Printer Error on Boot: 49.38.13 -- HP Color LaserJet CP5525

Solution

In my case, I ended up having to clear out the "active" firmware and have it pull a clean copy from it's backup. To do this you perform a "Partial Clean" from the preboot menu.

To access the preboot menu follow the instructions on the Service Manual.

Before doing this, be aware it will clear out networking/admin password/ service password/etc. The Printer will have to be re-setup as if from new for the most part.

After you're in the preboot menu, navigate to the "Administration" menu, then select "Partial Clean". Accept the confirmation dialog, then press the back button until you're at the root (top-level) menu. Select "Continue". The printer will now reinstall the firmware from it's backup.

After it finishes it's restore. Re-configure the device with TCP/IP settings, admin settings, and any other customizations you'd made to the printer.

Problem & Full Story

I discussed our issues with our CP5525 printer previously. Well after we had resolved that problem, we started getting a new, more catastrophic problem. About a week after fixing the previous error, the printer got a new error, 49.38.13. I say more catastrophic because this error comes up as soon as the printer finishes booting. The error gives says to power printer off/on, but doing so only causes the error to come up again and wastes 2 minutes of your time.

With the error, User's are unable to print, and you are unable to get to any settings through the panel on the printer or through the web interface. The only way to make changes is to get into the preboot menu during startup.

Things I tried that didn't work

• Disabled jet-direct (preboot menu)
• Selecting First-boot (preboot menu)
• Removing network cable during boot
• Removing power cable and holding power button to clear memory/capacitors (~30 seconds)
• This almost worked, it booted up and I was able to navigate around the menus for a little bit before the error popped up again.

What did end up working was doing a "partial clean" from the preboot menu (See Solution section above). It is important to make the distinction between the "Partial Clean" option and the "Full Clean" option. The Printer has two copies of the firmware installed, an active and a backup. The active copy holds all the settings you've configured on the device, where the backup is a clean image with all default settings. The partial clean removes the active and replaces it a copy of the backup. Functionally this should fix any firmware corruption, but it also resets the device to factory defaults.

The "Full Clean" option removes both the active and backup firmware images, leaving the device in an unbootable state. This is only used if the firmware you installed was corrupt (corrupt download, or something).

So, to be clear. Use the partial clean, not full clean.