and then put the installation disc that came with the printer into your CD or DVD drive. Re-install the software, plug the USB cable back in, and then attempt to print again.