Is it my printer or the ink cartridge?

I have a lexmark x1270 printer. It has sat unused for an entire year, until one day i needed to use it again. Once i turned it on the ink wasn't coming out. So after some online searching, i read about the cartridges being blocked, so i placed them in hot water and then put them back in my printer. They then worked, for about half a page, before stopping about. I have used the built in cleaner, which didn't do anything. Now after much searching, i have found that the hot water solution has worked for a lot of people, except me.





So do you think it is the cartridge itself or the printer? The cartridge is about 1/5 full, so i am going to purchase a new cartridge, i just don't want to buy one in case it is the printer. All sense says it is the cartridge. What do you think?Is it my printer or the ink cartridge?
Yes I agree it will be the cartidge.


After that amount of time un-used it will have got blocked for sure.





You sould carry on soaking it - but I suggest cold water or the heat may make the ink hard anyway.





There is not much that could go wrong with the printer due to sitting idle.Is it my printer or the ink cartridge?
its the cartridge for sure especially if you bought an off brand or recycled cartridge. ive tried those types and they either dont work or they just run out real quick. also the cartridge sitting for that long unused definitely needs to be replaced. just the printer sitting around shouldnt effect the performance. but yah there are printers that come with ink actually reasonably priced compared to just buying the cartridge if you dont think its the problem
I would say that it is the ink cartridge. When a printer sits that long not being used then the ink will dry up and it is hard to get it going agian. I would try buying a new ink cartridge I do believe that will do the trick. Hope this helps. Good luck.
You need a net printer cartridge...





For a quick fix, take a q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol and rub the holes for about 30 seconds before each print but other then that... The ink has settled and you need a new cartridge.
90% chances are that the culprit is the cartridge itself.





They get desiccate quickly.





So get it refilled first and then think of buying new one.
Replace the cartridge.
Sounds like the cartridge needs to be replaced.
It's the cartridge. replace it with a new one.
Yeah I have a Lexmark printer too. I plan on never buying another one again. I think your cartridges are probably clogged or dried out. I would just keep printing and printing and they should get better. Use the print test page, alignment page and cleaning that your printer has built in. If you think you are out of ink then go and get them refilled at either Cartridge World (http://www.cartridgeworldusa.com) or Walgreen's (http://www.walgreens.com/dmi/inkrefill/d鈥?/a> for half the price of getting a new one. This happened to me and after printing many many times they were back to normal but i was positive my cartridges had ink in them.