CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201)Hardware and Network TroubleshootingMedium
A client's inkjet printer produces documents with thin white horizontal lines running through printed text and images. The print heads have not been cleaned in over a year. Which action should the technician take FIRST?
- ARecalibrate the paper feed rollers
- BReplace the entire print head assembly
- CUpdate the printer driver to the latest version
- DRun the printer's built-in nozzle cleaning utility
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Run the printer's built-in nozzle cleaning utility
Thin white horizontal banding in inkjet output is a classic symptom of clogged print nozzles from dried ink. The first and least invasive step is to run the printer's built-in nozzle/print head cleaning utility, which often resolves the issue without needing hardware replacement.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Paper feed calibration affects alignment/skew, not ink banding.
- B. Replacing the print head is costly and premature before trying cleaning utilities.
- C. Driver updates do not clear physically clogged ink nozzles.
Inkjet Banding/Clogged Nozzles
White horizontal lines in inkjet prints typically result from dried or clogged print head nozzles; running the cleaning utility is the standard remedy.
- Banding = missing ink lines from clogged nozzles
- Built-in cleaning cycles flush dried ink
- Persistent clogs may require print head replacement
Memory trick: Banding lines mean nozzles need a shower — run the cleaning cycle.