Talk:HP LaserJet 4

Lifespan
I've still got one of these things, bought new in 1994, and it's going strong as of December 2006. The self test page shows 39,043 pages (78 reams) printed. Hardly any jams or problems. Fabulous piece of engineering. I'll have to give this thing a proper burial in my back yard when it kicks the bucket. -Timvasquez 02:26, 13 December 2006 (UTC)

I have one, too, and it's working great as of June 2007. Works flawlessly with Windows Vista (which is more than can be said of my recently acquired printer/scanner); and required zero manual configuration beyond pointing to its network address. Tcamdg 08:11, 26 June 2007 (UTC)

At work we bought one brand new in 1993. It's still going working perfectly 14 years later, having printed it's millionth page a few weeks ago! I have one at home too, but with only 68,000 pages it seems there's some life in it yet...

I got a 4P in 1993, directly from HP in exchange for a deceased 3P, under warranty but no longer manufactured. (Also worth pointing out that HP did everything they could to sort out the 3P, including several home visits and various tests. Excellent after sales service.)  The 4P is still going strong - that's nearly 14 years - and has survived several jobs, family changes, and changes of hobby and outside interest. It's a bit throaty at times but still gives excellent print quality. It's run off a mere 9500 pages but what a tale it could tell about my life! Ailoura 13:50, 28 July 2007 (UTC)

I have just retired my 4MP after nearly thirteen years (bought January 1995). The article claims that "M" is for Macintosh. Maybe it was, but it certainly wasn't sod that way in the UK in 1994-5. "M" indicated that the printer was a 600 dpi machine and "P" that it supported PostScript. My 4MP worked fine with DOS (just squirt that PS straight down the parallel cable using the DOS print command - I was using dvips to print TeX dvi file, no PDFs in those days) as well as XP. I never had much luck though connecting it over a serial cable to a Digital Unix Alpha box at DERA. pmcray 12:06, 7 November 2007 (UTC)

Above poster is incorrect. "P" pretty much can be seen as "Personal", they were the small machines for SOHO use ("L" - "Light" - were even simpler, slower devices). M signified built-in Postscript (confusingly, but in the marketing blurb Macintosh was mentioned -- you can still google for that). Even more confusingly, there were "Plus" models (Plus not being shortened P but +). In my case, I have a "LaserJet 4M+" which means workgroup machine, postscript, and upgraded memory. The 4 series is arguably the best and most influential printers ever manufactured. At 24000 pages, mine can still be considered new. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 83.233.35.117 (talk) 21:28, 3 March 2008 (UTC)


 * They are extraordinary printers. Mine's been in daily (light) use for over 30 years now. Only 44k pages printed, but still.... Dorset100 (talk) 13:47, 3 January 2024 (UTC)

Not dead yet, not even broken in. 99.50.160.88 (talk) 16:03, 26 April 2011 (UTC)

Problems with aging
I too have one. Recently the paper started crinkling at the output, and I have had to gently help the paper out of the exit rollers or it would start to jam. I removed the paper exit section, took off the shiny surface on the rubber rollers with sand paper, put it all back together, and I have a new printer. The motor burned out last year, and for $15 from Ebay, was able to get it going again. Great printer. 21:34, 1 June 2009 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by N7okn (talk • contribs)


 * Yeah, I'm now having the same exact problem (paper occasionally crinkling), as well as some unexplained jams where the page would get stuck about 1/4th of the way out the slot to being deposited in the output spot or midway through the feed (under the toner). I'll have to give your sandpaper idea a try... maybe it's the same sort of issue with rollers.  Man, I can't believe I'm still using a 17-year old printer as my main home office printer... I can't say that about ANY other computer equipment I have.  The engineers who designed the HP4 really need some proper recognition.  -Rolypolyman (talk) 19:32, 3 June 2011 (UTC)