When I go to print I get message load mpf 024-969

MPF is one of the paper trays on the 3000. Others have experienced the same problem, see here:

http://www.fixya.com/support/t2661504-dell_3000cn_keep_getting_load_mpf_when

check the page setting in the printer as well as in the print dialog box in the, if the problem persists then you have to send it for servicing

Is the paper pushed all the way back into the MPF?
If yes, what type/size paper is your application sending?
If you try to print the internal Printer Settings report, does it print?
This error typically means that no paper is sensed in the MPF OR that the wrong type/size paper is in the tray. (MPF settings do not match job specs)

It does stand for Manual Paper Feed.
On this printer, that's on the front of the unit, above the paper trays.

Once your PC has sent a print job with the paper-select set to "Manual Paper Feed" the printer will not do anything until it's processed this job.
The easiest way to do this is to put paper into the MPF and let it print, but at some point you're going to want to fix your PC so it doesn't send MPF print jobs anymore.

To do this, open your Printer Properties and select the default paper tray instead of the Manual Feed.

it's asking for paper in the manual Paper Feeder (MPF). Somewhere in your settings you have it printing to the MPF. Check the settings in the printer prefrences, the printer itself and the software you're using.
Cheers.

I have a Dell 3010n myself, and a few times I did run into that "Load MPF" issue.
1.) Before printing a document, please check and see the properties. i.e. Kind/type of paper, which tray, or if printing envelopes or any other document than a regular 8 x11 paper. Putting all the tray and paper type selection on "Auto" can be very helpful.
2.) On the printer itself, there is a menu button where you can configure the type of paper, i.e. regular 20 llb. copy/print paper, glossy photopaper, thicker paper - after you place a fresh load on the paper tray and slide it in, usually it will ask you which type of paper you just loaded. Make sure it is the same settings as the document that you are trying to print: i.e. if document settings on computer was set to print on photopaper and you have regular paper on the tray, the printer will do a "Load MPF".
The paper sensor on it is amazingly (for a Dell, that is) sensitive and it can differentiate across a lot of paper types/thickness. If you have several computers and user across a network, and there are several paper-type settings done on the printer itself, this "Load MPF" issue will present itself more often.
In my case, it's simply because the person who recently changed the paper-type to glossy cover paper from some user who previously printed to a transparency forgot to revert MPF/Tray 1 to regular copy/print paper. Most cases, the printer setting on the PC has been left to print on to a transparency by default, so even if I stack the tray with copy paper to the hilt, it still will do "Load MPF".

Outlook's printer options are set to load paper from the Manual Paper Feed (mpf) instead of the regular paper tray.

In outlook, select file->print and look for the printer properties button on that dialog box.
Select the paper tray you want to use (or simply uncheck "MPF" or "Manual Paper Feed") and hit OK.

There is a print job waiting, either in the printer's memory or on your computer's memory. This print job is set to go to the Manual Paper Feed (MPF) which is accessible from the front of the printer by flipping down the little MPF door.

You can change settings for new print jobs, but once one job is submitted with "Please Print Me On The MPF" set, there's no way to change that job.

The easiest fix is to put some blank paper into the MPF and let it print out.

If it's spooled on the printer, you can turn the printer off and back on again to clear the job.
If it's spooled on your computer, you can view it by bringing up the Printer settings:
Start->Settings->Printers and Faxes
Find your 3100 and double-click on it.
Find the print job, select it and pick "Cancel" from the "Document" menu.

The MPF is simply the "Manual Paper Feed".
Your printer is set by default that the MPF paper type is "plain paper". Since you are telling the printer that you are trying to print lables, the printer is simply telling you that you need to load the MPF with lables.

If you say "ok", the printer sould continue and print the lables.

If you only print lables, the you can change the default paper for the MPF tray to "lables", and then you will no longer be prompted to load the tray.

Got a 3100CN and had the same problem but found that a) Changing paper size from the web doesn't work but b) Go to the printer control panel on the printer and use the menu to set the paper size for the MPF tray for FREE. Now your application under windows will overide the whatever the printer thinks and will print. Envelope via Word all work without problem. Suggestion . Configure two printers one B&W using tray one and one colour using MPF and you can now quickly select whether to use colour or b&w. Regards John N - N2UYI/G7LTQ