Anyone familiar with laser printers?

[opethfan]

Hi folks, I know this isn't most people's first call for printer help, but it's the forum I visit the most.

I just bought a new laser printer, a Samsung CLP-325, and I'm getting weird lines on the right hand side of all pages I print.

The lines are usually around half way down the page, though occasionally there is one very close to the top and one about 3/4 of the way down.

Taking out the toner and putting it back in doesn't help, nor does trying different paper. The lines seem to be on top of whatever is printed.

When printing in colour, the lines are one cyan, one magenta, one yellow (not necessarily in that order and are separate, but in unison. In B&W it's just a black line.

Here is an image of what it looks like (made by me in Paint)

Now here's the kicker: I returned the printer and got another one. Same model though. Exactly the same, except the lines on this one seem even bigger.

Anyone know what's up?

[Hobie-wan]

Does the printer test page do it too? If you're using the driver on the CD that came with it (which will be months old) have you tried windows update to make sure you have a newer one? I'd maybe just give Samsung a call too.

[opethfan]

Yes the test page does it too, and no, latest drivers from the Samsung website.

[Hobie-wan]

Well that just sucks. I'd say it has to be a bad batch of printers or driver or something. I'd start googling for other people with the problem and then call Samsung.

[fastbilly1]

I would call Samsung, since it sounds like an issue with the print driver (the thing that takes the data from the pc and gives it to the laser) in the printer. I had a laserjet do it to me years ago and HP sent me a new one since it was recalled for that reason. Granted that was a monochrome laserjet from the mid 90s so things might have changed.

[BoringSupreez]

I have a laser printer. In my experience, that sort of thing indicates that the toner cartridge is getting old and needs to be replaced. Also, try taking the cartridge out and smacking it against the desk.

[lwcook]

I actually work as a service tech for a large laser printer corporation, so maybe I can be of some help.

Before seeing your mspaint recreation, I would have said it's your drum causing the problem, but after see and reading everything, I'm almost positive it's a driver/software issue.

How defined and consistent are the lines? If the lines are clearly defined every time (meaning perfect straight edges, not a streaking defect,) then it's a digital issue and not an image quality one.

[CRTGAMER]

Posted the pic here for a direct look.

Is this all that appears, or do you still get the rest of the printout of a document or pic? Maybe it is the driver, but it seems you would not even get a regular print of a given document.

A bad run of printers or your toner?
You mentioned the replacement does the exact same thing. Do different programs in the computer give the same results? Say a MS Word document and a photo program printout? Just to clarify if all you get is the color bars then very likely the driver.

[Hobie-wan]

Before seeing your mspaint recreation, I would have said it's your drum causing the problem, but after see and reading everything, I'm almost positive it's a driver/software issue.

Yeah, I was thinking drum too until he said it only happened once per page and the replacement did exactly the same thing. If it were the drum it would repeat a few times down the page.

[opethfan]

Wow! Many replies!

A poster on reddit said they had the exact same issue with a 320 (mine is the 325) and was intelligent enough to upload a real pic of his pages. Mine are identical, except the majority are about halfway down the page.

I am running the latest drivers from Samsung, the issues presents on test pages as well and the printer is 1 day old.