Have an older HP 1000 printer tied into an old XP computer that is offline for all record keeping and income tax prep reports.

Run into 2 similar problems. Mine usually prints black okay but color is always sketchy or partially not working. (3 colors all in one cartridge.) Stupid printer seems to waste an inordinate amount of ink warming up, aligning cartridges, test pages etc.

Sometimes you can get into the printer menu (if equipped) and have it clean print heads several times or the maximum amount.

I have also pulled cartridges and taken a damp paper towel with hot water and gently wiped print head which seems to soften or loosen buildup.

Make sure that the contact strip on the cartridge (if equipped) has not gotten damaged. One time I had a new cartridge get ruined as the pins in the printer ripped the mylar sheet with contacts on the cartridge.

I hate ink jets they seem horrible don't last and I think they actually have a racket set up where cartridges can expire if not used soon enough. I have had brand new HP cartridges in HP packaging bought at Staples be deemed as not HP by the printer and refuse to work. They may have been on the shelf for over a year just so I did not run out at an inopportune time.

Only reason I suffer along is the newer laser printer can not be used with an XP computer.