You are diagnosing a problem with a dot matrix printer. Each character printed is dark at the top and light at the bottom.
What should you try first to resolve the problem?
1. Replace the ribbon.
2. >>Align the print head.
3. Align the platen.
4. Reinstall the printer driver.
Explanation : When the amount of ink used to print a character is uneven, the problem is most likely caused by a misaligned print head. If the print head is not aligned, it will not apply uniform pressure to the ribbon when printing the character. Therefore, one part of the character will be dark and the other part will be light. Another possible cause problem that could result in this symptom is the ribbon being out of alignment.
The problem is probably not caused by a misaligned platen. If the platen is not aligned, the pressure applied to the ribbon will be uneven across the length of a line of text. The symptom for a misaligned platen is dark text on one side of the line, fading to light text on the other.
The problem is probably not caused by a worn ribbon. When the ribbon needs to be replaced, the text will become lighter evenly. It will not be dark on one part of a character and light on another.
The problem is not caused by a corrupt or incorrect printer driver. The printer driver is responsible for translating application and operating system commands to a language the printer can understand. Vertical white lines are caused by an ink distribution problem, not a translation problem.
Objective: Printers and Scanners
