In article , Lobster davidlobsterpot601
@hotmail.com writes

I currently have an old LaserJet 5 printer - bought it off ebay for
about £35 delivered a few months ago and have been delighted with it
(not least of which because I can get original HP toner carts for it via
the same route for a tenner - many thousands of sheets of paper later
and I'm still on the first cart - what's not to like?!)

Nothing at all. I love those old HPs, they just keep going.

Unfortunately it's just developed a paper jam error and I'm wondering if
any of the IT gurus here might be able to advise?

Not unusual. The paper feed rollers age and become hard, which causes
jams. The most common are failure to pick paper up and failure to eject
it (the exit rollers begin to turn slower than the fuser and the paper
"concertinas" and jams.)

It's gone straight
from never jamming at all, to doing so 100% of the time: the paper is
picked up OK but jams just before it enters the fuser assembly.

It never actually enters the fuser?

I've been trawling the net for solutions; best site appears to be
www.fixyourownprinter.com

It is a very good site and I can recommend them. I have a LJ4m at a
remote site which began jamming the paper on entry; fixed that with the
appropriate kit, then it started jamming on exit (grr) and the kit to
fix that is sitting by my foot as I type. It comes with (a not very
clear) video CD showing how to strip the printer and fit the new parts.
fixyourownprinter ships from the US but the parts arrived very quickly
in my case.

which (I think) seems to be suggesting paper
sensors; if that's the case I can't find them!

Hmm. It could just be that the paper is moving too slowly (because of
slipping rollers) and isn't reaching the fuser when the electronics
expect to see it. There is a paper sensor switch in the fuser. Has
anyone ripped the paper out of the printer? That's fatal to sensors.

I think in your case the first thing I would try is a kit of pickup/feed
rollers. Some of them are very easy to fit (e.g. pickup roller), but
unfortunately the feed roller is a swine to fit.

One last thing: try another cartridge first.

--
Mike Tomlinson