HP 2550LN User Guide
hp color LaserJet
2550 series
use
hp color LaserJet 2550 series printer
User Guide
Copyright and License
© 2004 Copyright Hewlett-Packard
Development Company, LP
Reproduction, adaptation, or translation
without prior written permission is
prohibited, except as allowed under the
copyright laws.
The information contained in this document
is subject to change without notice.
The only warranties for HP products and
services are set forth in the express
warranty statements accompanying such
products and services. Nothing herein
should be construed as constituting an
additional warranty. HP shall not be liable
for technical or editorial errors or omissions
contained herein.
Part number Q3702-90952
Edition 1, 6/2004
Trademark Credits
Adobe Photoshop® and PostScript are
trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated.
CorelDRAW™ is a trademark or registered
trademark of Corel Corporation or Corel
Corporation Limited.
Microsoft®, Windows®, MS-DOS®, and
Windows NT® are U.S. registered
trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Netscape™ and Netscape Navigator™ are
U.S. trademarks of Netscape
Communications Corporation.
TrueType™ is a U.S. trademark of Apple
Computer, Inc.
UNIX® is a registered trademark of The
Open Group.
ENERGY STAR® and the ENERGY STAR
logo® are U.S. registered marks of the
United States Environmental Protection
Agency. Details on the proper use of the
marks are explained in the "Guidelines for
Proper use of the ENERGY STAR® Name
and International Logo."
HP customer care
Online services
for 24-hour access to information by using a modem or Internet connection
World Wide Web: Updated HP printer software, product and support information, and printer
drivers in several languages can be obtained from http://www.hp.com/support/clj2550. (The
site is in English.)
Online troubleshooting tools
HP Instant Support Professional Edition (ISPE) is a suite of web-based troubleshooting tools
for desktop computing and printing products. ISPE helps you quickly identify, diagnose, and
resolve computing and printing problems. The ISPE tools can be accessed from
http://instantsupport.hp.com.
Telephone support
Hewlett-Packard provides free telephone support during the warranty period. When you call,
you will be connected to a responsive team that is waiting to help you. For the telephone
number for your country/region, see the flyer that came in the box with the product, or visit
http://www.hp.com/support/callcenters. Before calling HP, have the following information
ready: product name and serial number, date of purchase, and description of the problem.
You can also find support on the Internet at http://www.hp.com. Click the support & drivers
block.
Software utilities, drivers, and electronic information
Go to http://www.hp.com/go/clj2550_software. (The site is in English, but printer drivers can
be downloaded in several languages.)
For information over the telephone, see the flyer that came in the box with the printer.
HP direct ordering for accessories or supplies
Order supplies from the following websites:
United States: http://www.hp.com/sbso/product/supplies
Canada: http://www.hp.ca/catalog/supplies
Europe: http://www.hp.com/supplies
Asia-Pacific: http://www.hp.com/paper/
Order accessories from http://www.hp.com/accessories. For more information, see
Accessories and ordering information.
To order supplies or accessories over the telephone, call the following numbers:
United States: (1) (800) 538-8787
Canada: (1) (800) 387-3154
To find the phone numbers for other countries/regions, see the flyer that came in the box
with the printer.
HP service information
To locate HP-Authorized Dealers in the United States or Canada, call (1) (800) 243-9816
(United States) or (1) (800) 387-3867 (Canada). Or, go to http://www.hp.com/go/
cposupportguide.
For service for your HP product in other countries/regions, call the customer support number
for your country/region. See the flyer that came in the box with the printer.
ENWW iii
HP service agreements
Call: 1-800-HPINVENT [(1) (800) 474-6836 (U.S.)] or (1) (800) 268-1221 (Canada).
Out-of-Warranty Service: (1) (800) 633-3600.
Extended Service: Call 1-800-HPINVENT [(1) (800) 474-6836 (U.S.)] or (1) (800) 268-1221
(Canada). Or, go to the HP Supportpack and Carepaq™ Services Web site at
http://www.hpexpress-services.com/10467a.
HP Toolbox
To check the printer status and settings and to view troubleshooting information and online
documentation, use the HP Toolbox software. You can view the HP Toolbox when the
printer is directly connected to your computer or when it is connected to a network. You must
have performed a complete software installation to use the HP Toolbox. See
Managing the
printer.
iv ENWW
Table of contents
1 Printer basics
Quick access to printer information ...........................................................................................2
User guide links ..................................................................................................................2
Where to look for more information ....................................................................................2
Printer configurations ................................................................................................................4
HP color LaserJet 2550L ....................................................................................................4
HP color LaserJet 2550Ln ..................................................................................................4
HP color LaserJet 2550n ....................................................................................................5
Printer features ..........................................................................................................................6
Printer parts ...............................................................................................................................9
Interface ports .....................................................................................................................9
Software ..................................................................................................................................11
Software and supported operating systems .....................................................................11
Software tips .....................................................................................................................12
Software for Windows .......................................................................................................12
Software for Macintosh .....................................................................................................14
Uninstalling the printing software .....................................................................................14
Print-media specifications .......................................................................................................17
General guidelines ............................................................................................................17
Paper and print media ......................................................................................................17
Printing and storage environment ....................................................................................18
Envelopes .........................................................................................................................18
Labels ...............................................................................................................................20
Transparencies .................................................................................................................2 0
Supported media weights and sizes .................................................................................21
2 Control panel
Control panel features .............................................................................................................23
Understanding Supplies Status ........................................................................................24
Understanding Printer Status ...........................................................................................24
3 Printing tasks
Loading trays ...........................................................................................................................28
Loading tray 1 ...................................................................................................................28
Loading optional tray 2 .....................................................................................................29
Loading optional tray 3 .....................................................................................................31
Controlling print jobs ...............................................................................................................33
About printing by Source versus by Type or Size ............................................................33
Maximizing print speed for letter-size paper ....................................................................35
Gaining access to printer driver settings ..........................................................................35
Features in the printer driver ............................................................................................36
Selecting an output location ....................................................................................................41
Printing on special media ........................................................................................................42
Printing on envelopes .......................................................................................................42
ENWW v
Printing on labels ..............................................................................................................43
Printing on transparencies ................................................................................................44
Printing on glossy paper ...................................................................................................45
Printing on HP LaserJet Tough paper ..............................................................................46
Printing on custom-sized print media or cardstock ..........................................................46
Printing on letterhead or preprinted forms ........................................................................47
Printing on both sides (duplexing manually) ...........................................................................48
To duplex manually ..........................................................................................................48
Canceling a print job ...............................................................................................................50
4 Managing the printer
Special pages ..........................................................................................................................52
Demo page .......................................................................................................................52
Configuration page ...........................................................................................................52
Supplies Status page ........................................................................................................53
HP Toolbox ..............................................................................................................................55
Supported operating systems ...........................................................................................55
Supported browsers .........................................................................................................55
To view the HP Toolbox ...................................................................................................56
Status tab ..........................................................................................................................56
Troubleshooting tab ..........................................................................................................56
Alerts tab ...........................................................................................................................57
Documentation tab ...........................................................................................................58
Device Settings window ....................................................................................................58
Other links .........................................................................................................................59
5 Color
Using color ..............................................................................................................................62
HP ImageREt 2400 ...........................................................................................................62
Media selection .................................................................................................................62
Color options .....................................................................................................................62
Standard red-green-blue (sRGB) .....................................................................................62
Managing color options ...........................................................................................................64
Print in Grayscale .............................................................................................................64
Automatic versus Manual color adjustment .....................................................................64
Manual color options ........................................................................................................64
Matching colors .......................................................................................................................66
6 Maintenance
Managing supplies ..................................................................................................................68
Supplies life ......................................................................................................................68
Checking and ordering supplies .......................................................................................68
Storing supplies ................................................................................................................69
Replacing and recycling supplies .....................................................................................69
HP policy on non-HP supplies ..........................................................................................70
HP fraud hotline ................................................................................................................70
Cleaning the printer .................................................................................................................71
To clean the engine ..........................................................................................................71
Calibrating the printer ..............................................................................................................72
To calibrate the printer at the printer ................................................................................72
To calibrate the printer from the HP Toolbox ...................................................................72
vi ENWW
7 Problem solving
Resolving problems that did not generate messages .............................................................74
Troubleshooting checklist .................................................................................................74
Checking the network ..............................................................................................................76
Solving general printing problems ...........................................................................................77
Solving PostScript (PS) errors ................................................................................................82
Solving common Macintosh problems ....................................................................................83
Resolving problems that generated messages .......................................................................89
Messages for both Windows and Macintosh ....................................................................89
Messages for Windows only .............................................................................................89
Resolving the control panel messages ...................................................................................91
Supplies Status lights .......................................................................................................92
Printer Status lights ..........................................................................................................95
Secondary light patterns for Printer Status lights .............................................................98
Clearing jams ..........................................................................................................................99
Where to look for jams ......................................................................................................99
To clear jams from inside the printer ................................................................................99
To clear jams from input areas .......................................................................................100
To clear jams from output areas .....................................................................................102
Solving print-media problems ...............................................................................................104
Solving print-quality problems ...............................................................................................105
Print-quality checklist ......................................................................................................105
Solving issues with all printed documents ......................................................................105
Solving issues with color documents ..............................................................................114
Appendix A Accessories and ordering information
Supplies .................................................................................................................................120
Memory .................................................................................................................................121
Cable and interface accessories ...........................................................................................122
Paper handling accessories ..................................................................................................123
Paper and other print media .................................................................................................124
User-replaceable parts ..........................................................................................................126
Supplementary Documentation .............................................................................................127
Appendix B Service and support
Hewlett-Packard limited warranty statement ........................................................................129
Print Cartridge Limited Warranty Statement .........................................................................131
Availability of support and service .........................................................................................132
HP maintenance agreements ...............................................................................................132
Onsite service agreements .............................................................................................132
HP Express Exchange (U.S. and Canada only) ...................................................................133
To use HP Express Exchange .......................................................................................133
Repacking the printer ............................................................................................................134
To repack the printer ......................................................................................................134
Service information form .......................................................................................................136
Appendix C Specifications
Printer specifications .............................................................................................................137
Appendix D Regulatory information
Introduction ............................................................................................................................139
FCC regulations ....................................................................................................................140
ENWW vii
Environmental Product Stewardship program ......................................................................141
Protecting the environment .............................................................................................141
Ozone production ...........................................................................................................141
Energy consumption .......................................................................................................141
HP LaserJet printing supplies .........................................................................................141
Material safety data sheet .....................................................................................................143
Declaration of conformity ......................................................................................................144
Country-/region-specific safety statements ...........................................................................145
Laser safety statement ...................................................................................................145
Canadian DOC statement ..............................................................................................145
Korean EMI statement ....................................................................................................145
Finnish laser statement ..................................................................................................146
Appendix E Working with memory
Printer memory ......................................................................................................................148
Installing memory and font DIMMs .......................................................................................149
To install memory and font DIMMs .................................................................................149
Checking DIMM installation ..................................................................................................151
To check DIMM installation ............................................................................................151
Enabling memory ..................................................................................................................152
To enable memory for Windows .....................................................................................152
To enable memory for Mac OS ......................................................................................152
Enabling the language-font DIMM ........................................................................................153
To enable fonts for Windows ..........................................................................................153
Index
viii ENWW
1
Printer basics
This section provides information about the following topics:
●
Quick access to printer information
●
Printer configurations
●
Printer features
●
Printer parts
●
Software
●
Print-media specifications
ENWW 1
Quick access to printer information
User guide links
● Printer parts
Control panel features
●
Problem solving
●
Where to look for more information
Several references are available for use with this printer. See http://www.hp.com/support/
clj2550.
Setting up the printer
Getting started guide—Provides step-by-step instructions for installing and setting up the
printer.
hpcolor LaserJet
1550•2550 series
HP Jetdirect Administrator's Guide—Contains instructions to configure and troubleshoot
the HP Jetdirect print server. This guide is included with printers that come with an HP
Jetdirect print server.
Accessory and supplies installation guides—These guides provide step-by-step
instructions for installing the printer accessories and supplies.
c9704a
2 Chapter 1 Printer basics ENWW
Using the printer
User guide—Contains detailed information for using the printer and troubleshooting
problems. This guide is available on the CD-ROM that came with the printer. It is also
available through the HP Toolbox software.
Online Help—Contains information about printer options that are available from within the
printer drivers. To view a Help file, open the online Help through the printer driver.
HTML (online) user guide—Contains detailed information for using the printer and
troubleshooting problems. Go to http://www.hp.com/support/clj2550. After connecting, select
Manuals.
ENWW Quick access to printer information 3
Printer configurations
Thank you for purchasing the HP color LaserJet 2550 series printer. The printer is available
in the following configurations.
HP color LaserJet 2550L
The HP color LaserJet 2550L printer is a four-color laser printer that prints letter-size pages
up to 20 pages per minute (ppm) in black and white, A4-size pages up to 19 ppm, and it
prints letter/A4-size pages at 4 ppm in color. It includes a PCL 6 printer driver and has
PostScript
● Trays. The printer comes with a multipurpose tray (tray 1) that holds up to 125 sheets of
®
level 3 emulation.
various print media or 10 envelopes. The printer can also accept an optional 250-sheet
tray (tray 2) for standard sizes and optional 500-sheet tray (tray 3) for A4 and letter
sizes. (Optional tray 2 must be installed in order to install optional tray 3.) See
media weights and sizes for more information.
Supported
● Print cartridges. This model comes standard with color print cartridges (cyan, yellow,
and magenta) that can print up to 2,000 pages at 5 percent coverage. It comes with a
black print cartridge that can print up to 5,000 pages at 5 percent coverage. (A typical
business letter has 5 percent coverage.)
● Connectivity. The printer provides parallel and universal serial bus (USB) ports for
connectivity. The printer also accepts an optional HP Jetdirect external print server for
connecting to a network.
● Memory. The printer comes standard with a 64-megabyte (MB) random access memory
(RAM).
● Expandability. The printer has one available DIMM slot for memory expansion and
additional font support. The memory is expandable to 192 MB by adding a 128-MB DIMM.
HP color LaserJet 2550Ln
The HP color LaserJet 2550n printer has the same features as the HP color LaserJet 2550L
printer, except it includes an HP Jetdirect internal print server for connecting to a
10/100Base-T network. This model also accepts optional tray 2 and optional tray 3. (Optional
tray 2 must be installed in order to install optional tray 3.)
4 Chapter 1 Printer basics ENWW
HP color LaserJet 2550n
The HP color LaserJet 2550n printer has the same features as the HP color LaserJet
2550Ln printer and also includes tray 2. This model also accepts optional tray 3. This model
comes standard with high-capacity color print cartridges that can print up to 4,000 pages.
ENWW Printer configurations 5
Printer features
Feature HP color LaserJet 2550 series printer
Color printing ● Provides laser printing in full color by using
the four process colors: cyan, magenta,
yellow, and black (CMYK).
Fast print speed
Excellent print quality
Ease of use ● Few supplies to order. Supplies are easy to
Expandability ● Optional tray 2. (Included with the 2550n
● Prints in black on letter-size paper up to 20
ppm and on A4-size paper up to 19 ppm.
Prints in color on A4/letter at 4 ppm.
● ImageREt 2400 provides 2400 dpi color and
laser-class quality through a multilevel
printing process.
● True 600 by 600 dots per inch (dpi) text and
graphics.
● Adjustable settings to optimize print quality.
● The HP UltraPrecise print cartridge has a
finer toner formulation that provides sharper
text and graphics.
install.
● Convenient access to printer information
and settings by using the HP Toolbox
software.
● Convenient access to all supplies and to the
paper path through the front door.
model; compatible with all other models.)
This 250-sheet tray for standard sizes
reduces how often you have to add paper to
the printer. Only one 250-sheet tray can be
installed on the printer.
● Optional tray 3. This 500-sheet tray for letter
and A4 sizes reduces how often you have to
add paper to the printer. Only one 500-sheet
tray can be installed on the printer. Optional
tray 2 must be installed in order to install
optional tray 3.
● Optional HP Jetdirect external print server
for connecting to a network (HP color
LaserJet 2550L printer).
● One DIMM slot for adding memory and fonts.
6 Chapter 1 Printer basics ENWW
Feature HP color LaserJet 2550 series printer
Flexible paper handling
Printer driver features
● Adjustable tray 1 (multipurpose tray) for
letterhead, envelopes, labels,
transparencies, custom-sized media,
postcards, glossy paper, HP LaserJet
Tough paper, and heavy paper.
● Optional tray 2 (250-sheet tray) that is
adjustable for several standard sizes of
paper.
● Optional tray 3 (500-sheet tray) for letter-
and A4-size paper. (Optional tray 2 must be
installed in order to install optional tray 3.)
● One 125-sheet output bin and one output
door. Select the top output bin (face down)
for most jobs, including transparencies. Use
the rear output door (face up) for jobs on
heavy paper, light paper, or special print
media.
● Straight-through paper path capability from
tray 1 to the rear output door.
● Manual two-sided printing (duplexing). See
Printing on both sides (duplexing manually).
● Fast printing performance, built-in Intellifont
and TrueType™ scaling technologies, builtin HP-GL/2 vector graphics, and advanced
imaging capabilities are benefits of the PCL
6 printer language. The PCL 6 also includes
45 scalable TrueType fonts and one
bitmapped Line Printer Font. The PCL 6
printer language also included.
PostScript® (PS) level 3 emulation language
and fonts
Automatic language-switching ● The printer automatically determines and
Interface connections
● Includes 35 built-in PS language fonts.
switches to the appropriate printer language
(such as PS or PCL 6) for the print job.
● Bidirectional enhanced capabilities port
(ECP) type-B parallel port (IEEE-1284
compliant).
● High-speed USB port.
● Accepts an optional HP Jetdirect external
print server (HP color LaserJet 2550L
printer). The HP color LaserJet 2550Ln and
2550n printers include an HP Jetdirect
internal print server.
ENWW Printer features 7
Feature HP color LaserJet 2550 series printer
Networking ● Accepts an optional HP Jetdirect external
print server (HP color LaserJet 2550L
printer). The HP color LaserJet 2550Ln and
2550n printers include an HP Jetdirect
internal print server.
● All common network protocols such as
Ethernet, Token Ring, and LocalTalk are
available by using an optional HP Jetdirect
external print server. (The 2550Ln and
2550n models include an HP Jetdirect
internal print server.)
Enhanced memory and memory expansion ● The printer comes with 64 MB of memory
and can be expanded to 192 MB by using
the DIMM slot. Most documents can be
printed with the standard amount of printer
memory through the aid of Memory
Enhancement technology (MEt). MEt
automatically compresses data, virtually
doubling the printer memory and
accommodating more complex printing with
available memory.
Energy savings ● The printer automatically conserves
electricity by substantially reducing power
consumption when it is not printing.
● As an ENERGY STAR® partner, Hewlett-
Packard Company has determined that this
product meets ENERGY STAR® guidelines
for energy efficiency. ENERGY STAR® is a
U.S. registered service mark of the United
States Environmental Protection Agency.
Economical printing ● N-up printing (printing more than one page
on a sheet) and two-sided printing using
manual duplexing saves paper. See
multiple pages on one sheet of paper (N-up
printing) and Printing on both sides
(duplexing manually).
Supplies ● A Supplies Status page with print cartridge
and imaging drum gauges that show the
supply levels that remain. For HP supplies
only.
● No-shake cartridge design.
● Authentication for HP print cartridges.
● Enabled supplies-ordering capability.
Accessibility ● Online user guide that is compatible with
text screen-readers.
● Print cartridges and the imaging drum can
be installed and removed by using one hand.
● All doors and covers can be opened by
using one hand.
Printing
8 Chapter 1 Printer basics ENWW
Printer parts
Before using the printer, familiarize yourself with the parts of the printer.
7
1
6
5
2
4
3
1 top (face-down) output bin
2 power switch
3 optional tray 3
4 optional tray 2 (included with HP color LaserJet 2550n model)
5 tray 1
6 top cover
7 control panel
7
12
8
11
9
10
7 control panel
8 interface ports
9 optional tray 2
10 optional tray 3
11 power connector
12 rear (face-up) output door
Interface ports
The printer has two interface ports: an IEEE-1284B parallel port and a high-speed USB port.
The HP color LaserJet 2550Ln and 2550n models include an HP Jetdirect internal print
server that contains a 10/100Base-T (RJ-45) port.
ENWW Printer parts 9
Note
Because an HP Jetdirect print server is not included with all models, it is referred to as the
optional HP Jetdirect print server in this documentation.
1
2
1 parallel port (IEEE-1284B)
2 high-speed USB port
3 10/100Base-T port (HP color LaserJet 2550Ln and 2550n printers only)
3
10 Chapter 1 Printer basics ENWW
Software
Software and supported operating systems
For easy printer setup and access to the full range of printer features, HP strongly
recommends that you install the software that is provided. Not all software is available in all
languages. See the getting started guide for installation instructions, and see the Readme
file for the latest software information.
The most recent drivers, additional drivers, and other software are available from the Internet
and other sources. If you do not have access to the Internet, see
The printer supports the following operating systems:
●
Microsoft
®
Windows® 98, Windows 2000, Windows Millennium Edition (Me), and
Windows XP
● Windows NT 4.0 (driver only, other printer software is not available)
● Macintosh OS 9.1 and OS X v.10.1 and later
●
®
, Linux, and OS/2 (limited functionality)
UNIX
The following tables list the software that is available for your operating system.
HP color LaserJet 2550 series printer software
HP customer care.
Feature Windows
98, Me
Windows
Installer
PCL 6
printer driver
PS printer
driver
HP Web
Jetadmin
software
HP Toolbox
software
Macintosh
Installer
Macintosh
PostScript
printer
description
(PPD) and
printer
dialog
extensions
(PDE)
Windows
2000 and
XP
1
Macintosh
OS 9.1
Macintosh
OS X
UNIX®,
Linux
OS/2
ENWW Software 11
HP color LaserJet 2550 series printer software (continued)
Feature Windows
98, Me
Windows
2000 and
XP
Macintosh
OS 9.1
Macintosh
OS X
UNIX®,
Linux
OS/2
IBM drivers
Model
scripts
1
Available on the HP website.
2
Available on the HP website. Not specific to this printer.
2
1
Software tips
The following are some tips for working with the printer software.
How do I gain access to the printer features?
The printer features are available in the printer driver. Some features such as custom paper
sizes and page orientation might also be available in the program you are using to create a
file. Change settings in the program, if possible, because changes that are made in the
program override changes that are made in the printer driver.
Gain access to advanced printer features through the printer driver (or the Print dialog box
for Macintosh operating systems). See
specific printer-driver features.
Gaining access to printer driver settings for help with
How do I get the latest printing software?
When you want to check for and install upgrades to the printing software, you can download
drivers from the World Wide Web or HP’s file transfer protocol (FTP) servers.
To download drivers
1. Go to http://www.hp.com. Click the support & drivers block.
2.
Type color laserjet 2550 as the product name. The Web page for the drivers
might be in English, but you can download the drivers themselves in several languages.
If you do not have Internet access, contact HP Customer Care. (See
HP customer care or
the flyer that came in the printer box.) See the Readme file for additional release information.
What other software is available?
See the Readme file that is provided on the HP color LaserJet 2550 CD-ROM for additional,
included software and for supported languages.
Software for Windows
When you install the software for Windows, you can directly connect the printer to a
computer by using a USB or parallel cable or , if your printer is network-enabled, you can
connect the printer to the network by using the HP Jetdirect print server. See the getting
started guide for installation instructions, and see the Readme file for the latest software
information.
12 Chapter 1 Printer basics ENWW
The following software is available to all users of the printer, whether you connected the
printer directly to a computer by using a parallel cable or USB cable, or whether you
connected the printer to the network by using an HP Jetdirect print server.
Printer drivers
A printer driver is a software component that provides access to printer features and
provides the means for the computer to communicate with the printer. For help using your
printer driver, see
Select a printer driver based on the way you use the printer.
● Use the PCL 6 printer driver to take full advantage of the printer features. Unless
complete backward compatibility with previous PCL drivers or older printers is
necessary, the PCL 6 driver is recommended.
● Use the PostScript (PS) printer driver for compatibility with PS needs. Certain printer
features are not available in this printer driver.
The printer automatically switches between PS 3 emulation and PCL printer languages
depending on the driver you have selected.
Using Help
The printer driver has Help dialog boxes that can be activated from the Help button in the
printer driver, the F1 key on the computer keyboard, or the question mark symbol (?) in the
upper-right corner of the printer driver. These Help dialog boxes give detailed information
about the specific printer driver. Help for the printer driver is separate from the Help for your
program.
Gaining access to printer driver settings.
HP Toolbox
You must perform a complete software installation to use the HP Toolbox.
The HP Toolbox provides links to printer status information and help information, such as
this user guide; and tools for diagnosing and solving problems. You can also view
explanations and animations of light messages on the control panel. See
more information.
Maintenance for
Software for network installations only
This software is available only when the printer is connected to a network.
HP Web Jetadmin
HP Web Jetadmin is intended for printer management in commercial and enterprise
networks. While the HP Toolbox is used to manage a single printer, HP Web Jetadmin is
used to manage groups of printers and other devices. Download this software from the HP
website at http://www.hp.com/go/webjetadmin. The HP Web Jetadmin website provides HP
Web Jetadmin software in many languages.
HP Web Jetadmin is available only if the printer is connected to an Internet protocol- (IP-)
based network. This browser-based software can be installed on one of the following
supported platforms:
● Microsoft Windows 2000 or XP
● Red Hat Linux
● SuSE Linux
ENWW Software 13
Starting HP Web Jetadmin
After you install the HP Web Jetadmin software, you can start it in a supported Web browser
on any computer by typing one of the following Web addresses:
http://server.domain:port/
●
where "server.domain" is the server hostname and "port" is the port number that you
selected during installation. (The default port is 8000.) This information is available in the
url.txt file, which is stored in the folder where HP Web Jetadmin is installed.
http://ipaddress:port/
●
where "ipaddress" is the IP address of the computer on which HP Web Jetadmin is
installed.
For settings that appear in both the printer driver and HP Web Jetadmin, changes that are
made in the printer driver override changes that are made in HP Web Jetadmin.
Software for Macintosh
For Mac 9.1, the Apple LaserWriter 8 driver must be installed to use the PPD file. Use the
Apple LaserWriter 8 driver that came with your Macintosh. For Mac OS X, use Print Center
to print.
The printer includes the following software for Macintosh computers.
PPDs (Mac OS 9.1 and Mac OS X classic)
PPDs, in combination with the LaserWriter driver, provide access to the printer features and
allow the computer to communicate with the printer. An installation program for the PPDs is
provided on the HP color LaserJet 2550 CD-ROM.
PDEs (Mac OS X)
PDEs are code plug-ins that provide access to printer features, such as information about
the number of copies, two-sided printing, and quality settings. An installation program for the
PDEs and other software is provided on the HP color LaserJet 2550 CD-ROM.
HP Toolbox
The HP Toolbox is supported for Mac OS 10.1 and later. You must perform a complete
software installation to use the HP Toolbox.The HP Toolbox provides links to printer status
information and help information, such as this user guide; and tools for diagnosing and
solving problems. You can also view explanations and animations of light messages on the
control panel. See
HP Toolbox for more information.
Uninstalling the printing software
Uninstall software by using the following directions for your operating system.
Uninstalling software for Windows
The printer comes with an uninstall utility that you can use to select and remove any or all of
the Windows HP printing system components from your computer.
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To uninstall software for Windows 98 and later
Note
To uninstall the software from Windows 2000 or XP, you must log on with administrator
privileges.
1. Close all of the open programs.
For Windows 98 and Me
a. Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete. The Close Program dialog box opens.
b. Select a program except Explorer or Systray, and click End Task.
c. Repeat step b until all of the programs except Explorer and Systray are closed.
For Windows 2000 and XP
a. Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete. The Windows Security dialog box opens.
b. Click Task Manager and then click the Applications tab.
c. Select a program, and then click End Task.
d. Repeat step c until all of the programs are closed.
2. On the Start menu, point to Programs, point to Hewlett-Packard, point to hp color
LaserJet 2550 series, and click Add or Remove.
3. On the Setup screen, click Next.
4. To remove specific software components, click Modify the existing installation. To
remove all the printer software, click Remove All.
Note
Clicking Remove All requires you to have the software CD to complete the uninstallation.
5. Click the drop-down icon next to each feature that you want to remove. From the drop-
down list, click This feature will not be available.
6. Click Next, and follow the directions on the screen. If the message "The following file is
a shared file but is not used by any other programs. Would you like to delete it?"
appears, click Yes to All. The system finishes removing files.
7. If prompted to restart the computer, click OK.
Uninstalling software for Windows by using Add or Remove Programs
An alternate method for uninstalling the printer software is to use the Add or Remove
Programs method. This method does not require you to have the software CD.
1. Click Start, point to Settings, and click Control Panel.
2. Click Add or Remove Programs.
3. Scroll through the list of software programs and click hp color LaserJet 2550 series
printer.
4. Click Remove.
Uninstalling software for Macintosh
To remove the printing software from your Macintosh, drag the HP LaserJet folder and PPDs
to the Trash. If you are using Mac OS X, you must also drag the PDEs to the Trash.
ENWW Software 15
For Mac OS 9.1: The PPDs are located in Macintosh HD\System Folder\Extensions
\Printer Descriptions.
For Mac OS X: The PPDs are located in Macintosh HD\Library\Printers\PPDs
\Contents\Resources\<lang>.lproj. The PDEs are located in Macintosh HD
\Library\Printers\PPD Plugins\HP*.
The phrase <lang> represents the language of the printer software that you selected.
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Print-media specifications
This section contains information about specifications for the quality of print media,
guidelines for print media usage, and guidelines for print media storage.
General guidelines
Some print media might meet all of the guidelines in this manual and still not produce
satisfactory results. This problem might be the result of improper handling, unacceptable
temperature and humidity levels, or other variables over which Hewlett-Packard has no
control.
Before purchasing large quantities of print media, always test a sample and make sure the
that the print media meets the requirements specified in this user guide and in the HP
LaserJet Printer Family Print Media Guide. For ordering information, see
ordering information.
Accessories and
CAUTION
Using print media that does not meet HP specifications can cause problems for the printer,
requiring repair. This repair is not covered by the Hewlett-Packard warranty or service
agreements.
This printer accepts a variety of media, such as cut-sheet paper (including up to 100 percent
recycled-fiber-content paper), envelopes, labels, transparencies, glossy paper, HP LaserJet
Tough paper, and custom-size paper. Properties such as weight, composition, grain, and
moisture content are important factors affecting printer performance and output quality. Print
media that does not meet the guidelines outlined in this manual can cause the following
problems:
● Poor print quality
● Increased jams
● Premature wear on the printer, requiring repair
Paper and print media
Category Specifications
Acid content 5.5 pH to 8.0 pH
Caliper 0.094 to 0.18 mm (3.0 to 7.0 mils)
Curl in ream Flat within 5 mm (0.02 in.)
Cut-edge conditions Cut with sharp blades with no visible fray
Fusing compatibility Must not scorch, melt, offset, or release
hazardous emissions when heated to 210° C
(410° F) for 0.1 second
Grain Long Grain
Moisture content 4 percent to 6 percent by weight
Smoothness 100 to 250 Sheffield
ENWW Print-media specifications 17
For complete print-media specifications for all HP LaserJet printers, see the HP LaserJet
Printer Family Print Media Guide. To download the guide in PDF format, go to
http://www.hp.com/support/ljpaperguide.
Printing and storage environment
Ideally, the printing and media-storage environment should be at or near room temperature,
and not too dry or too humid. Remember that paper is hygroscopic; it absorbs and loses
moisture rapidly.
Heat works with humidity to damage paper. Heat causes the moisture in paper to evaporate,
while cold causes it to condense on the sheets. Heating systems and air conditioners
remove most of the humidity from a room. As paper is opened and used, it loses moisture,
causing streaks and smudging. Humid weather or water coolers can cause the humidity to
increase in a room. As paper is opened and used it absorbs any excess moisture, causing
light print and dropouts. Also, as paper loses and gains moisture it can distort. This issue
can cause jams.
As a result, paper storage and handling are as important as the paper-making process itself.
Paper storage environmental conditions directly affect the feed operation and print quality.
Care should be taken not to purchase more paper than can be easily used in a short time
(about three months). Paper stored for long periods can experience heat and moisture
extremes, which can cause damage. Planning is important to prevent damage to a large
supply of paper.
Unopened paper in sealed reams can remain stable for several months before use. Opened
packages of paper have more potential for environmental damage, especially if they are not
wrapped with a moisture-proof barrier.
The media-storage environment should be properly maintained to ensure optimum printer
performance. The required condition is 20° to 24° C (68° to 75° F), with a relative humidity of
45 percent to 55 percent. The following guidelines should be helpful when evaluating the
paper's storage environment:
● Print media should be stored at or near room temperature.
● The air should not be too dry or too humid (to moderate the hygroscopic properties of
paper).
● The best way to store an opened ream of paper is to rewrap it tightly in its moisture-
proof wrapping. If the printer environment is subject to extremes, unwrap only the
amount of paper to be used during the day's operation to prevent unwanted moisture
changes.
● Avoid storing paper and print media near heating and air conditioning vents or near
windows and doors that are frequently open.
Envelopes
Use only tray 1 to print on envelopes. Select the type of envelope that you are using from
the Print dialog box or the printer driver.
In your program, set the margins for the envelope. The following table gives typical address
margins for a commercial #10 or DL envelope.
18 Chapter 1 Printer basics ENWW
Type of address Top margin Left margin
Return address 15 mm (0.6 inch) 15 mm (0.6 inch)
Delivery address 51 mm (2 inches) 89 mm (3.5 inches)
● For the best print quality, position margins no closer than 15 mm (0.6 inch) from the
edges of the envelope.
● Avoid printing over the area where the envelope seams meet.
Envelope storage
Proper storage of envelopes helps contribute to print quality. Envelopes should be stored
flat. If air is trapped in an envelope and creates an air bubble, then the envelope might
wrinkle during printing.
For more information, see
Printing on envelopes.
Envelope construction
Envelope construction is critical. Envelope fold lines can vary considerably, not only between
manufacturers, but also within a box from the same manufacturer. Successful printing on
envelopes depends upon the quality of the envelopes. When selecting envelopes, consider
the following components:
●
Weight: The weight of the envelope paper should not exceed 90 g/m
2
(24 lb) or jamming
might occur.
● Construction: Before printing, envelopes should lie flat with less than 6 mm (0.25 inch)
curl, and should not contain air.
● Condition: Envelopes should not be wrinkled, nicked, or otherwise damaged.
● Temperature: Use envelopes that are compatible with the heat and pressure of the
printer. This printer's fusing temperature is 210° C (410° F).
● Size: Use only envelopes that are within the following size ranges.
Tray Minimum Maximum
Tray 1 76 by 127 mm (3 by 5 inches) 216 by 356 mm (8.5 by 14
inches)
Envelopes with double side-seams
ENWW Print-media specifications 19
Double side-seam construction has vertical seams at both ends of the envelope rather than
diagonal seams. This style might be more likely to wrinkle. Be sure the seam extends all the
way to the corner of the envelope as illustrated below.
1
2
1 acceptable
2 unacceptable
Envelopes with adhesive strips or flaps
Envelopes with a peel-off adhesive strip or with more than one flap that folds over to seal
must use adhesives that are compatible with the heat and pressure in the printer. The extra
flaps and strips might cause wrinkling, creasing, or even jams and might damage the fuser.
CAUTION
Labels
Select the type of label that you are using from the Print dialog box or the printer driver.
To avoid damaging the printer, use only labels that are recommended for laser printers. To
prevent serious jams, always use tray 1 to print on labels and always use the straightthrough paper path. Never print on the same sheet of labels more than once or print on a
partial sheet of labels.
When selecting labels, consider the quality of each component:
● Adhesives: The adhesive material should be stable at 210° C (410° F), which is the
printer fusing temperature.
● Arrangement: Only use labels with no exposed backing between them. Labels can peel
off sheets with spaces between the labels, causing serious jams.
● Curl: Before printing, labels must lie flat with no more than 13 mm (0.5 inch) of curl in
any direction.
● Condition: Do not use labels that have wrinkles, bubbles, or other indications of
separation.
For more information, see
Printing on labels.
Transparencies
Use only tray 1 to print on transparencies. Select Transparencies from the Print dialog box
or the printer driver.
The printer supports printing on color transparencies. Use only transparencies that are
recommended for use in laser printers.
20 Chapter 1 Printer basics ENWW
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