Canon ImageCLASS MF644CDW Load Paper Issue

[EsteBeatDown]

Good evening everyone. I hope everyone's weekend started out well.

I am having an issue with the printer model listed in the subject. It's an issue with paper detection, I think. So recently, the printer stopped detecting when paper is in the tray. Namely, it will not detect a "fresh" load. For instance, if I undock Tray 1 and load paper into it, and then insert it back into the printer, the printer will not detect the paper in the tray (or it may not be detecting the tray itself, I'm unsure). It will constantly give me the "load paper" error.The only way to fix this issue is to power cycle the printer by directly unplugging it from the wall outlet for a minute or so and then plugging it back in (keep in mind, just powering it off with the power button will not work, it must be unplugged from the outlet while still on). I have tried everything else (all cleaning maintenance, paper settings, factory reset, windows updates and printer firmware updates, different types of paper, etc.) and nothing but power cycling will get the machine to detect the paper (or tray) again. It really is a pain and I am hoping I can get some help here. Thank you so much in advance.

[Sven62]

sarigm019 - You are the Printer Whisperer! Thank you! 

[DamnPrinter]

Thank you so much I have had so many problems with the wireless on this printer.  Every time the power goes out I have to start over.  Likely the ip dhcp is changing it when my router resets has been causing it but now I know to enter it by IP.

[Hawkdl20]

For over a year my MF644CDW printed fine from one computer wirelessly, but gave the "Error Load Paper" message when printing from a second printer, so I knew the problem was not the printer itself.  After trying every trick and tip in this and a couple of other forum threads,  one tip solved the problem.  When I installed the printer on the second computer,  I did so by searching for the printer then letting the computer set it up.  That meant that most likely a Microsoft driver was used.  The printer preferences boxes were different but essentially allowed for similar settings so I assumed it should work.  However none of the settings eliminated the error message.  So, I removed the printer and installed the drivers from the CD that came with the printer.  Voila! The printer now prints perfectly with no errors and the preferences settings boxes are identical between the two computers. 

[MASilverman]

Thank you so much for this. I've been searching for a solution for a couple of weeks that actually works, and this was it!

[hookedup]

I appreciate the contributions as well but wish we wouldn't call them solutions.  They should be called band-aids in hope of CANON FIXING THEM PERMANENTLY.  I'm still waiting for at least a band-aid, preferably a REAL FIX for why the connection keeps dropping on  my same printer.  CANON ARE YOU LISTENING?

[aieronimo]

For my MF445dw printer, this resolved the issue of the printer asking for a manual selection of paper tray before it would print.  However, the generic printer driver that installed did not allow for 2-sided printing.  I could not find another driver option that provided the 2-sided printing.

Instead, the solution posted below by deckNY on 02-02-2022 worked without having to change drivers.  Except that I did not have to follow deckNY's advice to change the weight of the paper from 20- to 17-pound bond paper; I just made his recommended setting changes on prioritizing driver settings.

[Dave98005]

I have a bradn new ImageClass MF746Cdw.  From the day I plugged it in and powered it up, every time I print I get a "load paper" error.  I've pulled and re-inserted teh tray.  I've powered down and back up.  I've unplugged, waited, and plugged back in.  Nothing seems to help. 

BUT, if I touch the drawer 1 display on the touch screen, it prints just fine.  I just don't like getting an error that isn't an error and then needing to mannually ask the printer to do what I have already asked it to do from my computer.

I've tried this with the sheet feeder open and closed.  It makes no difference.  Every print job results in a "load paper" error.  Is there a driver defect, or does the machine simply fail to detect the absence of paper, but agree to print when I manually override on the touch screen?  It should not work this way.

[deckNY · Accepted solution]

The problem has to do with the printer driver software overwriting the OS software (Mac or Windows). Go to the "Paper Settings" menu on the printer touchscreen. If you are using 20 lb bond paper for plain paper(like most office staff use), first change the paper type from "Plain 2" to "Plain 1", which is 17 lb bond paper (I know this sounded strange to me too!). Then go to the "Menu" on the main touchscreen, to "Function Settings", to "Printer" then "Printer Settings" then  to "Prioritize Driver Settings When Printing", then turn OFF Multi-Purpose Tray and turn ON Drawer 1. Return to Home screen and all will be well with the world again (LOL). Hope this helps anyone who was a frustrated by the whole issue as we were. Cheers!

[PJN2]

This corrected the issue. Thank you so much! You are a genius.

[aieronimo]

Yes, this worked!  Except that I did not have to follow the advice to change the weight of the paper from 20- to 17-pound bond.  Instead, I just made the recommended changes about prioritizing driver settings.

By the way, this problem only affected the Windows-based machine that I brought home from my office.  My home-based Mac did not have this problem.  That's a switch, since Canon software usually messes up more on the Mac than Windows side.

At any rate, thanks so much to deckNY for sharing his solution.  I never would have found it.  And having to walk over to my printer to push a button for tray selection on every single print job was incredibly annoying.  Thanks again!