My Star Printer has an error light.

Modified on Fri, 13 Oct, 2023 at 10:00 PM

If your printer has an error light flashing on the front, the specific sequence of those LED lights is communicating the cause of the issue.

Recoverable Errors

These are errors that can be resolved with the recommended fix or general troubleshooting below.

Power light	Error light	Beep code	Issue description	Recommended fix
On	On	Continuous	The top cover of the paper tray is not closed.	Close and latch the top cover of the printer. If the cover is securely latched the printer may be faulty.
On	Flashing On 1 sec Off 1 sec	4 short beeps repeated twice.	Paper end error	Replace the paper roll in the printer. Be sure to remove the plastic core from the previous roll before installing the new roll. Paper feeds from the bottom of the roll. Consult the supported printers page for paper specifications for your printer.
On	Flashes On: 0.5 sec. Off: 0.5 sec.	3 short beeps	Black mark detection error	This error can be caused by paper jams as well as incorrect receipt roll sizes.
On	Flashes On: 0.25 sec. Off: 0.25 sec.	2 short beeps	Mechanical error (other than cutter)	This error is usually caused by a paper jam. Turn the power OFF, clear the jammed paper then power back ON. If the issue persists, you may attempt to clean the paper roller on the lid using isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth.
On	Flashes On: 0.125 sec. Off: 0.125 sec.	3 short beeps	Cutter error (on models with cutter)	On printers equipped with a paper cutter, the printer will error if the cutter becomes jammed, stuck or fails to operate. Ensure the paper path is clear of jams, shut off the printer and power back on. The error should clear upon power-up. If the error does not clear, the printer may be faulty.
Flashes On: 0.5 sec. Off: 0.5 sec.	On	Continuous	The front cover (if equipped) is not closed.	The SP700 impact printer has a second cover on the top of the printer in front of the paper compartment lid. This cover is opened during the installation of the ink ribbon for this printer. The cover must be closed to resolve this error.
Flashes On: 1 sec. Off: 1 sec.	Off	None	High head temperature detected	Thermal printers use a heated pin array to print on heat-sensitive thermal receipt paper. If the head becomes too hot, the printer will shut down to allow the head to cool to a safe temperature. The error is normal under very heavy use conditions or where the ambient temperature is extremely hot. This is a normal error in those cases. The printer will recover when the head has cooled sufficiently.
Flashes On: 2 sec. Off: 2 sec.	Off	None	High board temperature detected	The printers motherboard is too hot. The printer will shutdown to prevent damage to the board. This is unusual unless the printer is located in an unusually hot location or in direct sunlight. Ensure the printer is in a clean, dry and cool location if possible. The printer will recover when the board has cooled sufficiently.
Flashes at 0.125-second intervals	Flashes at 0.125-second intervals	None	Link disconnection detection (IP Address lost)	Ethernet printers which fail to obtain an IP address once attached to a working ethernet cable will display this error. Ensure the ethernet cable is connected to a working port, that the router is not restricted or otherwise ignoring the device and that sufficient IP addresses in the POS network are available. This error does not indicate a fault in the printer.
Flashes at 2-second intervals	Flashes at 2-second intervals	None	Link disconnection detection (Physical link disconnection)	This error occurs only with an Ethernet printer in which the network cable is unplugged or is severed. Connect a known-working cable from the network router to the printer and re-check. If the problem replacement cable does not resolve, try a different port on the network router. Should the issue persist, the printer may be faulty.

Non-recoverable Errors

Non-recoverable errors are major faults in the device which will require replacement. There are no fixes available for the below issues.

Power light	Error light	Beep code	Issue Description
Off	Flashes: (On: 1 sec. Off: 1 sec.)	None	Flash memory write error
Off	Flashes: (On: 0.25 sec./ Off: 0.25 sec.)	2 short beeps	Thermistor failure error
Off	Flashes: (On: 2 sec./ Off: 2 sec.)	None	Power supply error
Off	On	One long beep (2 sec.)	CPU error
Off	On	None	RAM read/write error

If you do not see your error here or if you want to research your printer model error lights further you can refer to the Star Micronics error code guide.