Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumPrinter and Multifunction Device Issues

A field technician is troubleshooting multiple printer service tickets across an enterprise network. Match each reported printer symptom to its most probable underlying hardware or configuration root cause.

  • Faint ghost images of previously printed pages repeating down the sheet at regular distance intervals on a laser printerFailing cleaning blade or improper electrostatic charge reset on the photosensitive drum assembly
  • Continuous printing of garbled text, unreadable symbols, and raw control codes across dozens of pages when sending print jobsCorrupted printer driver or mismatched Page Description Language (PDL) configuration
  • Paper jams occurring immediately at the tray entrance slot accompanied by a slipping or high-pitched squeaking noiseWorn or glazed rubber pickup roller failing to create friction against the media
  • Completely blank pages output from a direct thermal receipt printer immediately after replacing the paper rollMedia roll installed in reverse orientation with the heat-sensitive coated side facing away from the printhead

Answer

The correct matches pair ghost images with a failing drum cleaning blade/electrostatic charge reset; garbled print output with a corrupted driver or mismatched PDL setting; feed jams at the tray entrance with a worn rubber pickup roller; and blank thermal receipts with a media roll installed in reverse orientation.
Each symptom corresponds to a foundational CompTIA printer troubleshooting cause: ghosting indicates drum cleaning blade failure; garbled printing indicates incorrect driver/PDL settings; feed slot jams indicate worn pickup rollers; and blank thermal paper output indicates reverse paper orientation.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Diagnose repeating ghosting artifacts on laser prints.
Identify that defects repeat at distances matching the drum circumference.
The drum cleaning blade removes un-transferred toner; if defective, residual toner produces faint duplicate images on subsequent rotations.
2
Analyze garbled characters and continuous page output.
Recognize a communication or translation failure between workstation print spooler and printer interpreter.
An incorrect driver sends raw page description language commands that print literally as unreadable text symbols.
3
Troubleshoot paper feed misfires at the tray inlet.
Inspect physical media feed components at the top of the paper tray.
Glazed or worn pickup rollers lose necessary friction to drag paper from the tray into the feed path, causing immediate jams and slipping sounds.
4
Evaluate blank receipts from a thermal printer following media change.
Verify paper installation orientation relative to the thermal printhead.
Direct thermal paper is coated on only one side; reversing the roll places the non-reactive side in contact with the thermal heating element.

Key Concept

Multi-technology Printer Symptom Diagnosis and Component Troubleshooting
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Rate this question

Topics

Printer and Multifunction Device Issues

More questions from this topic