Dell A920 All In One Personal Printer User manual

Dell™ Personal AIO Printer A920 User's Guide
Click the links to the left for information on the features and operation of your printer. For information on
other documentation included with your printer, see Finding information.
To order ink or supplies from Dell:
Double-click the Dell Printer Supplies-inkjet icon on your desktop.1.
Visit Dell's cartridge ordering website, or order Dell printer supplies by phone.2.
www.dell.com/supplies or www.dell.euro.com/supplies
For best service, have your Dell printer Service Tag available.
For help locating your Service Tag number, see Express Service Code and Service Tag number.
Notes, Notices, and Cautions
NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your printer.
NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how
to avoid the problem.
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death.
____________________
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
© 2003 Dell Computer Corporation. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Computer Corporation is
strictly forbidden.
Trademarks used in this text: Dell and DELL logo are trademarks of Dell Computer Corporation; Microsoft
and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the
marks and names of their products. Dell Computer Corporation disclaims any proprietary interest in
trademarks and trade names other than its own.

____________________
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT RESTRICTED RIGHTS
This software and documentation are provided with RESTRICTED RIGHTS. Use, duplication or disclosure by
the Government is subject to restrictions as set forth in subparagraph (c)(1)(ii) of the Rights in Technical
Data and Computer Software clause at DFARS 252.227-7013 and in applicable FAR provisions: Dell
Computer Corporation, One Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, 78682, USA.
June 2003 SRV T0628 Rev. A01

Finding information
Refer to:
When you need help with:
Setup diagram
This document contains complete setup information.
Drivers and Utilities CD
The Drivers and Utilities CD contains drivers for your AIO printer, the Dell All-
In-One Center, the Dell Printer Solution Center, the Dell Photo Editor, and the
Dell Personal AIO Printer User's Guide.
Documentation and drivers are already installed on your printer when shipped
from Dell. You can use the CD to uninstall/reinstall drivers or access your
documentation.
Readme files may be included on your CD to provide last-minute updates about
technical changes to your printer or advanced technical reference material for
experienced users or technicians.
Owner's Manual
This document contains information about:
Basic usage
Scanning, printing, copying, and faxing
Creative projects
Ink cartridge ordering information
Setup troubleshooting
General troubleshooting
Safety information
Express Service Code
and Service Tag number
Express Service Code and Service Tag number
This label is located on your printer.

Dell Support website
The Dell Support website provides several online tools, including:
Solutions - Troubleshooting hints and tips, articles from technicians, and
online courses
Upgrades - Upgrade information for components, such as memory
Customer Care - Contact information, order status, warranty, and repair
information
Downloads - Drivers
Reference - Printer documentation and product specifications
You can access Dell Support at support.dell.com. Select your region on the
WELCOME TO DELL SUPPORT page, and fill in the requested details to access
help tools and information.

Understanding your printer

Use the:
When you want to:
1
Paper support
Load paper in the All-In-One.
2
Operator panel
Operate your All-In-One.
3
Paper exit tray
Stack paper as it exits the All-In-One.
4
Top cover
Place an item on or remove an item from the scanner glass.
5
Paper guide
Make sure paper feeds correctly into the All-In-One.
6
Scanner support
Keep the scanner unit open to insert and change cartridges.
7
Printer (scanner unit)
Insert ink cartridges.
NOTE: Lift the scanner unit to insert ink cartridges.
8
USB cable (sold separately)
Connect your All-In-One to a computer.
9
Power supply
Supply power to the All-In-One.

Maintenance
Ordering supplies
Replacing the ink cartridges
Aligning the ink cartridges
Cleaning the ink cartridge nozzles
Ordering supplies
Your Dell Personal AIO Printer A920 comes with software installed to detect the ink levels in the printer.
During a print job, a screen appears on your computer to warn you if the ink levels are low. To order more
ink, follow the instructions on the screen or visit the Dell website at www.dell.com/supplies or
www.dell.euro.com/supplies.
Your printer has been designed to print using the following cartridges.
Item:
Part number:
Black ink cartridge
T0529
Color ink cartridge
T0530
Refer to the setup documentation for help installing ink cartridges.
Replacing the ink cartridges
CAUTION: Before performing any of the procedures listed in this section, read and follow
the Safety Instructions in your Owner's Manual.
Make sure the printer is on.1.
Lift the printer (scanner unit) until the scanner support keeps it open.2.

2.
The ink cartridge carrier moves and stops at the loading position unless the printer is busy.
Squeeze the tabs on the cartridge lids, and then lift the lids.3.
Remove the old cartridges. Store them in an air-tight container or dispose of them.4.
If you are installing new cartridges, remove the stickers and tape from the bottom of the cartridges.
For help, refer to the setup documentation.
5.
NOTICE: Do not touch the gold contact area on the cartridges.
Insert the new cartridges. Make sure the color ink cartridge is secure in the left carrier and the black6.
7.

ink cartridge is secure in the right carrier, and then snap the lids closed.
6.
Lift the printer (scanner unit) and push the scanner support back while lowering the printer (scanner
unit) until it is closed.
7.
Aligning the ink cartridges
There are two instances when you will align your ink cartridges.
After installing cartridges
To improve print quality
To align the ink cartridges:
Load plain paper in the printer. For help, refer to your Owner's Manual.1.
Open the Dell Printer Solution Center. For help, refer to your Owner's Manual.2.
From the Maintenance tab, click Align to fix blurry edges.3.
Click Print.4.
An alignment page prints.
To manually align your cartridges, select the best alignment values from the alignment page.
Find the number under the darkest arrow for each alignment group.a.
Use the arrows in the Align Cartridges dialog box to select the number that matches the arrow
you chose from the printed page.
b.
Once you have selected a number for each of the alignment groups, click OK.c.
5.
NOTE: If the alignment page does not print, make sure you have completely removed the stickers and
transparent tape from both ink cartridges, and then try to align the cartridges again.
Cleaning the ink cartridge nozzles
To improve print quality, you may need to clean the ink cartridge nozzles.
Clean the nozzles when:

Characters are not printing completely.
White dashes appear in graphics or printed text.
Print is smudged or too dark.
Colors on print jobs are faded or they differ from the colors on the screen.
Vertical lines are jagged or edges are not smooth.
To clean the nozzles:
Load plain paper in the printer.1.
Open the Dell Printer Solution Center. For help, refer to your Owner's Manual.2.
From the Maintenance tab, click Clean to fix horizontal streaks.3.
Click Print.4.
A nozzle page prints, forcing ink through the nozzles to clean the clogged nozzles.
Print your document again to verify your print quality has improved.
NOTE: If print quality has not improved, try cleaning the ink cartridge nozzles up to two more times.

Troubleshooting
General troubleshooting
Transparencies or glossy photo papers stick together
Transparencies or photo papers contain white lines
Printing troubleshooting
Document prints poorly
Scanning, copying, and faxing troubleshooting
Auto-cropping of scanned image is unsatisfactory
Edges of copied documents are cut off
Copied objects appear in a different location on the page
Removing and reinstalling the software
Other help sources
If your All-In-One has a problem, make sure:
Your All-In-One is on.
You removed the stickers and tape from the bottom of the ink cartridges. For help, refer to the setup
documentation.
The paper is loaded correctly.
You installed both of the ink cartridges. The Dell AIO Printer A920 will only work if you have both
cartridges installed.
General troubleshooting
Power light does not come on
Check the power supply connections.1.
Press Power on the operator panel.2.
Alignment page does not print
Make sure you remove the sticker and transparent tape from both ink cartridges. For help installing ink
cartridges, refer to the setup documentation.
1.
Make sure the color ink cartridge is secure in the left carrier and the black ink cartridge is secure in the
right carrier.
2.
Make sure you loaded the paper correctly and did not force the paper into the printer. For help, refer to
your Owner's Manual.
3.

3.
When I insert the printer software CD, nothing happens
From the Desktop, double-click the My Computer icon1.
Right-click the CD ROM drive icon, and then select AutoPlay or AutoRun.2.
All-In-One is not communicating with the computer
Disconnect and reconnect both ends of the USB cable.1.
Unplug the printer from the electrical wall outlet, reconnect the power supply, and then press Power.2.
Restart the computer. If the problem continues, remove and then reinstall the software. For help, see
Removing and reinstalling the software.
3.
Installation appears incomplete
The software may not be installed properly. Try the following:
Right-click the My computer icon.1.
Microsoft® Windows® XP users, click Start to access the My computer icon.
Click Properties.2.
Select the Hardware tab, and then click the Device Manager button.3.
Look for the Other Devices category. If there are any Dell devices shown here, highlight them, and
then press the Delete key.
4.
NOTE: The Other Devices category displays only when unknown devices are present. Do not delete
any Dell items unless they are present under the Other Devices category.
Insert the CD, and install the software again. Do not restart the computer. For help, refer to the setup
documentation.
5.
All-In-One has a paper jam
Follow the instructions on the screen for clearing the paper jam.1.
Make sure you are using paper designed for an inkjet printer. For a list of recommended papers, refer
to your Owner's Manual.
2.
Make sure you are correctly loading the paper. For help, refer to your Owner's Manual.3.
4.

2.
3.
Make sure the paper guide is against the left edge of the paper.4.
Transparencies or glossy photo papers stick together
Remove each page as it exits the printer and let it dry completely before stacking.
Use a transparency or photo paper designed for inkjet printers.
Transparencies or photo papers contain white lines
Clean the nozzles. For help, see Cleaning the ink cartridge nozzles.
Printing troubleshooting
Document prints slowly
Close all programs not in use. The memory resources may be low.1.
Make sure the Print Properties Quality/Speed setting is set on Normal or Quick Print. For help, refer
to your Owner's Manual.
2.
Try printing a smaller file. If the memory resources are too low, you may not be able to print larger
files.
3.
NOTE: Photos or documents containing graphics may take longer to print than regular text.
Consider purchasing more RAM (Random Access Memory) for your computer.4.
Document prints poorly
If your documents have any of the following problems, see the instructions to solve the problem.
Vertical lines are jagged or edges are not smooth
To improve the print quality of vertical, straight lines in tables, borders, and graphs:

Select a higher quality from the Document/Quality tab of Print Properties, Preferences, or from the All-
In-One Center:
Open the Dell All-In-One Center. For help, refer to your Owner's Manual.a.
From the Copy... section, click See More Copy Settings.b.
From the Copy quality area, select a higher print quality than what you are currently using.c.
Test the cartridge alignment. For help, see Aligning the ink cartridges.
Clean the nozzles. For help, see Cleaning the ink cartridge nozzles.
Print is too dark or smudged
Make sure:
You let the ink dry completely before handling the paper.
You select the correct paper type and size in Print Properties, Preferences, or in the All-In-One Center.
The paper is straight and unwrinkled.
You select the appropriate quality for the paper type. If you are printing on regular paper, select the
Quick Copy setting from the Document/Quality tab of Print Properties, Preferences, or from the All-In-
One Center.
The nozzles are clean. For help, see Cleaning the ink cartridge nozzles.
White lines appear in graphics or solid black areas
Clean the ink cartridge nozzles. Going long periods without using the printer can cause the ink cartridge
nozzles to become clogged. For help, see Cleaning the ink cartridge nozzles.
Print quality is poor at the edges of the page
Like other printers, your All-In-One cannot print in the extreme left, right, top, or bottom edges of a page.
Use these minimum settings:
Left and right margins:
6.35 mm (0.25 in.) each for all paper sizes except A4
3.37 mm (0.133 in.) each for A4 size paper
Top margin:
1.7 mm (0.067 in.)

Bottom margin:
16.51 mm (0.65 in.)
Colors are faded or not printing completely
Use a different color setting.
Use a different brand of paper. Every paper brand accepts ink differently and prints with slight color
variations.
Clean the nozzles. For help, see Cleaning the ink cartridge nozzles.
An ink cartridge may be out of or low on ink.
Scanning, copying, and faxing troubleshooting
Scanning was not successful
The software may not be installed properly. Follow the instructions for Installation appears incomplete.
Scanning or using a scanned image with a software program
takes a long time or freezes the computer
Lower the scanning resolution. Scanning resolution is different than printing resolution and is generally set
much lower. To change the scanning resolution:
Open the Dell All-In-One Center. For help, refer to your Owner's Manual.1.
From the Scan section, click See More Scan Settings.2.
Click Display Advanced Scan Settings.3.
From the Scan tab of Advanced Scan Settings, enter a lower scan resolution.4.
Characters are missing or unexpected
Make sure the scanner glass is clean:
Dampen a clean, lint-free cloth.1.
Gently wipe the scanner glass.2.

1.
2.
NOTE: Make sure all ink or corrective fluid on the document is dry before placing the document on the
scanner glass.
Edge of the copy does not print
Make sure the original is properly oriented on the glass. For help, refer to your Owner's Manual.
Make sure the area you want to copy is not larger than the printable area of the page. Apply the Fit-
to-page feature. To apply the Fit-to-page feature:
Open the Dell All-In-One Center. For help, see your Owner's Manual.a.
From the Copy section, click See More Copy Settings.b.
From the Reduce/Enlarge section, click the second button, and then select Fit to page from the
corresponding drop-down menu.
c.
Copy your document again.d.
Copy button on the operator panel does not work
Make sure the computer is on. The computer must be on in order for the copy function to work.
Make sure you properly installed the software. For help, refer to the setup documentation. The
software must be installed for the copy function to work.
Fax function does not work
In order for faxing to function properly:
Your computer must be connected to a data/fax modem.
The data fax modem must be connected to an active analog phone line.
The printer must be connected to the computer with a USB cable.
The memory may be full. Wait until the faxes in memory have been sent, and then send the
current fax again.
NOTE: You cannot fax with a DSL (digital subscriber line) or cable modem.
See "Faxing" in your Owner's Manual for more information.
Auto-cropping of scanned image is unsatisfactory
First, try cleaning the scanner glass. If that does not work, you can either turn the auto cropping feature off
or adjust how the image is cropped.
1.

To clean the scanner glass:
Dampen a clean, lint-free cloth.1.
Gently wipe the scanner glass.2.
NOTE: Make sure all ink or corrective fluid on the document is dry before placing the document on the
scanner glass.
To turn the feature off for your next scan:
Open the Dell All-In-One Center. For help, refer to your Owner's Manual.1.
From the Scan... section, click See More Scan Settings.2.
From the What is being scanned? option, select anything but Photo.3.
Or
Open the Dell All-In-One Center. For help, refer to your Owner's Manual.1.
From the Scan... section, click See More Scan Settings.2.
Click Display Advanced Scan Settings.3.
Click the Scan tab.4.
Click Select area to be scanned, and then select a size from the drop-down menu.5.
Click OK.6.
To adjust the auto-cropping:
Open the Dell All-In-One Center. For help, refer to your Owner's Manual.1.
From the Scan... section, click See More Scan Settings.2.
Click Display Advanced Scan Settings.3.
Click the Scan tab.4.
Select Auto-crop the scanned item.5.
Slide the bar to the left to crop less or to the right to crop more.6.
Click OK.7.
To adjust cropping manually:
1.
2.

Open the Dell All-In-One Center. For help, refer to your Owner's Manual.1.
Click Preview Now to view your scanned image.2.
To resize and crop the image, drag the box around the image in the preview area until the size is
satisfactory for your scan.
3.
Edges of copied documents are cut off
Move the document to a different place on the glass.1.
From the software, select a copy setting with autocrop on (Color Photo or Black and White Photo) to
make sure that autocrop finds the object and prints it completely.
2.
NOTE: When autocrop is on, the object (wherever it is placed on the glass) will be printed in the
upper left corner of the page. This may make your copy look different from the original.
Copied objects appear in a different location on the
page
When the default for auto crop (Color Photo) is on for copying, any object found on the scanner glass will be
positioned at the top left corner of the page.
To fix this:
Open the Dell All-In-One Center. For help, refer to your Owner's Manual.1.
From the Copy... section, select Color Document or Black and White Document (these settings
have auto crop turned off).
2.
Removing and reinstalling the software
If the printer software is not functioning properly or a communications error message displays when you try
to use the printer, you may need to remove, and then reinstall the printer software.
From the desktop, click Start Programs Dell Printers Dell AIO Printer
A920 Uninstall Dell AIO Printer A920.
1.
NOTE: If Uninstall is not an option on the menu, see Installation appears incomplete.
2.
3.

Follow the instructions on the computer screen to remove the printer software.2.
Restart the computer before reinstalling the software.3.
Insert the Drivers and Utilities CD and follow the instructions on the computer screen to install the
software. For help, refer to the setup documentation.
4.
Other help sources
If the preceding printer solutions do not solve the problem with your printer:
Refer to the Dell Printer Solution Center software for more troubleshooting information:
Click Start Programs Dell Printers Dell AIO Printer A920 Dell Printer Solution
Center.
a.
Click the Troubleshooting tab on the left side of the screen.b.
Go to support.dell.com for help.
Refer to your Owner's Manual, if you experience problems during setup.

Printer specifications
Overview
Physical specifications
Environmental specifications
Power consumption and requirements
Fax mode capabilities
Printer and scan mode capabilities
Operating system support
Memory specifications and requirements
Paper
Cables
Overview
Base memory
128 KB print buffer
24 KB scan buffer
Emulation
Host based data stream printing
Connectivity
USB
Duty cycle (maximum)
3,000 pages/month
Printer life
36,000 pages or one year (Letter size 5% coverage)
Physical specifications
Physical dimensions
163 mm (H) x 445 mm (W) x 308 mm (D)
6.6 in. (H) x 17.5 in. (W) x 12.1 in. (D)
Weight
4.5 kg
9.0 lb
Environmental specifications
Temperature/Relative Humidity
The recommended temperature and relative humidity for all conditions
61° to 90° F
40% to 70%