The black ink wont work, even though i have put in a brand new cartridge. the tri color works fine, but the black ink must have something funky going on

New cartridges? When checking ink levels does it show FULL? Have you run thru the Maintenance solutions such as CHECK INK LEVELS CALIBRATE PRINTER-CLEAN PRINTHEAD-PRINT TEST PAGE ? But of course each model and brand is prob different . (Mine is A KODAK)Ive experienced this The solution for mine was certainly nothing technical. But it worked..the ink had apparently dried in the bottom of cartridge even though it was new) if you try this wear gloves it could get messy! Take an old saucer put a small amt very warm water on it just enough to reach the 'color holes' on bottom and set cartridge in it for a couple minutes.in just couple mins my ink started flowing.then I moved it close to rim of saucer out of water for a minute , tapping off any excess water, wiped off with paper towel reinserted and it was fine. Now this may not be the answer to your problem but it wont cost to try and it wont hurt the cartridge. First thing tho I would check INK LEVELS make sure printer recognizes the new cartridge

Try remove all cartridges then put back it one by one.Make sure the color cartridges are not empty too.The printer need all cartridges not empty to initialized and working.

The print head is clogged.Try powerful cleaning:
Press menu, then start black copy, then four times arrow-up quickly after another.Machine will be in maintenance mode
(all lights will flash).
Press 7-6-4 and OK (or start-black-copy).
When finished press 7-6-3 then start black copy,
printer will do a power purge.
Leave maintenance mode by pressing 9-9.
If this not help better think about new printer, because cost of repairing this one is profitable.

Yes, unfortunately you do. There is a sensor that makes sure that there is a cartridge installed in both locations.

Good Luck!

start
control panel
printer and fax
right click your printer, choose properties
go tab by tab and look for print quality and then try
something like this
choose econo mode, or ink saving mode to start.

try to print in grayscale mode and use only the black ink cartridge.

that should be your new default, and you don~t have to change it from winthin other programs

Test your cartridges.

Remove the color ink cartridge then lower the cover of your printer. If the error message displays again, replace the black cartridge with a new one (or return the new one). Reinstall the color cartridge and remove the black ink cartridge then lower the cover. If the error message displays again, replace the color cartridge with a new color cartridge.
Note: My manual indicated that the printer might have detected a short circuit in a cartridge. I returned a month old black cartridge got a new one and my printer is working fine now. Good luck.

i have an mp170 all in one and when you fill the cartriges they dont show up as full cannon put a chip in the cartridge to con people into buying new ones try siting the cartridges in warm water for a few hours then blot the cartridge with tisue paper if it dont blot out the ink the cartride is finnished and you need a new one .To align the cartridge you flick through the menu on the printer not pc screen look for alignment page print this off then you have to pick the dark boxes on the sheet shade the bit next to it and put on your scan bed and click ok it should scan the sheet and reset the alignment

you need to print only in black if that is all the ink you have, and also you need to remove the color cartridge as it still registers in the printer as able to be used, although it is empty or near so. Did you remove the tape over the print head fron the new ink cartridge? Do a print head alignment, or use the toolbox icon to tell the printer that you just replaced the cartridge. Some HP models chip the ink cartridges so even a refill wont register as a full tank and the printer wont print. chip needs to be reset (difficult) or just replaced with a new cartridge.

just try with tet page of printer and also reinstall the driver and see. bye

I removed the color cartridge and left the black one. it worked.
(I have Lexmark X6100 Series)