To print using your Brother laser printer you will need both a toner cartridge and a DR3000 drum unit. Changing the toner cartridge in your printer is simple and your printer checks out key parts of the toner cartridge to determine how full or empty it is. It is however a very different story when it comes to replacing a DR3000 drum unit and your printer will need to be told a new drum has been installed so that it can reset a counter internally that estimates drum life. If the reset is not performed then the “CHANGE DRUM SOON” message will remain.
Our advice is to carry on using your current drum unit for as long as possible but replacing the DR3000 and resetting the counter once the quality of your prints begins to deteriorate.
Will this reset work on my printer?
The steps detailed below have been confirmed for the following printers:
Brother MFC-8220, MFC-8440, MFC-8840D, MFC-8840DN
How to Reset a Brother DR3000 Drum Counter
- Open the cover on the front of the printer.

- Remove the drum unit.
- Re-install the drum unit.
- Press the Clear/Back button.

- Lastly press 1 to reset the counter.

- Firmly close the printers front cover again.
The counter should now be reset. If the “CHANGE DRUM SOON” message is still present then please run through the steps above carefully again.
I hope you have found this brief guide useful. If you have anything to add or have any further questions please let us know in the comments below.







