# HP C7180 Missing or Damaged Cartridge message



## grannyjo (Dec 31, 2008)

I changed a Magenta cartridge the other day in my HP C7180 printer. Immediately after this I began receiving an error message that the Magenta cartridge was damaged or missing. I tried changing the cartridge figuring it was outdated. No change there. I even went back to the original empty cartridge to see if the message would change back to the 'change cartridge' message. Nothing helped. I then proceeded to spend 45 minutes in HP chat with a fellow who tells me this is a hardware problem and offers to sell me a new printer. This printer is only 3 years old and until now worked great. I'm hoping someone out there may have run into this before and successfully fixed the problem


----------



## skortan (Jul 6, 2010)

I have the same problem


----------



## masterjed (Jul 25, 2009)

Try to remove the cartridge, clean the copper contacts found inside the cartridge slots. use a lint-free cloth to clean it. let me know on the result.


----------



## 123petew (Aug 25, 2010)

i had the same only it was yellow ink cartridge missing or damaged put new cartridge in now message said ink cartridge not intended for the region this printer is set for, after arguing with hp support on the phone for over an hour on how to change the region code or fix the missing or damaged ink cartrdge message and being told that because my printer was out of warranty i would have to pay hp £15 just to be able to talk to someone who may or may not be able to fix the problem i would not give in to them so have found a way of fixing it myself what i did was as follows:-
On the screen of the printer press the * and # at the same time and the screen will say ENTER SECIAL KEY COMBO enter 124 the screen will now say UNDERWARE now press the right arrow key screen now says BOOT CODE MENU now press ok screen now says SET TO MFG MODE press ok then press cancel until you are back to original error message turn off printer at plug then turn back on the screen will have a black mesh pattern then change to a vertical coloured stripe screen now press the on button the screen will say at the top INK THRESHOLD EXEEDED and under this will say DO NOT SHIP UNIT IN ITS CURRENT STATE print-scan- copy-fax will now work wirelessly
you may have to press setup on printer go to network press ok go to wireless setup wizard and enter what it asks for.all this can be reversed by changing SET TO MFG MODE to SET TO USER MODE,other codes are 123-support--124-underware--125-transmit--127-mfg--329-service and 7664 which will let you play a game of pong on the printer screen.
I have since sent an email to the ceo and president of hp complaining about the abysmal lack of aftercare from the support team at hp but an not taking odds on getting a satisfactory reply i hope this is of use to someone who like myself was going to dump a printer that was only broken because of the way hp program them thanks pete


----------



## lakesider (Dec 25, 2010)

*Re: HP C7180 Missing or Damaged Cartridge message* 
"i had the same only it was yellow ink cartridge missing or damaged put new cartridge in now message said ink cartridge not intended for the region this printer is set for, after arguing with hp support on the phone for over an hour on how to change the region code or fix the missing or damaged ink cartrdge message and being told that because my printer was out of warranty i would have to pay hp £15 just to be able to talk to someone who may or may not be able to fix the problem i would not give in to them so have found a way of fixing it myself what i did was as follows:-
On the screen of the printer press the * and # at the same time and the screen will say ENTER SECIAL KEY COMBO enter 124 the screen will now say UNDERWARE now press the right arrow key screen now says BOOT CODE MENU now press ok screen now says SET TO MFG MODE press ok then press cancel until you are back to original error message turn off printer at plug then turn back on the screen will have a black mesh pattern then change to a vertical coloured stripe screen now press the on button the screen will say at the top INK THRESHOLD EXEEDED and under this will say DO NOT SHIP UNIT IN ITS CURRENT STATE print-scan- copy-fax will now work wirelessly
you may have to press setup on printer go to network press ok go to wireless setup wizard and enter what it asks for.all this can be reversed by changing SET TO MFG MODE to SET TO USER MODE,other codes are 123-support--124-underware--125-transmit--127-mfg--329-service and 7664 which will let you play a game of pong on the printer screen.
I have since sent an email to the ceo and president of hp complaining about the abysmal lack of aftercare from the support team at hp but an not taking odds on getting a satisfactory reply i hope this is of use to someone who like myself was going to dump a printer that was only broken because of the way hp program them thanks pete"

I thought I could follow 123petew's instructions. My printer will now print from the computer, but I lost the messages on the front of the printer for copying, scanning, faxing. What do I do now?


----------



## sergestorm (Apr 19, 2011)

*Here you go guys: "I have had this printer for about 6 months.

Both times I have replaced with Genuine HP ink cartridges this has happend.

Both times the fix has been this: on the top of the cartridge, where you pull off the plastic, is an air channel that runs across the top of the cartridge. The first time the plastic did not pull off cleanly and there were bits plugging the channel.

The second time, the plastic pulled off the straight channel, but where it runs into a bunch of S-shaped curves it looked blocked.

I poked a tiny hole with a pin in the first S-curve through the plastic and the cartridge worked.

The channel must be open or the ink cannot drain into the printer- it creates a vacuum.

This is a manufacturing defect and HP should look into fixing it.

For others finding this forum, get a small, sharp pin and open that channel and try it again.. just be careful not to collapse the plastic in the air channel and plug it up worse.."*


----------

