A technician receives a report that the pages coming out of a laser printer are smearing when touched. Which of the following components should the technician check FIRST to resolve this issue?

The drum is responsible for holding the electrostatic image and transferring toner to the paper; a defective drum typically causes streaks, spots, or missing print, not smearing.

The fuser unit uses heat and pressure to permanently bond toner particles to the paper; if the fuser is defective, worn, or not reaching proper temperature, the toner remains as loose powder on the page surface and smears when handled. This is the definitive symptom of a fuser failure in a laser printer and is distinct from symptoms caused by other components. Replacing or inspecting the fuser assembly resolves this issue.

The pickup roller feeds paper from the tray into the printer; failure of this component causes paper feed jams or misfeeds, not smeared output.

The corona wire (or charge roller) applies a uniform electrical charge to the drum; issues with it cause faded, uneven, or missing print rather than smearing of properly placed toner.