Error Codes for an HP Designjet 5000

• HP Designjet 5000 error codes represent specific issues with the printer. Printer cable image by rasita from Fotolia.com

  The HP (Hewlett-Packard) Designjet 5000 prints images in photo quality. It handles bitmap images and raster images with high performance. The HP Designjet 5000 has the power to, on occasion, print more than 100 pages in a day, but the recommended daily use is 20 to 30 prints per day. Over time, the printer may begin to generate error codes. The HP Designjet 5000 has 11 categories of errors, but the most important description is whether the error allows the printer to continue functioning.

Types of Errors

• Every error that occurs on the HP Designjet 5000 is continuable or non-continuable, meaning the printer will not continue to function. More specific categorization can be done with the code displayed on the screen during an error. These codes can be correlated with the HP error code chart (see Resources for the link). The 11 error categories for the HP Designjet 5000 are: Hardware Test Group, Laminator Errors and Warnings, Intelligent I/O (Jetdirect) Errors, Line Sensor Errors, Pen Energy and Thermal Management Errors, Hard Disk Drive Errors, Ink Delivery System Errors, Hardware Initialization Errors, Drop Detection/Nozzle Recovery Related Errors, Miscellaneous Errors and Firmware/Software Errors

Continuable Errors

• When an error occurs on the HP Designjet 5000 it is always useful to write down the error code. There will be a six-character hexadecimal code for each error. In some cases, an eight-character hexadecimal code will follow the initial code. Keeping a log of error codes will aid in tracking long-term problems that may arise with the printer. After writing down the code, press "Enter." If the printer continues its task, the error was continuable. The printer may generate the same error in the future, but printing will only be paused. A continuable error is not a sign of serious system damage.

Non-Continuable Errors

• Non-continuable errors occur when the printer encounters problems it cannot override. The error code should be written down and the "Enter" key should be pressed. If the printer does not continue, press the power button to turn off the printer. Leave the printer off for about 15 seconds, then turn it on again. If the printer is not able to print after a restart, check the code against the HP support data sheet (see Resources for the link).