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PlacidTubs · May 5, 2008, 02:27 PM

All my uni work for this year needs to be handed in tomorrow morning, and I need to do a whole lot of proofing etc. and just a second ago, disaster struck.

My printer ran out of b/w ink. I know I should have checked before hand but I didn't. It's bank holiday and I don't know of anywhere in London I could get a replacement at this time. I'm using a HP PSC1300.

Is there anyway to get my printer to print black and white using only the colour cartridge? I know this sounds weird, but I my colour cartridge is completely full. It is very frustrating. Can anybody help me?

olePigeon · May 5, 2008, 02:29 PM

Any chance a library is open? Or an Apple Store?

PlacidTubs · May 5, 2008, 02:31 PM

Due to the nature of what I have to do (lots of complex indexing etc) I can't really do it in a library or an internet cafe. It's going to take me a few good hours to get all this done.

Big Mac · May 5, 2008, 02:32 PM

You can't print at a library or a copier store (like Kinkos)? There's no way to print black with a color cart. You could try printing in blue, if the printer still prints.

Chuckit · May 5, 2008, 02:38 PM

Silly question, but have you tried shaking the cartridge? Sometimes you can eke out just enough life to do what you need.

PlacidTubs · May 5, 2008, 02:40 PM

Originally Posted by Chuckit

You can't print real black without black, but you can get kind of a dark color if you use full cyan, magenta and yellow. If you're in a program that lets you use the CMYK color picker, you might try that and see what you think.

I'm using Word 2008. Is there any way I can trick it into doing this for me? It is only for text.

Chuckit · May 5, 2008, 02:42 PM

I edited my question earlier because it occurred to me that the printer might be simply refusing to print at all if it's low. If that's the case, my above suggestion would be good.

I don't know about Word 2008's color picker — I haven't used it yet.

Mastrap · May 5, 2008, 02:53 PM

Lots of Computer Stores on the Tottenham Court Road tend to be open on Bank Holidays - at least that's my recollection from when I lived in London. Surely you should get lucky there.

Otherwise, the computer lab at university should work, no?

Chips G · May 5, 2008, 03:16 PM

MacosNerd · May 5, 2008, 03:51 PM

Why not by a cheap ink jet printer. Push comes to shove, I've seen them for $60. It might just be enough for you to get your stuff printed out. Then sell it to recoup some of the cost (or keep it as a backup)

Eriamjh · May 5, 2008, 08:33 PM

Change all the text to dark blue and print away!

- - e r i k - - · May 5, 2008, 08:49 PM

Yeah. I've gone for very dark blue text in similar emergencies. Works fine.

ghporter · May 6, 2008, 05:25 PM

A classmate turned in an important paper right in front of me a short time ago. It was green. 'Nuf said? As long as the prof is not a jerk about it, it should be fine, though I'd go with dark blue before anything else.

And this issue is why I have a laser printer and know exactly where the nearest Office Depot is... If they don't have my cartridge, they surely can print my documents.

Atheist · May 6, 2008, 05:44 PM

I keep reading this thread title as "Oink Emergency"....

ghporter · May 7, 2008, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by Atheist

I keep reading this thread title as "Oink Emergency"....

There's a printer ink seller around here called "Ink Sell" with an interesting swirl for a logo...and if you look at their sign, it really LOOKS like they're called "Oink Sell."