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Printer Errors

Tray Empty / Out of Paper
Door / Cover Open
Card Swipe Errors
Paper Jam / Misfeed Error
Insufficient Memory
Low Toner
Paper Size / Type Error
Network / Pharos Connectivity Errors
Service Call Errors

If a printer isn't printing, the first thing you should do is make sure it has paper.

If the printer's screen shows that the tray is empty:

  1. Cancel any current jobs (sometimes jobs printed with the wrong paper size can cause this error)
  2. Look for a nearby cabinet marked BYU Print and Mail 
  3. These cabinets are normally directly under the printer but sometimes spare paper is kept: 
    • In shelves behind the printer, 
    • In computer labs, paper can be found at the help desk, or 
    • In larger printers the cabinet is built into the printer itself in its base. 
  4. Open the printer's sliding tray, and load some paper into the tray
    1. be careful not to overfill the tray, this causes paper jams. 
  5. Close the tray.  
  6. The empty tray message should go away and the printer should resume printing momentarily.

BYU Print and Mail is in charge of restocking paper at the Printer Kiosk stations. If a station is out of paper please report it below:

Report an Error

If the printer's screen shows that a door/cover is open:

  1. look around the printer for doors or covers that look like they are open.
  2. If you find one close it firmly (you should hear and feel a latch engage) and the message should go away.
  3. Normally the printer will take a moment to recalibrate after the door/cover is closed.
Report an Error

First, make sure that:

  1. Your ID card is valid (not expired, magstripe is intact)
  2. You are swiping on the correct side (some card readers are not reversible)
  3. Your swipes are slow and complete (an incomplete or too-fast swipe will often cause login errors)
  4. You have cleared the screensaver by moving the mouse or tapping the screen at the Kiosk Printer

If that doesn't solve the problem, next:

  1. Ensure that the LED on the card swipe is turned on, and that it blinks when you swipe your card
    1. A failure to light up or blink could be indicative of a hardware issue
  2. Make sure that the Kiosk Printer's monitor and PC are turned on and that the Pharos system is running on them
    • If not, restart the kiosk's PC (usually located below in the printer's cabinet)
      1. Hold the power button on the front of the PC until the monitor indicates the PC is shutting down
      2. Wait until the PC is entirely off (wait for all lights and fans to stop)
      3. Press the power button again
      4. Wait until the Pharos System is running again on the monitor
  3. Sometimes card swipe errors occur on the Pharos system because of network issues. If the card swipe is blinking red or yellow there is likely a network error. Usually the Pharos system will alert you of this. Try restarting the Kiosk Printer's PC, and if the error persists, let us know. For more info see the "NETWORK / PHAROS CONNECTIVITY ERRORS" tab.

If you are encountering an issue with a Kiosk Printer, please report it!

Report an Error

Paper Jams are manifest under a number of different error codes. These vary across printer models and manufacturers but they should clue you in on where to look for the paper jam.

Remove Paper Jam/Paper JamThese are general paper jam errors. Wait a moment and see if the printer gives more information on the location of the jam.
Misfeed Detected/ErrorThese are common errors the printer gives when something happens it doesn't expect. You will often have to clear paper from the feed path.
Jam in Tray #Likely the printer jammed while pulling paper from the specified tray. Open the tray and check for anything unusual, if the problem is not immediately obvious, check behind and under the tray, the adjacent trays, and then the feed path near it. You can identify the feed path because of the rollers located around it
Fusor Wrap JamThe fusor is a hot element that fuses toner to the paper. Wait 10-20 minutes for it to be safe to touch, then remove it. Check for paper stuck under, around, or in it.
Jams in —- DoorPaper is likely stuck in the feed path behind the specified door. Open the door and look for paper where it shouldn't be. If you can't find any, close the door again and see if the printer still detects the jam. Recheck if necessary.
Paper Late JamSomething happened during the printing process that the printer didn't expect. You will likely need to remove paper from the feed path. Pay special attention to the area where paper enters the feed path from the paper trays.

While the location and cause of printer jams varies depending on the issue, there is a common process for resolving them. Printers are designed to be disassembled without tools using internal buttons and tabs to unlock and remove components. This makes accessing jams easier.

  1. Note the error message on the printer's display, it will often tell you where to begin looking for the paper jam and what parts of the printer you will need to access.
  2. Open the part of the printer specified in the error message. Look for latches on removable/openable panels that are often a different color than the rest of the printer body.
    1. If no specific area is indicated by the printer, start at the printer's largest access point, often directly accessing its feed path.
  3. Look for the paper jam. Be thorough. Remove printer components and open other body panels as necessary.
    1. Be careful around the printer's fusor. It can be hot (240°). It is often marked by yellow warning labels. You may need to wait for it to cool (10-20min) before checking it.
    2. Be careful not to touch the printer's imaging/drum units. These are shiny rollers that use static electricity to apply toner to the paper. Touching them can harm their function.
    3. For a normal jam you should not need to remove a printer's toner cartridges or waste toner bottle. Handling them improperly can result in spilled toner, which can be a big mess and hazard.
  4. Remove the paper jam. Do this slowly, carefully, and methodically to avoid tearing the paper and making it more difficult to remove. You can gently move the printer's rollers if necessary to help extract more difficult jams.
  5. Reassemble the printer and securely close all panels and doors. The printer will check itself and should return to normal function.
    1. Look for anything that appears out of place and reset it if necessary. Sometimes jams are caused by parts that are seated improperly; these can also cause false-alarm jams reported by internal sensors that are actually detecting misplaced parts.
    2. If the printer jams again try cancelling the current job and then printing something else. Sometimes certain print jobs are problematic.
  6. If you are unable to find or remove a printer jam or aren't comfortable doing it yourself, please contact us for help. During weekday business hours we are normally pretty responsive and can get to printer jams anywhere on campus in under 30min.
  7. If you need a refund for a failed print job click here.
  8. If a printer jams and you unjam it, please contact us anyways. We try and stay on top of reoccurring problems and we like to stay informed.
Report an Error

This in an infrequent but recurring error that we are currently trying to understand better. If you encounter this error, please report it and include the following information:

  1. The location of the printer that had the Insufficient Memory error
  2. The file type (.pdf, .docx, .png, etc.) of the file that errored
  3. The file size (normally in kb or mb) of the file that errored
    1. If it is not a sensitive document, please also email it to us at kioskprinting@byu.edu
  4. Whether it was single-sided or double-sided (duplex)
  5. If you were printing from the Web Print site, the Pharos app, or the print drivers

This error can be cleared from the printer by simply powering it off and on again.

Report an Error

BYU Print and Mail is in charge of maintaining the Kiosk Print stations across campus. If you encounter a printer that is low on toner please report it below and we will replace the toner:

Report an Error
  1. Check the printer's trays (especially if there is one indicated by the printer) and ensure that the guides are set to letter size (8.5"x11")
  2. Enter the printer's menu and make sure that all trays are set to Type: plain, Size: letter (8.5"x11")
  3. Turn the printer off and on again

If the error persists please contact us below:

Report an Error

This is a common issue that is normally resolved by simply restarting the Kiosk Printer's computer, or, if it is an MFP (Multi-Function Printer), restarting the printer itself.

Follow these steps on MFPs if they are giving the warning "internal server error" and/or if the light on the card swipe/reader is flashing red or yellow.

Restarting the Computer:

  1. Hold the power button on the front of the PC until the monitor indicates the PC is shutting down
  2. Wait until the PC is entirely off (wait for all lights and fans to stop)
  3. Press the power button again
  4. Wait until the Pharos System is running again on the monitor

Restarting an MFP:

  1. Locate the printer's power switch
    1. This is not necessarily the blue glowing power button near the printer's display. It is often a physical switch located on the side of the printer or behind one of its front cover doors.
  2. Turn off the printer and wait 3-5min (this is enough time for the Pharos server to update the printer's status)
  3. Turn the printer back on and wait for it to initialize the Pharos system
  4. Try signing in to the printer again

If after completing these steps the printer is still having connectivity issues, please report the error to us below:

Report an Error

if you are seeing errors such as:
"SERVICE CALLD2B1"
"SERVICE CALLE301"
or anything similar to that, the printer needs to be looked at by a technician. Please report the error below and include the following details:

  1. The printer's location
  2. The error code
  3. What the printer was doing when it errored

Report an Error
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