Deskjet 420, keeps saying I'm out of paper

[BDAWBTP]

I hope someone can figure this out for me.
I don't know how this started, but the printer was working fine. then all of a sudden I kept getting the message that I am out of paper. I bought a new cable, bi-directional,and that didn't work. I tried updated drivers from the HP website, I even tried the ones that came with the printer.

I deleted the printer then reinstalled it.
Is there something internal on the printer that could be causing this?
It's getting pretty frustrating.

[Colt357@LA]

I hope i am wrong, but the paper sensor on the feeding mechanism probably faulty (i had a problem with my old one), repair runs about $50 for parts and labor in LA area. good luck.

[darrelld]

Isn't that a fairly old printer? You may have reached it's lifespan.

[BDAWBTP]

I've had it for close to two years now. Guess it's time to put it out to pasture.

Can't see spending $50 on a repair when I only paid $80 for it.

Any suggestions on a reliable printer that won't break the bank?
Thanks for the info.

[bdunn]

On some of the old HPs you can get around this. I had a real old deskjet where the sensor died and rather than repair it, I was a starving student at the time, I shorted the sensor out. The only problem after that is it would not stop when it ran out of paper it would continue to print on the printers innards.