My ability to print photographs through my Canon Printer has just turned to custard. Every photo has definite white vertical lines running through the prints and the colours are very pale. I have done all the maintenance checks so here comes the question.
Has this something to do with the program going through a Virtual Printer Port for USB. This is Vista so has it decided to do this itself? I just want to print directly from the computer to the Printer - an oldie but a goodie up till now. Canon imageclass MP730 multi function. There are a number of Ports avilable so what should it be on? I have searched for an answer until I am blue in the face so any help gratefully received.
I presume (sorry to be basic, I had the same problem with my old printer) that the maintenance check included ink levels and nozzle check? My one would tell me there was no ink (when they were full) and that there was (when they were empty). I had an option to clear the nozzles, but it was always difficult to find.
Sorry I can't be more helpful, I just found whenever I had a problem with colour/printing propeties, it was always the printer, not the computer[}] Don't have a printer now, so don't know if Vista is capable of doing magically annoying things or not.
Relax, the Virtual Printer Port is fine. This is how windows is able to print using USB. Every USB printer uses it.
Your problem is with the printer, or it's drivers. Uninstall the printer and reinstall the drivers, it's a start.
Otherwise the ink or print heads could be stuffed.
I see you shiver in anticip......................................................................................ation
Thanks all. I was figuring it was the Printer, not the Port but worth questioning. No, Istrian - definitely Canon cartridges although I had tried an alternative red one previously but kicked that to the curb. This was too long ago to have affected what it is doing now. Buggar! PG - very easy to find the maintenance steps on this printer and had done them all including a Deep Clean. The lines are uniform - not ink smudging or random. Thanks anyway.
Wyseys - I wouldn't be confident enough to do that as I have some weird setup I have never understood on my machine. The Network is shown as the printer - it is a fax,scanner etc and if I did that - unless I knew how to get it all back together again - may mean losing my Broadband connection? Scary.
Geese Didi, perhaps that is the problem then? My home printer is geared for either XP or the Vista laptop, and I haven't had that issue.
Mind you, I was thinking your ink was running low too..... that printer sounds like my one at work, combined fax/copier/printer and I have already gone through 2 x 3e black cartridges already. Just replaced the last generic one with a canon so waiting to see how long that lasts, at $8.00 per cartridge more than the generic....
Swaggie - this has happened all of a sudden. The Maintenance checks show the inks are all running beautifully, the head alignment etc so the breakdown appears to be from the computer to the printer. It copies perfectly, prints text perfectly and even today copied and printed (in black and white) a lovely suitably shadowed copy of a yellowed out newspaper article from 1995!
I recently wanted to add text to a photo and went through a very convoluted process sending the photo to a program that did Powerpoint, added the words and printed it without problem. I have tried to check the settings and they all seem fine with using Windows Photo Gallery as my selected program. Must be missing something. One bitch about Vista is that it appears to anticipate what you want! This I don't want. If that explanation gives anyone any clues - feel free to direct me!
On my Brother instructions it says that white horizontal lines mean the print head needs cleaning. Or change to the recommended types of paper. I know your lines are vertical but thought it may help.
Another thought Didi is the canon MP 730 must be getting past its used by date.....?
I bought a cheapy replacement just before leaving aussie for $80 odd from the post office does the same things, although using more recent toner cartridges than I have seen locally.....
It might pay you to upgrade it rather than repair....??
] Don't have a printer now, so don't know if Vista is capable of doing magically annoying things or not. 