If your Xerox AltaLink B8100/C8100 Series copier is displaying a "Replace Drum" message or you're starting to notice streaks, faded prints, or a decline in image quality, it may be time to replace one of the drum units. While replacing a drum might sound like a job for a technician, Xerox designed the process so users can complete it themselves with just a few careful steps.

The drum is one of the most important imaging components inside your copier. It works with the toner to transfer text and images onto the page. Because the drum experiences wear with every print, it eventually reaches the end of its service life. When that happens, the copier will notify you that it's time for a replacement to help maintain consistent print quality.

Are you seeing the 'Replace Waste Toner Container' message on your printer and wondering if it's time for a technician? Do you have documents waiting in the queue or employees relying on the copier?

Fortunately, replacing the waste toner container on a Xerox AltaLink B8100/C8100 Series copier is pretty simple. However, you need to be careful to remove the full container so it doesn’t tip and spill loose toner inside the machine or around your office.

The waste toner container collects excess toner that is removed during normal printing. Once the container reaches capacity, the copier alerts you that it needs to be replaced. Continuing to use a full container can lead to toner overflow, internal buildup, or the machine stopping until a replacement is installed.

 Regardless of your printer type, regular cleaning helps keep it running smoothly and can prevent common issues like poor print quality, paper jams, and dirty scans. However, it’s important to know how to clean properly, as doing it incorrectly can damage your printer. 

We’ve maintained and repaired printers for over 40 years.  In this guide, we'll share what we know about safely cleaning both the inside and outside of your printer using manufacturer-recommended best practices. While many of the examples come from our experience with Xerox equipment, these general cleaning methods can apply to most printer brands.

You'll also learn when your printer needs cleaning, the difference between cleaning an inkjet and laser printer, common mistakes to avoid, and what to do if cleaning doesn't solve the problem.

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If you've searched for office printers recently, you've probably come across comments suggesting that Xerox isn't what it used to be. Some people even ask whether the company is going out of business.

Xerox doesn't dominate technology headlines the way it did decades ago, and today's office printing market looks very different from what it was 40 years ago. Businesses print fewer pages than they once did while digital document workflows have become the norm.

Given this, it's easy to assume that these changes mean Xerox is in decline.

As a print vendor for over 40 years, we've seen the printing industry change quite a bit. One thing we've learned is that a company doesn't have to dominate headlines to remain successful. Oftentimes, long-term success comes from adapting to changing customer needs rather than trying to stay in the spotlight.

In our opinion, that's exactly what's happened with Xerox.

If you’ve ever hit 'Print' and watched your document seemingly vanish, it’s probably just sitting in the printer queue.

Printer queues work behind the scenes every time you print a document. Understanding how they work, whether you're printing a single PDF at home or managing multiple office printers, can help you troubleshoot delays and keep work moving.

In the 40 years we’ve been servicing printers, we've seen how something as simple as a poorly managed print queue can slow down an entire workflow.

In this article, we’ll explain what a printer queue is, how it works, and why print jobs sometimes get stuck.

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