HP deskjet 6122 won't print two sides automatically

[Paul W.]

Lately, the printer will print the odd sides, then pause while I remove the sheets, turn them around end for end, and re-insert them for the even sides to print. I've tried re-installing the driver using the current drive at the HP website, but this didn't work. Any thoughts would be welcome... thanks all!

 

[ThrillaMozilla]

You probably need to tell it the duplexer is installed. That's actually an optional piece of hardware that's part of the printer, so the driver doesn't know whether or not it's present.

 

[Paul W.]

Your suggestion makes sense... I checked various options in the print menu but as far as I can tell the duplexer is indeed installed. I have a spare 990 deskjet and also a spare duplexer for it, but it has a different configuration of copper contacts so am reluctant to try it... might jam something up.

What's strange is that the 6122's automatic option has been working fine, and I can't think of anything I changed... it just dropped the automatic feature with no warning.

Thanks for your suggestion, however!

 

[ThrillaMozilla]

Different size paper?

 

[Paul W.]

Nope, sorry! Nothing but good ol' 8 1/2 x 11 the past few weeks.

I'm thinking of uninstalling the driver and going with the default driver embedded in the XP OS, just to see what happens.

 

[Paul W.]

Didn't install the XP OS driver yet, but a strange thing just happened. I was doing some manual two-side printing and was doing the first side. A sheet got jammed. I got it loose, and the next page printed both sides automatically! It was the last page, so I started a new job. But then it reverted back to manual. But right after that paper jam, it worked! I sprayed some compressed air in that area of the printer, but that didn't help.

 

[Paul W.]

Suddenly it started printing two sides automatically... right in the middle of a project, and I had made no changes in my procedure. Go figure. Let's hope it holds!