HP Photosmart A310 User Manual

HP Photosmart A310 series

User Guide

Support phone list

The following support phone list is continued on the inside back cover of
this guide.

Copyrights and trademarks

© 2006 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.

Hewlett-Packard Company notices

The information contained in this document is subject to change
without notice.

All rights reserved. Reproduction, adaptation, or translation of
this material is prohibited without prior written permission of
Hewlett-Packard, except as allowed under copyright laws.

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.

Trademarks

HP, the HP logo, and Photosmart are property of Hewlett­Packard Development Company, L.P.

Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation.

Mac, the Mac logo, and Macintosh are registered trademarks
of Apple Computer, Inc.

The Bluetooth word mark and logos are owned by the Bluetooth
SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Hewlett-Packard
Company is under license.

PictBridge and the PictBridge logo are trademarks of the
Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA).

Other brands and their products are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective holders.

Environmental statements

For Environmental Stewardship information, see the electronic
Help.

Regulatory model identification number
VCVRA-0604

For regulatory identification purposes, the product is assigned
a Regulatory Model Number. The Regulatory Model Number
for the product is VCVRA-0604. This regulatory number should
not be confused with the marketing name (HP Photosmart A310
series) or product number (Q8471A).

Contents

1 Welcome...............................................................3

Find more information ...........................................3

Printer parts ..........................................................4

Optional accessories ...........................................11

Use the optional battery ......................................12

2 Paper basics.......................................................15

Choose and load paper .......................................15

Use HP Advanced Photo Paper ...................15

Load your paper ...........................................15

3 Print basics.........................................................19

Print from a PictBridge-certified camera .............19

Improve the quality of your photos using Photo

Fix .......................................................................21

4 Print from Bluetooth devices or your

computer.............................................................23

Print from a Bluetooth device ..............................23

Make the Bluetooth connection ....................23

Print ..............................................................23

Print from a computer .........................................24

Transfer photos from your camera to a

computer .......................................................25

About the HP Photosmart software suite

.......................................................................26

5 Maintain and transport the printer...................27

Replace the print cartridge ..................................27

Clean and maintain the printer ............................30

Clean the outside of the printer ....................30

Automatically clean the print cartridge ..........31

Print a test page ...........................................32

Manually clean the print cartridge

contacts ........................................................34

1

Align the print cartridge .................................35

Update the HP Photosmart printer driver

software ..............................................................36

Store the printer and print cartridge ....................38

Store the printer ............................................38

Store the print cartridge ................................38

Maintain the quality of photo paper .....................39

Transport the printer ...........................................40

6 Troubleshooting.................................................43

Printer hardware problems ..................................43

Printing problems ................................................48

Bluetooth printing problems ................................54

PictBridge camera error messages .....................56

7 Specifications ....................................................61

System requirements ..........................................61

Printer specifications ...........................................61

8 HP support .........................................................65

Support process ..................................................65

HP support by phone ..........................................66

Phone support period ...................................66

Placing a call ................................................66

After the phone support period .....................67

Additional warranty options .................................67

HP Warranty .......................................................68

A Install the software............................................69

B Indicator lights...................................................71

Index..........................................................................77

2 HP Photosmart A310 series

1

Thank you for your HP Photosmart purchase! To get the
maximum use out of your new printer, read this guide.
Learn how to:

● Quickly and easily print beautiful photos directly

● Print photos from any Bluetooth device—

● Connect the printer to a computer, and take

● Get higher quality photos with the help of the built-

● Take your portable, lightweight photo printer to

Welcome

from any PictBridge device—including digital
cameras, camera phones, and video cameras.

wirelessly!—with an optional Bluetooth adapter.

advantage of the photo editing, storing, sharing, and
creative project capabilities of the included HP
Photosmart software.

in HP Real Life Technologies, which correct red-
eye, color, and contrast problems with the touch of
a button.

social events to print and share photos instantly.

Find more information

Your new HP Photosmart A310 series printer comes
with the following documentation:

● Setup Guide: The setup instructions that explain
how to set up the printer and install the
HP Photosmart software. Read this document first.

Welcome 3

● Printer User Guide: This is the book you are
reading. This guide describes the basic features of
the printer, explains how to use the printer without
connecting it to a computer, and contains hardware
troubleshooting information.

● Camera or camera phone documentation (only if
a camera or camera phone came in the box with your
printer): The documentation that came with your
camera explains how to use the camera to take
pictures and includes troubleshooting and
maintenance information. In addition, the camera
image display provides information.

● Electronic Help: The electronic Help describes how
to use the printer with a computer and contains
software troubleshooting information.

After you have installed the HP Photosmart software
on your computer (see page 69), you can view the
electronic Help on your computer. The Help displays
on your computer screen and describes how to use
the printer with a computer and how to troubleshoot
software problems.

To access the electronic Help:
– Windows: From the Start menu, select

Programs or All Programs, point to HP,
HP Photosmart A310 series, and then click
Help.

– Mac: Choose Help, Mac Help in the Finder, and

then choose Library, HP Photosmart Printer

Help.

Printer parts

This section gives an overview of the parts of your
printer, and provides references to sections where the
parts and functions are described in more detail.

4 HP Photosmart A310 series

Front view (closed)

1 On: Press to turn the printer on or off, or to cancel a print

job that is in progress.

2 OK: Press to turn Photo Fix on or off, or to resume a print

job after an error.

3 PictBridge port: Connect either a PictBridge-certified

device (such as a PictBridge digital camera, camera
phone, or video camera), or the optional HP Bluetooth
wireless printer adapter to this port.

For information on printing from a PictBridge device,
see page 19.

For information on printing wirelessly using Bluetooth
technology, see page 23.

4 Output tray (closed): Open this to print. The input tray

opens automatically when you open the output tray.

Welcome 5

Front view (open)

1 Handle: Extend to carry the printer.

2 Input tray: Load paper here. The input tray opens

automatically when you open the output tray. To close the
input tray, you must first close the output tray. For more
information about loading paper, see page 15.

3 USB cable holder: Store the USB cable for your

PictBridge camera in here for easy access.

4 Input tray extension: Pull out to support paper.

5 Paper-width guide: Move to the width of the current

paper to position the paper properly.

6 HP Photosmart A310 series

6 Output tray (open): The printer deposits prints here.

When you open the output tray, the input tray opens
automatically.

7 Print cartridge door: Open to insert or remove the

HP 110 Tri-color Inkjet print cartridge. Close to print. For
more information about replacing the print cartridge,
see page 27.

Rear of printer

1 USB port: Connect the printer to a computer here, using

a USB cable. For more information on printing from a
computer, see page 24.

2 Power cord connection: Connect the power cord here.

Welcome 7

Indicator lights

1 On light: Solid green if the printer is on. Flashing green

if the printer is busy or the optional battery is low. Slowly
flashing green if the optional battery is charging.

2 Photo Fix light: Solid green if Photo Fix is turned on. For

information about the Photo Fix feature, see page 21.

3 Resume light: Flashing green if the printer is out of paper

or if there is a paper jam. Indicates that the OK button
should be pressed to resume printing after the error is
cleared.

4 Print Cartridge light: Solid red if the print cartridge is low

on ink. Flashing red if there is a print cartridge error, if the
print cartridge is missing, or if the print cartridge door is
open.

5 Attention light: Solid or flashing red if there is a printer

error, such as a paper jam, that must be addressed before
you can continue printing.

For troubleshooting information, see page 43.

8 HP Photosmart A310 series

For more information about the indicator lights, see

page 71.

6 PictBridge light: Solid green if a PictBridge camera is

connected to the PictBridge port. Flashing green if the
printer is printing a photo from your camera. Do not
disconnect your camera if the light is flashing green.

Tip For more information about the indicator lights,

see page 71. For troubleshooting information, see

page 43.

Welcome 9

Bottom of printer

1 Battery compartment button: Slide to release the

compartment cover.

2 Battery compartment cover: Open this cover on the

bottom of the printer to insert the optional
HP Photosmart Internal Battery.

3 Internal battery compartment: Insert the optional

HP Photosmart Internal Battery here.

4 Internal Battery: You must purchase the battery

separately.

See page 11 for more information.

10 HP Photosmart A310 series

Caution Always make sure to unplug the

printer power cord before opening the battery
compartment cover. Do not touch the copper­colored contacts on the battery or the contacts
inside the battery compartment.

Optional accessories

There are several optional accessories available for the
printer that enhance its portability for printing anywhere,
anytime. The appearance of the accessories may vary
from what is shown. To purchase accessories, go to:

● www.hp.com/eur/hpoptions (Europe)

● www.hp.com, choose your country/region, and then

click Buy or Online Shopping (All other countries/
regions)

For camera accessories, see the documentation that
came with your camera.

HP Photosmart Internal Battery

The HP Photosmart Internal Battery lets you take the
printer with you wherever you go. For more information,
see page 12.

Welcome 11

HP Photosmart Carrying Case

The lightweight, durable HP Photosmart Carrying Case
holds and protects the printer and its accessories for
hassle-free printing on the go.

Note You will need to transport your digital camera,

camera phone, or video camera in a separate carrying
case. See the documentation that came with your
camera or other device for accessories information.

HP Bluetooth wireless printer adapter

The HP Bluetooth wireless printer adapter, model bt450,
plugs into the PictBridge port on the top of the printer and
lets you use Bluetooth wireless technology for printing.
For more information about using Bluetooth wireless
technology, see page 23.

Use the optional battery

A fully-charged HP Photosmart Internal Battery has
sufficient charge to print approximately 75 photos.

12 HP Photosmart A310 series

When the battery power is low, the On and Attention
lights flash. When the battery charge is completely
depleted, the printer will shut down and any print jobs
that are in progress will be cancelled.

To recharge the battery, leave it inside the printer and
connect the printer to an AC power source. If the printer
is turned on, the On light slowly flashes green to indicate
that the battery is charging. The printer does not need to
be turned on to charge the battery.

The battery should fully charge in approximately four
hours when the printer is not in use. The first time a
battery is charged and when the battery has been fully
discharged, it could take up 12 hours to recharge.

Note If the printer is operating solely on battery power,

it automatically shuts down after 8 minutes of inactivity
to conserve battery power.

Welcome 13

14 HP Photosmart A310 series

2

Paper basics

Choose and load paper

Learn which is the recommended HP paper for use with
the printer, and learn how to load it into the input tray for
printing.

Use HP Advanced Photo Paper

Always use HP Advanced Photo Paper with the
HP Photosmart A310 series printer. It is especially
designed to work with the inks in your printer to create
beautiful photos.

To purchase HP Advanced Photo Paper or other
supplies, go to:

● www.hp.com/eur/hpoptions (Europe)

● www.hp.com, choose your country/region, and then

click Buy or Online Shopping (All other countries/
regions)

Load your paper

Paper loading tips:

● You can print on 10 x 15 cm (4 x 6 inch) photo paper,
10 x 15 cm (4 x 6 inch) or smaller index cards, L-size
cards, A6 cards, or Hagaki cards 100 x 148 mm (3.9
x 5.8 inch).

● Before loading paper, slide out the paper-width
guide to make room for the paper.

● Load only one type and size of paper at a time. Do
not mix paper types or sizes in the input tray.

Paper basics 15

● Do not load more than 20 sheets of 10 x 15 cm (4 x
6 inch) photo paper.

● If you are using tabbed paper, load the paper so the
tab feeds in last.

● In dry conditions photo paper can curl. To prevent
curling, store photo paper in a plastic bag, not in the
input tray of the printer.

1 Input tray

2 Paper-width guide

3 Output tray

16 HP Photosmart A310 series

To load paper

1. Open the output tray. The input tray opens
automatically.

2. Load up to 20 sheets of photo paper with the print
side or glossy side facing the front of the printer. If
you are using tabbed paper, load the paper so tab
feeds in last. When loading, slide the paper to the
left side of the input tray and push the paper down
firmly until it stops.

3. Adjust the paper-width guide to fit close to the edge
of the paper without bending the paper.

Paper basics 17

18 HP Photosmart A310 series

3

Printing photos directly from your camera is the easiest
and fastest way to turn your digital photos into
outstanding prints.

This section describes how to print from digital cameras
using a direct USB connection and PictBridge
technology, and how to improve the quality of your prints
using the printer's built-in Photo Fix feature.

Note Although this chapter describes the procedure for

printing from a PictBridge digital camera, the procedure
for printing from other PictBridge devices—such as
camera phones and video phones—is very similar.
Review the documentation that came with your
PictBridge device for specific information.

Print basics

Print from a PictBridge-certified camera

You can print photos by connecting a PictBridge­certified digital camera directly to the PictBridge port on
the top of the printer with a USB cable. When you print
from your digital camera, the printer uses the settings
that you selected on the camera. For more information,
see the documentation that came with your camera.

Make sure you have turned on the printer and inserted
a HP 110 Tri-color Inkjet print cartridge before you try to
print.

Print basics 19

Note If you connect a non-HP camera and encounter

problems while printing, see the documentation that
came with your camera. HP is not able to provide
technical support for non-HP cameras.

To print using a PictBridge-certified camera

1. Turn on your PictBridge digital camera. Make sure
the USB configuration is set to Digital Camera, so
that your camera is able to successfully connect to
the printer and print photos.

2. Load photo paper into the printer.
The printer automatically prints using the best

quality settings for HP Advanced Photo Paper. To
change the paper type or quality settings, print your
photos from a computer. For more information on
printing from a computer, see the electronic Help.

Note If you are printing from an HP Photosmart

E427 digital camera, you can print using Normal
print quality for faster prints. The print quality may be
noticeably lower, especially if you are not using HP
Advanced Photo Paper. Print quality is best when
Best print quality is selected.

3. Connect your camera to the PictBridge port on the
top of the printer using the USB cable for the
camera. The PictBridge light turns solid green
when the connection is established.

4. Use the menu on your camera image display to
select and print photos. The On light and the

PictBridge light flash while the photos are printing.

Important: Your photos are instantly dry, and can be

handled immediately after they are printed. However,
HP recommends that you leave the printed surface of
your photos exposed to the air for 5–10 minutes after

20 HP Photosmart A310 series

printing, to allow the colors to fully develop before you
stack them with other photos or place them in albums.

Improve the quality of your photos using Photo Fix

The printer uses Photo Fix to enhance your photos
with HP Real Life technologies. Photo Fix will:

● Sharpen blurred photos.

● Improve the dark areas of a photo without affecting

the light areas of the photo.

● Reduce red-eye that can occur in photos taken with
a flash.

● Improve the overall brightness, color, and contrast
of photos.

Photo Fix is turned on by default when you turn on the
printer. The Photo Fix light is solid green when the
feature is turned on.

HP recommends leaving Photo Fix on, but if your photos
do not print correctly, or if you want to print a photo
without the Photo Fix improvements, turn Photo Fix off.

To turn off Photo Fix, press OK. The Photo Fix light
turns off. Photo Fix remains off until you press OK again,
or turn the printer off and on again.

Print basics 21

22 HP Photosmart A310 series

4

Print from Bluetooth devices or your computer

Use the printer with your computer and other devices to
share photos with friends and family.

Print from a Bluetooth device

You can print from devices with Bluetooth wireless
technology such as digital cameras, PDAs, laptops, and
mobile phones. For more information, see the electronic
Help and the documentation that came with the device.

Make the Bluetooth connection

To use Bluetooth connectivity, all devices must have the
necessary hardware and software installed. In addition,
an HP Bluetooth wireless printer adapter, model bt450,
must be connected to the PictBridge port on the top of
the printer. Some printers include the Bluetooth adapter
in the box; if a Bluetooth adapter did not come with your
printer, you can purchase one separately. For ordering
information, see page 11. For more information about
the adapter, see the documentation that came with the
adapter.

Print

The basic procedure for printing from any device with
Bluetooth wireless technology is the same. For more

Print from Bluetooth devices or your computer 23

detailed instructions, see the documentation that came
with your Bluetooth device.

To print from a Bluetooth device

1. Connect the Bluetooth adapter to the PictBridge port
on top of the printer.

2. Have the device search for available Bluetooth
printers.

3. Select the HP Photosmart A310 series printer when
it appears on the device.

4. Send the print job from the Bluetooth device to the
printer. See the documentation for your Bluetooth
device for specific instructions on starting a print job.

Print from a computer

Printing from a computer gives you more options than
printing from a PictBridge or Bluetooth device. The
printer software give you more print settings to choose
from, and with the HP Photosmart software, you can edit
your photos before printing. For example, you can select
different paper types, and print photos with white
borders. You can also print exceptional photos using
4800 x 1200-optimized dpi.

Before printing from your computer, you must install the
HP Photosmart software and connect the USB cable
from the printer (using the USB port on the back) to your
computer. For instructions on installing the
HP Photosmart software and connecting the USB cable,
see page 69. The HP Photosmart software includes
the interface that is displayed whenever you print from a
computer.

24 HP Photosmart A310 series

Note The USB cable required for printing from a

computer might not be included in the box with the
printer, so you might need to purchase it separately. If
you purchased an HP camera in the box with the printer,
you can use the USB cable included with the camera.
The required USB 2.0 high speed cable has a mini Type
B 5-pin male connector at one end and a Type A male
connector at the other end. The mini Type B end
connects to the back of the printer, and the Type A end
connects to a computer. HP recommends using a USB
cable less than 3 meters (10 feet) long to minimize
injected noise due to potentially high electromagnetic
fields.

Be sure to download the latest software update every
couple of months to ensure you have the latest features
and improvements.

You need to transfer your photos to the computer before
you can use them with HP Photosmart software. For
more information, see page 25.

To print from a computer, the computer needs to meet
the minimum system requirements described in

page 61.

Note The electronic Help provides more information on

the many print settings available when you print from a
computer. To learn how to open the electronic Help,
see page 3.

Transfer photos from your camera to a computer

To transfer photos to a computer, connect the camera
directly to your computer. Follow the instructions in the
documentation that came with the camera.

Print from Bluetooth devices or your computer 25

About the HP Photosmart software suite

The HP Photosmart software suite includes:

● HP Photosmart Essential (Windows): Edit and
enhance your photos by adding text or doing color
correction.

● HP Photosmart Premier (Windows): In addition to
what you can do with HP Photosmart Essential, you
can also organize your photos in scrapbooking
albums and search through them by keyword and
dates, and use your photos for creative projects
such as greeting cards and iron-on transfers.

● HP Photosmart Studio (Macintosh): View,
organize, and manage your photos and videos.

● HP Photosmart Share (Windows and Macintosh):
Share your photos online with family and friends
using email, online albums, or an online photo
finishing service. HP Photosmart Share is built into
HP Photosmart Essential, HP Photosmart Premier,
and HP Photosmart Studio. To use HP Photosmart
Share, install the HP Photosmart software that came
with the printer, and connect a USB cable from the
printer to a computer with Internet access.

For more information about HP Photosmart Essential
and HP Photosmart Studio, explore the electronic Help.

For more information about HP Photosmart Share, see
the documentation that came with the camera.

26 HP Photosmart A310 series

5

Maintain and transport the printer

The printer requires very little maintenance. Follow the
guidelines in this chapter to extend the life span of the
printer and printing supplies, and to ensure that your
prints are always of the highest quality.

● Replace the print cartridge

● Clean and maintain the printer

● Update the HP Photosmart printer driver software

● Store the printer and print cartridge

● Maintain the quality of photo paper

● Transport the printer

For information on maintaining your camera, see the
documentation that came with the camera.

Replace the print cartridge

Use the HP 110 Tri-color Inkjet print cartridge to print
black-and-white and color photos.

HP Vivera Inks deliver true-to-life photo quality and
exceptional fade resistance, resulting in vivid colors that
last. HP Vivera Inks are specially formulated and
scientifically tested for quality, purity, and fade
resistance.

For optimal printing results, HP recommends using only
HP print cartridges. Inserting an incorrect cartridge may
invalidate the printer warranty.

Maintain and transport the printer 27

Caution Check that you are using the correct

print cartridge. Also, note that HP does not
recommend modifying or refilling HP cartridges.
Damage that results from modifying or refilling
HP cartridges is not covered by the HP warranty.

For best print quality, HP recommends that you install all
retail print cartridges before the date stamped on the
box.

When the print cartridge is low on ink, the Print

Cartridge light turns solid red.

To prepare the printer and cartridge

1. Make sure the power is on.

2. Load paper in the input tray so that the printer can
print an alignment page when you insert the new
print cartridge.

3. Open the print cartridge door of the printer. The Print
Cartridge light flashes red.

4. Remove the pink tape from the cartridge. Do not
touch the copper-colored contacts or the ink
nozzles.

Remove the pink tape

28 HP Photosmart A310 series

Do not touch here

To insert the cartridge

1. If you are replacing a cartridge, push down and pull
outward on the cartridge in the cradle to remove it.

2. Hold the replacement cartridge with the label on top.
Slide the cartridge at a slight upward angle into the
cradle so the copper-colored contacts go in first.
Push the cartridge until it snaps into place.

3. Close the print cartridge door.

Maintain and transport the printer 29

4. If the print cartridge is new, the printer prints an
alignment page to confirm that the alignment was
successful. This may take a few minutes.

The check marks verify that the print cartridge is
installed correctly and functioning properly.
If an "x" is displayed to the left of any of the bars,
align the print cartridge again.

Clean and maintain the printer

Keep the printer and print cartridge clean and well
maintained using the simple procedures in this section.

Clean the outside of the printer

To clean the outside of the printer

1. Turn off the printer, and then disconnect the power
cord from the back of the printer.

30 HP Photosmart A310 series

2. If you installed the optional HP Photosmart Internal
Battery in the printer, remove it, and then replace the
battery compartment cover.

3. Wipe the outside of the printer with a soft cloth that
has been lightly moistened with water.

Caution Do not use any type of cleaning

solution. Household cleaners and detergents
may damage the printer finish.

Caution Do not clean the interior of the printer.

Keep all fluids away from the interior.

Automatically clean the print cartridge

If you notice white lines or single-color streaks on your
prints, you may need to clean the print cartridge. Do not
clean the cartridge more often than necessary, since
cleaning uses up ink.

Using the following hardware procedure, you can clean
the cartridge up to three times each time you use the
procedure. Each successive cleaning is more thorough
and uses more ink.

Note If you have installed the HP Photosmart software,

HP recommends performing the automatic print
cartridge cleaning procedure from the software because
it is easier. See the electronic Help for instructions.

To clean the print cartridge

1. Make sure the printer is turned on.

2. Load photo paper so the printer can print a test page
after cleaning the cartridge. Use HP Advanced
Photo Paper for the best results.

3. Hold down the OK button and press the On button
4 times to begin cleaning the print cartridge.

Maintain and transport the printer 31

4. When the printer finishes cleaning the cartridge,
check the printed test page. If there are no more
problems, you do not need to do anything else. If
there are still problems, continue cleaning use the
following procedure:

– If the test page has white streaks or missing

colors, the print cartridge needs to be cleaned
again. Hold down the OK button and press the
On button 5 times.

– If the print quality of the second test page looks

good, you do not need to do anything else.

– If the test page still has white streaks or missing

colors, the print cartridge needs to be cleaned
one more time. Hold down the OK and press
the On button button 6 times.

If you complete all three levels of cleaning using this
procedure and you still notice white streaks or missing
colors on the test page, you may need to clean the print
cartridge copper-colored contacts. For more
information, see page 34.

Note If the cartridge or printer has been recently

dropped, you may also see white streaks or missing
colors in your prints. This problem is temporary and
clears up within 24 hours.

Print a test page

You can print a test page to:

● Check the estimated ink level in the print cartridge

● Check the condition of the ink nozzles

● Check if the printer is communicating properly with

a connected computer (if you are able to print a test
page from the software)

32 HP Photosmart A310 series

● Obtain the printer's serial number, and other printer
specifications

If you contact HP support for help, you may be asked to
print the test page.

There are two ways to print the test page: from the
control panel of the printer, and from the software. If you
have the HP Photosmart software installed, you can print
the test page from the software. If you need to confirm
the connection between the printer and your computer,
print a test page from the software.

This section describes how to print the test page from
the printer's control panel. See the electronic Help for
instructions on printing the test page from the software.

To print a test page

1. Make sure the printer is turned on.

2. Load paper in the input tray. Use plain paper or index
cards to conserve photo paper.

3. Hold down the OK button and press the On button
2 times to print a test page.

To check the estimated ink level on the printed test page,
look at the three color bars about halfway down the
page, between the "E" (empty) and "F" (full). Estimate
how full the print cartridge is by determining what
percentage of the brightly-colored bars is shown
between "E" and "F."

Maintain and transport the printer 33

Manually clean the print cartridge contacts

If you use the printer in a dusty environment, debris may
accumulate on the copper-colored contacts and cause
printing problems.

To clean the print cartridge contacts

1. Gather the following items to clean the contacts:
– Distilled water (tap water may contain

contaminants that can damage the print
cartridge)

– Cotton swabs or other soft, lint-free material that

will not stick to the print cartridge

2. Open the print cartridge door.

3. Remove the print cartridge and place it on a piece of
paper with the ink nozzle plate facing up. Be careful
not to touch the copper-colored contacts or the ink
nozzle plate with your fingers.

Caution Do not leave the print cartridge

outside the printer for more than 30 minutes.
Ink nozzles exposed to the air longer than
this may dry out and cause printing
problems.

4. Lightly moisten a cotton swab with distilled water
and squeeze any excess water from the swab.

5. Gently wipe the copper-colored contacts with the
cotton swab.

Caution Do not touch the ink nozzle plate.

Touching the ink nozzle plate will result in
clogs, ink failure, and bad electrical
connections.

34 HP Photosmart A310 series

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until no ink residue or dust
appears on a clean swab.

7. Insert the print cartridge in the printer, and then close
the print cartridge door.

Align the print cartridge

The first time you insert a HP 110 Tri-color Inkjet print
cartridge, the printer aligns it automatically. However, if
colors in printouts are misaligned, or if the alignment
page does not print correctly when you insert a new print
cartridge, use the following procedure to align the print
cartridge again.

Note If you have installed the HP Photosmart software,

HP recommends aligning the print cartridge from the
software because it is easier. See the electronic Help for
instructions.

To align the print cartridge

1. Make sure the printer is turned on.

2. Load paper in the input tray. HP recommends using
HP Advanced Photo Paper for the alignment, since
the printer is calibrated for this type of paper.

3. Hold down the OK button and press the On button
3 times to print an alignment page.

When the printer finishes aligning the cartridge, it
prints an alignment page to confirm that the
alignment was successful.

Maintain and transport the printer 35

– The check marks verify that the print cartridge is

installed correctly and functioning properly.

– If an “x” is displayed to the left of any of the bars,

align the print cartridge again. If the “x” is still
displayed, replace the print cartridge.

Update the HP Photosmart printer driver software

Download the latest software update for the printer driver
every few months to ensure you have the latest features
and improvements. You can download HP Photosmart
software updates by going to www.hp.com/support or by
using HP Software Update.

36 HP Photosmart A310 series

Note Using the procedures below to install the printer

driver software update from the HP Web site does not
update the otherHP Photosmart software you might
have installed on the computer. For information about
updating the HP Photosmart software, see the
HP Photosmart Help.

To download a printer driver software update
(Windows)

1. Make sure you are connected to the Internet.

2. From the Windows Start menu, click Programs or

All Programs, point to HP, and then click HP
Software Update.

The HP Software Update window is displayed.

3. Click Next.
HP Software Update searches the HP Web site for
printer driver software updates.
– If the computer has the most recent version of

the printer driver software installed, No updates
are available for your system at this time is
displayed in the HP Software Update window.

– If the computer does not have the most recent

version of the printer driver software installed, a
software update is displayed in the HP Software
Update window.

4. If a software update is available, select the check
box beside the update name.

5. Click Install.

6. Follow the onscreen instructions.

To download a printer driver software update (Mac)

1. Make sure you are connected to the Internet.

2. Click the HP Device Manager in the Dock.

Maintain and transport the printer 37

3. Choose Check for updates from the Information
and Settings pop-up menu.

The HP Software Update window is displayed.

4. Click the Update Software tab, and then follow the
onscreen instructions to check for software updates.

Store the printer and print cartridge

Protect the printer and print cartridge by storing them
properly when you are not using them.

Store the printer

The printer is built to withstand long or short periods of
inactivity.

● Close the input and output trays when the printer is
not in use.

● Store the printer indoors out of direct sunlight in a
place without temperature extremes.

● If you are storing the printer for a long period of time
and the optional HP Photosmart Internal Battery is
installed, remove the battery from the printer.

● If the printer and print cartridge have not been used
for one month or more, clean the print cartridge
before printing. For more information, see page 31.

Store the print cartridge

When you store or transport the printer, always leave the
active print cartridge inside the printer. The printer stores
the print cartridge in a protective cap during the power­down cycle.

38 HP Photosmart A310 series

Caution Make sure the printer completes its

power-down cycle before you unplug the power
cord or remove the internal battery. This allows
the printer to store the print cartridge properly.

Follow these tips to help maintain HP print cartridges and
ensure consistent print quality:

● Keep all unused print cartridges in their original
sealed packages until they are needed. Store print
cartridges at room temperature (15–35° C or 59–95°
F).

● Do not remove the plastic tape covering the ink
nozzles until you are ready to install the print
cartridge in the printer. If the plastic tape has been
removed from the print cartridge, do not attempt to
reattach it. Reattaching the tape damages the print
cartridge.

Maintain the quality of photo paper

For best results with photo paper, follow the guidelines
in this section.

To store photo paper

● Store the photo paper in its original packaging or in
a resealable plastic bag.

● Store the packaged photo paper on a flat, cool, and
dry surface.

● Return unused photo paper to the plastic bag. Paper
left in the printer or exposed to the elements may
curl.

To handle photo paper

● Always hold photo paper by the edges to avoid
fingerprints.

Maintain and transport the printer 39

● If the photo paper has curled edges, place it in its
plastic storage bag and gently bend it in the opposite
direction of the curl until the paper lies flat.

Transport the printer

It is easy to transport and set up the HP Photosmart
A310 series printer almost anywhere. Take it with you
on vacations and to family gatherings and social events
to instantly print and share photos with family and
friends.

To make it even easier to print on the go, you can
purchase these accessories from the HP Web site or
your HP dealer. For ordering information, see page 15:

● Internal Battery: Power the printer with a
rechargeable HP Photosmart Internal Battery so you
can print anywhere.

● Carrying Case: Carry the printer and printing
supplies together in this convenient HP Photosmart
Carrying Case.

To transport the HP Photosmart A310 series

1. Turn off the printer.

Note Make sure the printer completes its power-

down cycle before you unplug the power cord. This
allows the printer to store the print cartridge properly.

2. If a camera or Bluetooth adapter is connected to the
PictBridge port on the top of the printer, disconnect
it.

3. Remove all paper from the input and output trays,
close the output tray, and then close the input tray.

4. Unplug the power cord.

40 HP Photosmart A310 series

5. If the printer is connected to a computer, disconnect
the USB cable from the computer.

6. Always carry the printer upright.

Note Do not remove the print cartridge when

transporting the printer. The printer stores the print
cartridge in a protective cap during the power-down
cycle

Tip The printer has a convenient built-in handle

you can use to make it easy to carry. Extend the
handle by lifting it up from above the camera dock
door. Do not shake or swing the printer while
carrying it by the handle.

Extend the handle

Make sure to bring the following items with you:

● Paper

● Power cord

● A PictBridge-certified camera

● Extra print cartridges (if you plan to print a lot)

Maintain and transport the printer 41

● Optional printer accessories you plan to use, such
as the battery or HP Bluetooth wireless printer
adapter

● If you are going to connect the printer to a computer,
bring the USB cable and HP Photosmart software
CD

Note If you do not take the documentation with you, be

sure to write down the correct print cartridge number or
purchase enough HP 110 Tri-color Inkjet print
cartridges before you go.

42 HP Photosmart A310 series

6

The HP Photosmart A310 series printer is designed to
be reliable and easy to use. This section answers
frequently asked questions about using the printer and
printing without a computer.

● Printer hardware problems

● Printing problems

● Bluetooth printing problems

● PictBridge camera error messages

For troubleshooting information about using the
HP Photosmart software and printing from a computer,
see the electronic Help. For information about viewing
the electronic Help, see page 3.

For information about troubleshooting issues involving
your camera, see the documentation that came with the
camera.

Troubleshooting

Printer hardware problems

Before contacting HP support, read this section for
troubleshooting tips or go to the online support services
at www.hp.com/support.

Note If you want to connect the printer to a computer,

HP recommends using a USB cable of less than
3 meters (10 feet) in length to minimize injected noise
due to potentially high electromagnetic fields.

The Attention light is flashing red.

Cause The printer requires attention. Try the

following solutions.

Troubleshooting 43

Solution

● If the printer is connected to your camera, check

the camera image display for instructions.

● If the printer is connected to a computer, check

the computer monitor for instructions.

● Turn off the printer, and then turn it back on

again.

If the optional HP Photosmart Internal Battery
is not installed in the printer, unplug the printer
power cord. Wait about 30 seconds, and then
plug the power cord back in. Turn on the printer.

If the optional HP Photosmart Internal Battery is
installed in the printer, unplug the printer power
cord if it is plugged in. Open the battery
compartment cover and remove the battery.
Wait about 30 seconds, and then reinstall the
battery. Plug in the power cord. Turn on the
printer.

● For more information about what the Attention

light could indicate, see page 71.

● If the light continues to flash after trying all of the

above solutions, go to www.hp.com/support or
contact HP support.

The On light flashed briefly after I turned the printer
off.

Solution This is a normal part of the power-down

process. It does not indicate a problem with the
printer.

44 HP Photosmart A310 series

The buttons on the control panel do not respond.

Cause A printer error has occurred. Try the

following solutions.

Solution

● Wait for about a minute to see if the printer
resets.

● Turn off the printer.

If the optional HP Photosmart Internal Battery
is not installed in the printer, unplug the printer
power cord. Wait about 30 seconds, and then
plug the power cord back in. Turn on the printer.

If the optional HP Photosmart Internal Battery is
installed in the printer, unplug the printer power
cord if it is plugged in. Open the battery
compartment cover and remove the battery.
Wait about 30 seconds, and then reinstall the
battery. Plug in the power cord. Turn on the
printer.

● If the printer does not reset, and the control
panel buttons still do not respond, go to

www.hp.com/support or contact HP support.

Troubleshooting 45

The printer is plugged in, but it will not turn on.

Solution

● The printer may have drawn too much power.

If the optional HP Photosmart Internal Battery
is not installed in the printer, unplug the printer
power cord from the electrical outlet. Wait about
30 seconds, and then plug the power cord back
in. Turn on the printer.

If the optional HP Photosmart Internal Battery is
installed in the printer, unplug the printer power
cord from the electrical outlet if it is plugged in.
Open the battery compartment cover and
remove the battery. Wait about 30 seconds, and
then reinstall the battery. Plug in the power cord.
Turn on the printer.

● The printer may be plugged into a power strip
that is turned off. Turn on the power strip, and
then turn on the printer.

● The printer may be plugged into an incompatible
power source. If you are traveling abroad, make
sure the power source in the country/region you
are visiting complies with the power
requirements and power cord of the printer.

46 HP Photosmart A310 series

The optional HP Photosmart Internal Battery is
installed in the printer, but the printer will not turn
on using battery power.

Solution

● The battery may need to be charged. Plug in the
printer power cord to charge the battery. If the
printer is turned on, the On light slowly flashes
green to indicate that the battery is charging.

● If the optional HP Photosmart Internal Battery is
installed in the printer, unplug the printer power
cord if it is plugged in. Open the battery
compartment cover and remove the battery.
Wait about 30 seconds, and then reinstall the
battery. Plug in the power cord. Turn on the
printer.

The optional HP Photosmart Internal Battery is
installed in the printer, but it will not charge.

Solution

● Unplug the printer power cord from the electrical
outlet if it is plugged in. Open the battery
compartment cover and remove the battery.
Wait about 30 seconds, and then reinstall the
battery. Plug in the power cord. Turn on the
printer. For more information on how to install
the battery, see the documentation that came
with the battery.

Troubleshooting 47

● Check that the printer power cord is securely
connected to both the printer and the power
source. If the printer is turned on, the On light
slowly flashes green to indicate that the battery
is charging. If the printer is turned off, the battery
still recharges, although there is no indication.

● If the battery still does not charge, replace it.

The battery should fully charge in approximately four
hours when the printer is not in use. The first time a
battery is charged and when the battery has been
fully discharged, it could take up 12 hours to
recharge.

The printer makes noises when I turn it on, or starts
making noises on its own after it has been sitting
unused for a while.

Solution The printer may make noises after long

periods of inactivity (approximately 2 weeks), or
when its power supply has been interrupted and
then restored. This is normal operation—the printer
is performing an automatic maintenance procedure
to ensure that it produces the best quality output.

Printing problems

Before contacting HP support, read this section for
troubleshooting tips or go to the online support services
at www.hp.com/support.

48 HP Photosmart A310 series

Paper does not feed into the printer correctly.

Solution

● Make sure that the paper-width guide fits close
to the edge of the paper without bending the
paper.

● There may be too much paper loaded in the
input tray. Remove some paper and try printing
again.

● If sheets of photo paper stick together, try
loading one sheet at a time.

● If you are using the printer in an extremely high­or low- humidity environment, insert the paper
as far as it will go into the input tray, and load
one sheet of photo paper at a time.

● If you are using photo paper that is curled, place
the paper in a plastic bag and gently bend it in
the opposite direction of the curl until the paper
lies flat. If the problem persists, use paper that
is not curled.

For information about proper storage and
handling of photo paper, see page 39.

● The paper may be too thin or too thick. Try using
HP-designed photo paper. For more
information, see page 15.

Troubleshooting 49

The image printed at an angle or is off-center.

Solution

● The paper may not be loaded correctly. Reload
the paper, making sure that the paper is
correctly oriented in the input tray and that the
paper-width guide fits close to the edge of the
paper. For paper-loading instructions, see

page 15.

● The print cartridge may need to be aligned.

For more information, see page 35.

No page came out of the printer.

Solution

● The power may be off or there may be a loose
connection. Make sure that the power is on and
the power cord is securely connected.

● If you are using battery power, make sure the
battery is correctly installed and charged
properly.

● You may not have any paper in the input tray.
Check that paper is loaded correctly in the input
tray. For paper-loading instructions, see

page 15.

● The paper may have jammed while printing. See
the following section for instructions on clearing
a paper jam.

50 HP Photosmart A310 series

The paper jammed while printing.

Solution

● If the paper came part way through the front of
the printer, gently pull the paper towards you to
remove it.

● If the paper did not come part way through the
front of the printer, try removing it from the back
of the printer:

– Remove the paper from the input tray.
– Gently pull the jammed paper to remove it

from the back of the printer.

● If you cannot grasp the edge of the jammed
paper to remove it, try the following:

– Turn off the printer.
– If the optional HP Photosmart Internal

Battery is not installed in the printer, unplug
the printer power cord from the electrical
outlet. Wait about 10 seconds, and then plug
the power cord back in.

– If the optional HP Photosmart Internal

Battery is installed in the printer, unplug the
printer power cord from the electrical outlet,
if it is plugged in. Open the battery
compartment cover and remove the battery.
Wait about 10 seconds, and then reinstall
the battery. Plug in the power cord.

– Turn on the printer. The printer checks for

paper in the paper path and will
automatically eject the jammed paper.

– Press OK to continue.

Troubleshooting 51

Tip If you experience paper jams while printing, try

loading one sheet of photo paper at a time. Insert the
paper as far as it will go into the input tray.

A blank page came out of the printer.

Solution

● Check the Print Cartridge light. If it is solid red,
it means that the HP 110 Tri-color Inkjet print
cartridge is low on ink and will need to be
replaced soon. For print cartridge replacement
instructions, see page 27.

For information about indicator lights, see

page 71.

● You may have begun printing and then
cancelled the process. If you cancelled the
process before the photo started printing, the
printer may have already loaded paper in
preparation for printing. The next time you print,
the printer ejects the blank page before starting
the new printing project.

The printer ejects the paper when preparing to print.

Solution Direct sunlight could be interfering with

the operation of the automatic paper sensor. Move
the printer out of direct sunlight. The printer also
ejects paper if it detects that the paper has already
been printed on.

52 HP Photosmart A310 series

My photo printed on top of the tabbed end of the
paper.

Solution When using tabbed paper, load it so that

the tab feeds in last.

Print quality is poor.

Solution

● The print cartridge may be running out of ink.
Check the Print Cartridge light. If it is solid red,
it means that the print cartridge is low on ink and
will need to be replaced soon. For print cartridge
replacement instructions, see page 27.

For more information about the indicator lights,
see page 71.

● You may have selected a low-resolution setting
on the digital camera when you took the picture.
For better results in the future, set the digital
camera to a higher resolution.

● Make sure you are using HP Advanced Photo
Paper for best results. For more information,
see page 15.

● You may be printing on the wrong side of the
paper. Make sure the paper is loaded with the
side to be printed facing toward the front of the
printer.

● Try turning the Photo Fix feature on or off by
pressing the OK button, to see if the results are
better.

Troubleshooting 53

● You may have let photos stack in the output tray
or placed them in an album before the colors
fully developed. HP recommends exposing the
printed surface to the air for 5–10 minutes after
printing.

● The print cartridge may need to be cleaned. For
more information, see page 31.

● The print cartridge may need to be aligned.

For more information, see page 35.

When I print photos I see unexpected results.

Cause Photo Fix is on and the HP Real Life

Technologies are adjusting for red-eye, brightening,
focus, and contrast.

Solution Turn off Photo Fix by pressing the OK
button. See page 21.

Bluetooth printing problems

Before contacting HP support, read this section for
troubleshooting tips or go to the online support services
at www.hp.com/support. Be sure to also read the
documentation that came with your HP Bluetooth
wireless printer adapter and your device with Bluetooth
wireless technology.

54 HP Photosmart A310 series

My Bluetooth device cannot find the printer.

Solution

● Make sure the HP Bluetooth wireless printer
adapter is plugged into the PictBridge port on
the top of the printer. The light on the adapter is
on solid when the adapter is ready to receive
data, and flashes when communicating with a
device.

● The Bluetooth device may be too far from the
printer. Move the device closer to the printer.
The maximum recommended distance between
the device with Bluetooth wireless technology
and the printer is 10 meters (30 feet).

No page came out of the printer.

Solution The printer may not recognize the type

of file sent by the device with Bluetooth wireless
technology. For a list of the file formats that the
printer supports, see page 61.

Print quality is poor.

Solution The photo you printed may be low

resolution. For better results in the future, set the
device to a higher resolution, if possible. Be aware
that pictures taken with VGA-resolution cameras,
such as those found in wireless phones, may not
have high enough resolution to produce a high­quality print.

The image printed with borders.

Solution The printing application installed on your

device with Bluetooth wireless technology may not

Troubleshooting 55

support borderless printing. Contact the vendor of
the device or go to their support Web site to obtain
the latest updates for the printing application.

PictBridge camera error messages

Before contacting HP support, read this section for
troubleshooting tips or go to the online support services
at www.hp.com/support. Be sure to also read the
documentation that came with your camera.

The following error messages may appear on your
camera image display when the camera is connected to
the PictBridge port on the top of the printer. Follow the
instructions to resolve the problem.

Note The messages that appear on your camera

image display may be worded differently than the ones
shown here.

"Connected to computer." (Print Setup menu does
not appear.)

Cause The USB configuration on your digital

camera may be set to the wrong mode, so that the
printer cannot recognize the camera.

Solution Disconnect your camera from the printer.
Change the USB configuration in the camera menu
to "Digital Camera," and then reconnect the camera
to the printer.

"Cover open," "Printer top cover is open," or "Ink
cover open."

Cause The print cartridge door may be open or

ajar.

56 HP Photosmart A310 series

Solution Close the print cartridge door to continue
printing.

"Hardware error" or "Fatal error."

Cause A serious error has occurred.

Solution Turn the printer off and then on again,

and then try printing your photo again.

"Ink-related error," "Incorrect or missing print
cartridge," "Ink low," or "Ink empty."

Cause There may be no print cartridge in the

printer, the print cartridge may be incompatible, or
the print cartridge may be empty or low on ink.

Solution Make sure that an HP 110 Tri-color Inkjet
print cartridge is correctly loaded in the printer. If the
print cartridge is empty, replace it. For more
information about loading or replacing print
cartridges, see page 27.

"Paper-related error," "Printer is out of paper," or
"Printer has a paper jam."

Cause The paper is not loaded correctly, the

paper is jammed, or the printer is out of paper.

Solution Check to make sure that paper is
correctly loaded in the input tray. For information
about how to load paper, see page 15.

Troubleshooting 57

If paper is jammed in the printer, try the following
solutions:

● If the paper came part way through the front of
the printer, gently pull the paper towards you to
remove it.

● If the paper did not come part way through the
front of the printer, try the following solutions:

– Remove the paper from the input tray.
– Gently pull the jammed paper to remove it

from the back of the printer.

● If you cannot grasp the edge of the jammed
paper to remove it, try the following:

– Turn off the printer.
– If the optional HP Photosmart Internal

Battery is not installed in the printer, unplug
the printer power cord. Wait about 30
seconds, and then plug the power cord back
in.

– If the optional HP Photosmart Internal

Battery is installed in the printer, unplug the
printer power cord, if it is plugged in. Open
the battery compartment cover and remove
the battery. Wait about 30 seconds, and
then reinstall the battery. Plug in the power
cord.

– Turn on the printer. The printer checks for

paper in the paper path and will
automatically eject the jammed paper.

When you fix the problem, press OK to continue
printing.

58 HP Photosmart A310 series

"Printing cancelled" or "Unable to communicate
with printer."

Cause The printer may have lost power or been

turned off, or the USB cable connecting the printer
to a PictBridge device or to a computer may have
come loose.

Solution Make sure that the printer is turned on
and that the camera USB cable is firmly connected
to the PictBridge port on the top of the printer. You
might need to resend your print job.

Troubleshooting 59

60 HP Photosmart A310 series

7

Specifications

This section lists the minimum system requirements for
installing the HP Photosmart software, and provides
selected printer specifications.

System requirements

Component Windows Minimum Mac Minimum

Operating
System

Processor Intel® Pentium® II (or

RAM 64 MB (256 MB

Free Disk
Space

Video
Display

Browser Microsoft Internet

Microsoft® Windows
98 SE, Me, 2000 SP3
(or greater),
XP Home,
XP Professional or
x64 Edition

equivalent) or higher

recommended)

200 MB (450 MB
recommended)

800 x 600, 16-bit or
higher

Explorer 5.5 or later

Mac OS X v10.3.9 or
greater

G3 or greater (G4
recommended)

128 MB or greater
(256 MB or greater
recommended)

400 MB

800 x 600, 16-bit or
higher

—

Printer specifications

Category Specifications

Connectivity USB 2.0 high-speed: Using the port on the

back of the printer to connect the required

Specifications 61

Category Specifications

cable, a USB Type A male to Type B 5-pin
male, that is no more than 10 feet long

PictBridge: Using the top PictBridge port
to connect the required cable, a USB Type
A male to Type B 5-pin male, that is no
more than 10 feet long

Bluetooth: Using the optional Bluetooth
wireless printer adapter, model bt450

Image File
Formats

Margins Top 0.0 mm (0.0 inch); Bottom 0.0 mm

Media Sizes Photo paper 10 x 15 cm (4 x 6 inches)

Media Types HP Advanced Photo Paper

Environmental
Specifications

JPEG Baseline

(0.0 inch); Left/right 0.0 mm (0.0 inch)

Photo paper with tab 10 x 15 cm with 1.25
cm tab (4 x 6 inches with 0.5 inch tab)

Index cards 10 x 15 cm (4 x 6 inches)

A6 cards 105 x 148 mm (4.1 x 5.8 inches)

L-size cards 90 x 127 mm (3.5 x 5 inches)

L-size cards with tab 90 x 127 mm with 12.5
mm tab (3.5 x 5 inches with 0.5 inch tab)

Hagaki cards 100 x 148 mm
(3.9 x 5.8 inches)

(recommended)

HP Self-Adhesive Photo Paper

Cards (index, A6, L-size, Hagaki)

Maximum range during operation: 5–
40 ºC (41–104 ºF), 5–90% RH

62 HP Photosmart A310 series

Category Specifications

Recommended range during operation:

15–35 ºC (59–95 ºF), 20–80% RH

Paper Tray One 10 x 15 cm (4 x 6 inches) photo paper

tray

Paper Tray
Capacity

Power
Consumption

Power Supply
Model Number

20 sheets of photo paper, maximum
thickness 292 µm (11.5 mil) per sheet

U.S.

Printing: 11 W

Idle, no camera connected: 5.72 W

Idle, camera connected: 7.7 W

Off: 5.28 W

Charging optional battery, printer on: 23.32
W

Charging optional internal battery, printer
off: 22.77 W

International

Printing:12.1 W

Idle, no camera connected: 6.38 W

Idle, camera connected: 6.71 W

Off: 6.38 W

Charging optional battery, printer on: 23.1
W

Charging optional battery, printer off: 22.55
W

HP Part # 0957–2121 (North America),
100-240 Vac (±10%) 50/60 Hz (±3 Hz)

HP Part # 0957–2120 (Rest of world),
100-240 Vac (±10%) 50/60 Hz (±3 Hz)

Specifications 63

Category Specifications

Print Cartridge HP 110 Tri-color Inkjet print cartridge

USB 2.0 High­speed Support

Microsoft Windows 98 SE, Me, 2000 SP3
(or greater), XP Home, XP Professional or
x64 Edition

Mac OS X 10.3.9 or greater

HP recommends that the USB cable be
less than 3 meters (10 feet) in length

For connection to PC: USB 2.0 high speed
cable Type A male to Type B 5-pin male

For connection to PictBridge device: USB

2.0 high speed cable Type A male to Type
B 5-pin male

64 HP Photosmart A310 series

8

● Support process

● HP support by phone

● Additional warranty options

● HP Warranty

HP support

Support process

If you have a problem, follow these steps:

1. Check the documentation that came with the HP
Photosmart.

2. Visit the HP online support Web site at

www.hp.com/support. HP online support is available

to all HP customers. It is the fastest source for up­to-date device information and expert assistance
and includes the following features:

– Fast access to qualified online support

specialists

– Software and driver updates for the HP

Photosmart

– Valuable HP Photosmart and troubleshooting

information for common problems

– Proactive device updates, support alerts, and

HP newsgrams that are available when you
register the HP Photosmart

HP support 65

3. For Europe only: Contact your local point of
purchase. If the HP Photosmart has a hardware
failure, you will be asked to bring it back to your local
point of purchase. (Service is provided at no charge
during the device limited warranty period. After the
warranty period, you will be quoted a service
charge.)

4. Call HP support. Support options and availability
vary by device, country/region, and language.

HP support by phone

For a list of support phone numbers, see the phone
number list on the inside of the front cover.

Phone support period

One year of phone support is available in North America,
Asia Pacific, and Latin America (including Mexico). To
determine the duration of phone support in Europe, the
Middle East, and Africa, go to www.hp.com/support.
Standard phone company charges apply.

Placing a call

Call HP support while you are in front of the computer
and the HP Photosmart. Be prepared to provide the
following information:

● Device model number (located on the label on the
front of the device)

● Device serial number (located on the back or bottom
of the device)

● Messages that appear when the situation occurs

● Answers to these questions:

– Has this situation happened before?

66 HP Photosmart A310 series

– Can you re-create it?
– Did you add any new hardware or software to

your computer at about the time that this
situation began?

– Did anything else occur prior to this situation

(such as a thunderstorm, device was moved,
etc.)?

After the phone support period

After the phone support period, help is available from HP
at an additional cost. Help may also be available at the
HP online support Web site: www.hp.com/support.
Contact your HP dealer or call the support phone
number for your country/region to learn more about
support options.

Additional warranty options

Extended service plans are available for the printer at
additional costs. Go to www.hp.com/support, select your
country/region and language, then explore the services
and warranty area for information about the extended
service plans.

HP support 67

HP Warranty

68 HP Photosmart A310 series

A

The printer comes with optional software you can install on a
computer.

After using the setup instructions that came in the box with the
printer to set up the printer hardware, use the instructions in this
section to install the software.

The USB cable required for printing from a computer might not
be included in the box with the printer, so you might need to
purchase it separately. See page 24 for more information about
this cable.

Install the software

Windows users

Important: Do not connect a

USB cable until you are
prompted.

1. Insert the HP Photosmart
CD into your computer
CD-ROM drive. If the
Install Wizard does not
appear, locate the
setup.exe file on the CD­ROM drive and double­click it. Wait several
minutes while the files
load.

2. Click Next and follow the
onscreen instructions.

Install the software 69

Mac users

1. Connect one end of the
USB cable to the USB
port on the back of the
printer, and connect the
other end to the USB port
on your computer.

2. Insert the HP Photosmart
CD into your computer's
CD-ROM drive.

3. On your desktop, double­click the HP Photosmart
CD icon.

4. Double-click the HP
Installer icon, and follow
the instructions on each
installation screen to
install the printer
software.

Windows users Mac users

3. When prompted, connect
one end of the USB cable
to the USB port on the

5. When the
Congratulations screen
appears, click OK.

back of the printer, and
connect the other end to
the USB port on your
computer.

4. Follow the onscreen
instructions until the
installation is finished and
your computer restarts.

70 HP Photosmart A310 series

B

The indicator lights on the HP Photosmart A310 series tell you
about the state of the printer. The tables in this section explain
some of the most common and important patterns, as follows:

● The On light tells you about the printer's power state, and

● The Resume light tells you about the current print job. It

● The Print Cartridge light tells you about the print cartridge.

● The PictBridge light tells you about the connected

● The Attention light usually acts in combination with the

The Photo Fix light is not listed here, because its only function
is to tell you whether or not Photo Fix is turned on.

If the printer is connected to a computer, check the computer
screen for information about the error condition and how to
resolve it.

Note If something new occurs, lights that are turned on to

indicate one thing may change to indicate the new event. For
example, the On light is normally a solid green whenever the
printer is turned on. However, if you print a photo, the On light
flashes until the printer is finished printing.

Indicator lights

gives you information about the optional battery, if it is
installed.

indicates that you need to press the OK button after
clearing an error condition.

PictBridge camera.

other lights. It indicates that you need to correct a problem
before printing can resume.

Indicator lights 71

Indicator lights

Lights

Status Meaning

The On light is solid
green.

The printer is on and
ready to print.

The On light is flashing
green.

The On light is slowly
flashing green.

The On light is flashing
green and the
Attention light is
flashing red.

The On light and the
PictBridge light are
both flashing green.

The Attention light is
solid red, and the Print
Cartridge light is
flashing red.

The printer is starting
up or busy.

The optional Internal
Battery is charging.

The optional Internal
Battery is low on power.
See page 12 for
instructions on
charging the Internal
Battery.

The printer is printing
photos from a
connected PictBridge
camera.

The print cartridge door
is open, and printing
cannot begin or resume
until this door is closed.

72 HP Photosmart A310 series

Lights Status Meaning

The Attention light is
flashing red, and the
Print Cartridge light is
flashing red.

The print cartridge is
missing, damaged,
incompatible, or
incorrectly inserted.

The Print Cartridge
light is solid red.

The PictBridge light is
solid green. The
Attention light is solid
red.

Indicator lights 73

The print cartridge is
low on ink. When this
light comes on solid
red, about 20% of the
ink remains in the print
cartridge. The ink will
need to be replaced
soon. If you have the
HP Photosmart
software installed, you
can obtain more
precise ink level
information; see the
electronic Help for
instructions.

The PictBridge camera
connected to the
PictBridge port on the
top of the printer is
using the wrong
connection mode.
Make sure the USB
configuration is set to
Digital Camera.

OR

Lights Status Meaning

An unrecognized (non­PictBridge) device is
connected to the
Pictbridge port.

The PictBridge light is
solid green and the
Attention light is

The connected
PictBridge camera lost
power.

flashing red.

The PictBridge light is
solid green.

A PictBridge camera is
connected to the
printer, and the printer
is ready to print.

74 HP Photosmart A310 series

Lights Status Meaning

The Resume light is
flashing green and the
Attention light is
flashing red.

There is a paper jam or
other error condition.

OR

The printer is cancelling
the print job because
the sending device
(camera, computer, or
other device) lost
power, or the
connection to the
sending device was
lost.

The Resume light is
flashing green.

The printer is out of
paper.

Indicator lights 75

76 HP Photosmart A310 series

Index

A

accessories 11, 40
after the support period

67

aligning print cartridges

35

alignment page 35

B

batteries 11
battery 10, 12
Bluetooth

printing 23
troubleshooting 54
wireless printer

adapter 12

C

calling HP support 66
cameras

PictBridge port 4
PictBridge-certified 19
printing from 19

troubleshooting 56
carrying case 12, 40
cartridges. See print

cartridges

cleaning

print cartridges 31

printer 30
computer

installing software 69

system requirements

61

updating software 36

D

digital cameras. See

cameras

documentation 3

E

electronic Help 3
error messages. See

troubleshooting

F

file formats, supported

61

find more information 3

H

help. See troubleshooting
help, electronic 3
Hewlett-Packard Company

notices 6
HP Software Update 36
HP support 65

I

indicator lights 71
ink cartridges. See print

cartridges
ink level, checking 32

Index 77

L

LEDs 71
lights 8, 71
loading paper 15

O

online support 65

P

paper

buying 15
jams 51
loading 15
maintaining 15, 39
specifications 61
trays 4

troubleshooting 49
phone support 65, 66
phone support period

period for support 66
Photo Fix 5, 8, 21
photos

printing 19, 23

quality 21

transferring to a

computer 25

PictBridge

camera 19

error messages 56

light 8

port 4

printing 19
placing a call 66
print cartridges

aligning 35

cleaning 31
cleaning contacts 34
replacing 27
specifications 64
storing 38
testing 32

printer

accessories 11
battery 12
cleaning 30
documentation 3
parts 4
specifications 61
storing 38
transporting 40

printing

from a Bluetooth

wireless device 23
from a camera 19
from a computer 24
test page 32

Q

quality

photo paper 39
photos 21
printing test page 32
troubleshooting 53

R

Real Life Technologies

21

red-eye removal 21

78 HP Photosmart A310 series

S

sharpen photos 21
software

installing 69

updating 36
specifications 61
storing

photo paper 39

print cartridges 38

printer 38
support process 65
support, technical 65
system requirements 61

T

technical support 65
test page 32
transporting printer 11
trays, paper 4
troubleshooting

Bluetooth 54

camera error

messages 56
hardware 43
HP support 65
lights 71
paper problems 49

U

updating software 36
USB

port 4
specifications 61

W

warranty 68

Web support 65

Index 79

80 HP Photosmart A310 series