How to Force HP Laser Printers to Print even Cartridge is empty

In many HP Laser printer models the Cartridge / toner has a small electric chip (circut) which keeps track of number-of-prints done by that specific toner / cartridge. This helps maintain quality of print because the toner manufecturer knows approximately how many prints can be done with the amount of Ink powder that exist inside the toner. Upon reaching that number the chip on toner tells printer to stop printing. At that stage printer start showing an error message on printer display LCD panel to indicate that print limit is reached and now toner must be replaced. This is a good feature by printer manufacturer because it also shows that how much further printing could be possible with current toners. The printer LCD always shows Ink levels. This help you identify when you should purchase a new toner to avoid emergency breakdowns in printing.

However this feature sometimes becomes annoying when Ink poweder inside toner is not fully consumed but the number of print-outs in toner chip ends. This happens often because everytime you send a print to printer doesn't include all color shades. Sometime you are printing a page with most part of the page with red content, but a very little amount of yellow or meganta. Similar happens with other color shades. A very few print-outs are that who are using average quantity of ink from all toners at the same time. But every-time you print, the chip on cartridge considers that this print-out consumed average amount of Ink powder and it subtract 1 from total allowed print-outs.

Finally sometime Yellow toner ends first, sometime Magenta, sometime Cyan, sometimes Black toner ends first. Then immediately printer stops printing and asks you to Replace a Cartridge / Toner. However the ink powder inside still has capacity to print few more pages. At this stage you can Force your printer to print and ignore / override the error message.

I tried it with HP Color Laser Jet CP2025 printer and HP Color Laser jet 3600 printer but believer me, most HP printers have this capability.

Force HP LaserJet CP2025 to Print upon Cartridge Ends

1. In HP LaserJet CP2025 click on the OK button, it will show up the Setup Menu.
2. Press Right Arrow or Left Arrow to navigate between options and choose System Setup. Click OK button to choose.
3. Navigate again with arrow key and Choose Print Quality with OK button.
4. Navigate again with arrow key and Choose Replace Supplies with OK button.
5. Navigate again with arrow key and Choose Override out with OK button.
6. LCD panel will show the message To Accept press OK.
7. Press the OK button and then Return (arrow with a bend) button few times to exit from menu.

Now printer will show Ready message on LCD but also keep blinking the cartridge level indicator that is ended.

Force HP LaserJet 3600 to Print upon Cartridge Ends

1. In HP LaserJet 3600 click on the MENU button.
2. Navigate in the menu with UP or DOWN arrow buttons and choose Diagnostics.
3. Navigate further with UP or DOWN arrow buttons and choose Disable Cartridge check.
4. Press Return (arrow with a bend) button few times to exit from menu.

Now printer will keep printing and ignore Error message that is coming via Cartridge chip. For any troubles, drop me a comment below and I will try to help you out. You may read my further Tips and Tricks articles at my blog Saudi Telecom News.