Ditto. My printer is saying "Drum Cartridge, replace soon" but it's printing just fine and the cartridge costs almost as much as the printer! How can I reset the counter??
What I have found so far it that there are a couple of steps that you need to take. One is mechanical and easy to do. The other is electronic and I am still trying to figure it out.
The drum cartridge collects and stores all of the excess toner. It really does fill up. If you look on the sides of the cartridge, on the end that you insert into the printer first, you will notice two caps (one on each side) that are secured with one screw. They have a green arrow on them.
Open one and empty the toner (be careful there will be a lot). Close that side back up and repeat on the other side.
Now look at the middle of that same end of the cartridge. You will see a clear plastic "nipple" that looks something like a Christmas light. When the cartridge is full of toner, it pushes down an opaque piece that evidently blocks light and presumably informs the printer that it is full. There is a small hole in the end of the "nipple". Use a small paper clip and push it back up inside.
If you are lucky, your toner was simply deactivated because it was full and you will now be able to use it again.
If not, it is the result of the "life chip" on the left side of the cartridge. You will see it as a round black plastic disk. Use the tip of a sharp pen knife and pop it out. It appears to be a passive RFID device with antenna. By the way, they are the same devices as are used in the ends of the toner cartridges but they are not programmed the same. This is what I am still trying to circumvent.
The quickest fix is to buy one on eBay for about $15. Still cheaper than a new drum cartridge but it is the principle of the thing.
I cannot stand the idea that a manufacturer can "decide" that we need to spend more money on consumables when the unit is perfectly fine!
I cannot get the old yellow toner cartridge out of my Dell 3100cn! I've followed the directions but I'm afraid to pull too hard and break something. Is there a trick to this that I'm missing? Thank you.
Thanks to this thread I bought the chip for $15 instead of a new drum for my 3100cn. Cleaned the dust, replaced the chip and it appears to be all good!
the chip of the drum (i.e. not the cartridge) needs to be replaced by a fresh one to prevent the drum having to be discarded way too soon, so there is no need to worry about the cartridge, you can use it until it's empty
Awesome. I emptied out the used toner on both sides of the drum. Popped out the old drum chip, and inserted a new one I got of eBay for $15. Works like a charm.
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