Windows 7 Print Test Page

Hamster · 26 Jan 2011 at 22:01

I want to be able to schedule a test page print once a day to stop my inkjet heads from clogging which they do if I've not used the printer for a few days.

I've searched and only found a command that works in XP but I've not been able to replicate it in Win7/64. It doesn't necessarily have to be the printer properties test page, any page with a little colour and some black will do. Anyone have any ideas?

Confused · 26 Jan 2011 at 22:05

You could schedule MSPaint to print an image...

mspaint /p filename

d_brennen · 26 Jan 2011 at 22:28

That will do it, though you need to stipulate where the file is or Scheduler will be looking to System32. You could dump the file there too

Hamster · 26 Jan 2011 at 22:42

Confused said:
You could schedule MSPaint to print an image...

mspaint /p filename

Thanks

Just tested it and it works a treat!

d_brennen said:
That will do it, though you need to stipulate where the file is or Scheduler will be looking to System32. You could dump the file there too

Thanks. I gave the full path although it's useful to know I can just place a jpg into the system32 folder and not worry about not moving its location in the future.

Danthus · 27 Jan 2011 at 19:23

There is something wrong with you printer if you need to do that.

Most inkjets, prime the print head or clean the head when you print, this is why it is best to print photos for example in batches so you are not wasting ink printing a couple of photos per day.

Are you using original ink cartridges or generic ones?

Hamster · 27 Jan 2011 at 20:06

I'm using cheap-ass compatible ink I bought from ebay and i'm printing the equivalent of a standard windows 'print test page' once a day so it's not really using much ink. It's an Epson SX515W which i bought for under £50 specifically for printing documents containing text and pdf type documents on Tesco value paper!! Photo quality printing is not a requirement.

PhillyDee · 27 Jan 2011 at 20:17

You probably would have had better results with a laser tbh!

Hamster · 27 Jan 2011 at 20:24

PhillyDee said:
You probably would have had better results with a laser tbh!

Perhaps better print quality for text but I've had a couple of cheap laser printers in the past and they haven't really lasted long and replacement toner cost more than the printer. I'm not printing a huge volume, I'm quite happy with the results I'm getting from a £47 inkjet with wireless. As I mentioned, the inks are ridiculously cheap (54p a cartridge). If they end up knackering the printer, I'll learn a new lesson!!

PhillyDee · 27 Jan 2011 at 20:49

Fair enough! Though like all printers, they come with 'starter carts' which have a severly reduced life.

Danthus · 27 Jan 2011 at 22:20

So would you not save money and ink if you switched to original cartridges?

Hamster · 28 Jan 2011 at 11:53

OldCoals said:
So would you not save money and ink if you switched to original cartridges?

At about ten times the price I am paying for these cartridges, probably not.

alle · 28 Jan 2011 at 13:00

...Was about to ask if it was an Epson. I stopped buying them years ago because of that reason. I just use Canon now and print photos to one printer infrequently and nothing ever clogs up even if its months between prints.

'Replacement' carts were more of a hindrance than a help too for the Epsons I had