As this little story about my HP PSC 2175 shows, computer peripherals can be either a great convenience or a great annoyance. When they work like they are supposed to, they provide great benefits and functionality. However, when they don’t work, the frustration can be so intense you might be tempted to through your peripherals, your computer, or any other object you can get your hands on out the window.

The Set Up: HP PSC 2175 and Amazon

I use an HP PSC 2175 all-in-one printer, scanner, and copier with my home Ubuntu Server / Desktop, and for the most part, it works fine. With some configuration, it’s useful not only for printing directly from the Ubuntu computer, but also with other computers on my home network. With some even more configuration, I can print things off my home printer while away from home using my HTC EVO and the virtual private network (VPN) I have set up on my home router.

Recently, I’ve been selling some books on Amazon, a nice way to get some extra cash from some books I haven’t read in a long time and don’t plan on reading again or ones that I have somehow acquired over the years and don’t plan on reading. For each order, Amazon graciously generates a packing slip to be sent with the sold items that can (usually) very easily be printed and included in the shipment.

The Event: Suddenly Slow Printing and Packing Slips

Over the weekend, some books I had listed were purchased, and pursuant with the Amazon Sellers’ policy of shipping within two business days of order, I was preparing shipment by printing off some packing slips. The first slip printed off my HP PSC 2175 without a hitch. When I attempted to print the second one, the first fourth of the page printed at normal speed, and then everything went wrong. At first I thought the printer had died, but it started again, stopped again, started again, ad nauseam.  There was approximately a 30-second pause between each line that the printer printed. At this speed, a page that should take about 10 seconds to print was suddenly taking over ten minutes.

The Resolution: Printer Drivers and a New Ink Cartridge

As with most problems I run into, I quickly Googled my issue. Some initial results indicated that there was possible a driver issue. As Ubuntu-users know well, drivers for peripherals can sometimes be hard to come by, but thankfully there is a website specifically geared towards HP printer drivers for Linux. I found that the drivers, known as HPLIP, are usually included with major Linux distributions (such as Ubuntu), so instead of downloading anything manually, I just ran the Ubuntu Upload Manager from the GUI.

While running my updates, I also noticed that there was a message on the screen of the printer to check the cartridge. In a forehead-slapping moment of feeling like a doofus, I remembered that my black ink cartridge had been running low for a while. I pulled out a replacement and swapped out the cartridges while my computer finished its updates.

After restarting the computer, not only did the printer return to its normal, blissful printing speed, but also the GUI on the computer in general was running a lot smoother, no doubt because of whatever else was included in the updates I had installed. This was actually something that had been bothering me ever since upgrading from Maverick Meerkat to Natty Narwhal, so I was quite pleased with the improvement.

In Brief

If you are having trouble with your printer, there are a few easy steps you can take to get resolution. Check for any error messages on the printer itself. Check for driver updates (especially if you are on Linux). Search the internet for reports of similar problems from others. This should get your HP PSC 2175, or any other printer, back up and running in no time.

What’s the worst time you had with a computer peripheral? Share your stories in the comments below.