HP Photosmarts:

C3210, C3310, C5180, C5183, C6150, C6180, C6188, C6288, C6288, C7160, C7180, C7268, C7280, C7360, C8250, D7460 and all other Photosmart printers.

As you can see, only Photosmarts encounter this problem, however that does not mean that other HP printers types wont be affected.

Common Error Codes:

0xc18a0001, 0xc18a030a, 0xc19a003f, 0xc18a0201, 0xc19a0003, 0×05d1281, oxc18a0307, 0xc18a101, 0xc052281, 0xc05d0281, 0xc18a0306, 0xc19ac3ff, 0xc18a0101, 0xc19a0031, 0xc18a0007, 0xc18a506, 0xc18a0505

Troubleshooting:

1. Press * and # at the same time, and then release both keys.

2. The display should read “Enter Special Key Combo”. Press 123.

3. Press RIGHT ARROW button until the “System Config Menu” appears in the display. Press OK.

4. The display should read “Hardware Failure Status”. Press OK.

5. Press OK to clear.

6. Press CANCEL several times until the normal screen appear.

If the problem can't be resolved, may be you need to remove the CMOS battery backup and then putting it back in after 30 minutes.

Nozzle Test:

1. Press * and # at the same time, and then release both keys.

2. The display should read “Enter Special Key Combo”. Press 123.

3. Press RIGHT ARROW button until the “Print Tests Menu” appears in the display. Press OK.

4. The display should read “Nozzle Test”. Press OK.

5. Press CANCEL several times until the normal screen appear.

I got the same error-- 0xc18a0007 on an HP Photosmart C7180. I followed the directions, but it said all the ink cartridges needed to be replaced--they were all HP ink cartridges and more than half full--I replaced all cartridges with new ones (I just happened to have a new package); then it froze. I pulled the plug, waited half an hour, plugged it back in, and it worked. It seems to be really sensitive to the cartridges. Who knows. Took me three hours to fix it.

Play Game:

1. Press * and # at the same time, and then release both keys.

2. The display should read “Enter Special Key Combo”. Press 7664.

(HP Photosmart - Ink System Failure)

Hey
I know this is an old post, but just had ink system failure on my HP Photosmart, came across your post here (as below) and it worked just fine. Thought I needed to bin the printer as its a couple years old.

So thanks for info and to anyone else who needs to fix this problem, follows the directions below

Extended Self Diagnostic Test
1. Press OK & Cancel Button simultanously

Semi-full reset
This will reset the All-in-One to the factory default settings by using these instructions:
1. Unplug the power cable from printer while the printer is powered on.
2. Press and hold Plus (#) and 6 while plugging in the power cord.
3. Repeat steps one and Two, Two more times for a total of three times.
This will perform a maintenance cycle upon the third restart.

OOB NVRAM RESET (Remove Air in Hydrolic lines)
1. Turn Power off using power button.
2. Hold down the CANCEL & OK buttons & keep them held while powering on the printer.
Keep them held till the printer shuts itself back off. (It will shut off without you hitting the on/off button.)
3. Then power it back up normally by hitting the on/off button. It will warm up normally except it will display a message "OOB NVRAM RESET" & it will then do about 3 minutes of priming & pumping up the ink in the tubes that run from the cartridges to the print head.
4. You then can run a test print in the tools section.
YOU MAY HAVE TO DO THIS PROCEEDURE AS MANY AS 6 TIMES. IT WILL EVENTUALLY GET ALL AIR BUBBLES OUT OF THE SYSTEM.

Semi NVM Reset
1. Unplug the power cable from printer while the printer is powered on.
2. Press and hold the (#) and 6 buttons while plugging in the power cord and keep both buttons depressed for at least five seconds.
3. Printer will shut off
4. Press Power on and unit will begin the Semi NVM reset. The unit will clean its heads and the pump will cycle several times to prime the hydrilic lines and purge out any air. Then a Maintaince cycle will begin.

Burping method
http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Other-printing-questions/HP-Photosmart-C7280-Black-Ink-won-t-print/m-p/397781#M26999

Complaints
http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Other-printing-questions/HP-Photosmart-C7280-Black-Ink-won-t-print/td-p/2157