Printer Issues

• Questions to ask it the printer isn't printing or printing incorrectly.
  
  
  • Does Windows see the printer.
  • Is the printer setup correctly by selecting the correct:
    
    
    • Model
    • Port
    
    
  • Will a Test Page print.
  • Can you print from Notepad and/or Wordpad.
    
    Note: I had one instance where the person could print from Word but not from Wordpad. Once they removed the printer and drives then reinstalled the printer the printer worked correctly.
    
    
  • If it's a network printer, is the connection active.
    
  • If it's a network printer going to an IP address is the cable going directly into the printer or through a printer server.
    
    In either case they should have installed software on the workstations in order for the computer to see the printer correctly.
    
  
  
• Printer Priority - If more than (1) printer is set to port LPT1. DOS print jobs may end up going to the wrong printer or not printing at all. By setting a priority you can tell windows which printer to print to first. You can set the priority for each printer or just set the printers you don't want to print to a higher priority.
  
  Printer Properties -> Advanced (Tab) -> Priority Field
  
  Note: Windows XP will alphabetically select the printer to print to, if the priority is the same for more than (1) printer.
  
  
• Spool 32 Message While Trying to Print
  1. Click on Start -> Settings -> Printers
  2. Highlight the printer and Right Click
  3. Click on Properties
  4. Click on the Details Tab
  5. Click on the Spool Settings Button
  6. Change the Spool Data Format to RAW
  7. Click on OK to save and exit back to the Windows Desk Top

  If this doesn't help then try:
  
  

  1. Click on Start -> Settings -> Printers
  2. Highlight the printer and Right Click
  3. Click on Properties
  4. Click on the Details Tab
  5. Click on the Spool Settings Button
  6. Enable Start printing after last page is spooled
  7. Click on OK to save and exit back to the Windows Desk Top

  If this doesn't help then try:
  
  

  1. Click on Start -> Settings -> Printers
  2. Highlight the printer and Right Click
  3. Click on Properties
  4. Click on the Details Tab
  5. Click on the Spool Settings Button
  6. Enable Print Directly to the Printer
  7. Click on OK to save and exit back to the Windows Desk Top

• Print Subsystem is Unavailable - The Print Spooler Service is not running.
  
  Start -> Setting -> Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Services
  
  Scroll through the list and find Print Spooler. Check to make sure the Status says started. If its off double click on Print Spooler to bring up the properties window. Look under Service Status and click on Start. Also make sure Statup Type is set to automatic. Then click OK.
  
  Check to make sure the computer now sees the printer and print a test page. If this works reboot the computer to make sure it starts up again normally.
  

• PC XL Errors

  This error usually occurs with HP printers. Try the Spool 32 fixes first to see if this solves the problem. If the problem persists then check to see if the port is set to a Printer Port (LPT1) or ECP Printer Port (LPT1). If it is set to ECP Port then follow the steps below to change it to a standard Printer Port.
  
  Note: You may need the Windows CD-ROM during these steps, so find it before continuing.
  
  

  1. Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> System
  2. Click on the Device Manager tab
  3. Find Ports (COM & LPT) and click on the (+) in front of it.
  4. Double click on ECP Printer Port
  5. Click on the Driver tab
  6. Click on the Update Driver button
  7. Select No, select driver from list and click Next
  8. Select Current Drive and click Next
  9. Select Show all hardware this will bring up a list of Manufactures
  10. In the Manufactures box select Standard Port Types. In the Models box select Printer Port and then click Next
      
      At this point you need the Windows CD-ROM.
      
      
  11. Once the systems in done installing the port click Finish.
  
  
• DOS version of the program will not print to all USB printers. Many of the newer printers do not support DOS print commands.
  
  Look in the various section for details on getting a USB printer to work.
  
  Here is a list of by manufacture.
  
  
  • Cannon: Any newer model printer will not work. The only ones that will work per Cannon are listed below.
    
    
    • BJC-600 series
    • BJC-200 series
    • BJC-4000 series
    • BJC-50
    • BJC-70
    • BJC-80
    
    
  • HP: Most laserjet and inkjet printers seem to work, but not all. The ones listed below will not work per HP.
    
    
    • Any multifunction printer. (ie: one that prints, faxes and scans)
    • HP Deskjet 3845
    • HP LaserJet 1000 Series - 1018, 1020 and 1022. They are Host Based printers. In other words the printer has no built in drivers, they relay on Windows to format the print job.
  
  
• Print Last Page First
  
  This is strictly a function of the print driver. Our system has no way to print this way. The person needs to look under the Printer Properties for this setting.
  
  
  1. Setup -> Settings -> Printers
  2. Right Click on the printer and select Properties
  3. Look for a checkbox that says something like Reverse Print or Start Printing from Last Page.
     
     It maybe on a Layout (Tab) or Advanced Settings off Print Preferences. It is different for every manufacture.