nitrocpl wrote:I fixed it! I fixed it! I've had the same 'no scanning, no copying' on my HP Officejet 4500 for a long time. I'm not sure what I did to fix it. (sorry) I took the printer apart. Removed just 6 screws and was able to access the 'bulb area'. I thought the problem was that the printer did not sense enough heat from the bulb, preventing copying & scanning. I removed the ribbon connector from the under the control panel, you know, the panel with the numbers, etc. I felt that the ribbon was loose. Anyway, I pulled the ribbon from the console and then re-inserted it. Without putting the printer back together, I scanned and printed a document. It worked. I put the printer back together and now I can copy & print. (I don't fax) Good luck.
Thanks for your useful post...it put me on the right track. In my case the problem wasn't the ribbon under the control panel but the one to the rear which is connected directly scanner bed. Just pulled it out and pushed it back in and voilà...it works!
Also, in addition to the 6 screws around the perimeter of the scanner bed, there's one behind the print cartridge door, just to the right of the control panel.
Thanks again!