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I have an HP photosmart 3210 printer. I am missing the magenta ink and can't scan?

It won't let me do anything. It just sits there telling me to spend 12 dollars on an ink cartridge, when all I bought it at that stinking garage sale for was to scan stuff. help?

Public Comments

1. Sorry mate but you're going to have to get that magenta ink. Most, if not all, multi-function devices (All-in-One printers) will only allow scanning if all cartridges are fitted and contain ink.
2. Unfortunately (for the consumer) I've never seen a scanner/printer combo that didn't require the ink cartridges to be full before it will scan. It does seem strange on the one hand, but on the other hand the manufacturer assumes the consumer is going to scan and then print their scan. This is why it's tied together. Look at it this way: if you only bought the printer just to scan, and you never intended to print, then the money you spend on the cartridge will be a lifetime investment.
3. You got it at a garage sale, now you want miracles huh? If you can understand my explanation, someday YOU may run HP. All genuine HP cartridges have a thin wire on the connection plate that must be present to provide the interface dialog box that shows ink levels and scan results etc. You provide that special wire when you insert a new cartridge. When removed, the wire is broken and no longer provides the goodies. So even if you put in a refilled cartridge, the dialog box is a no no, as the wire ain't there. The only way to put it back in its original functioning method is to replace the old cartridge with a genuine HP cartridge. Now for the brain teaser: Can you think of why HP would do such a MEAN thing huh? ;-)
4. Unfortunately you will have to buy that inkcartridge before your printer/scanner will function. Its a device that the manufacturers use to get you to buy more ink cartridges. Fortunately you can get recycled ink cartridges at a discount online here. http://inkjetinkcartridge.net/index.php?category=Hewlett-Packard-%28HP%29