View Full Version : Printer partial failure.
Ignition Override
30th Nov 2005, 05:41
Hello-if your printer has enough paper for the job and prints sheets of DOS gibberish (an ancient, dead language?), what can be done?
Restarting does not help. Pushing/resetting all printer buttons doesn't help. :=
OX-27
30th Nov 2005, 08:29
Have you tried re-installing the printer drivers?
After a printer 'glitch' there are sometimes items left in the printer queue, and they can be difficult to 'delete'. I find when this happens, a few cycles of ON/OFF on the printer and then a sheet of scrap paper and a cup of coffee work. I have not found another way, although I guess a restart would do it? Any gurus know if a 'log off' in XP would sort it?
Hew Jaz
30th Nov 2005, 09:05
Usually there is a printer icon in the bottom right of the task bar. Right clicking on it will open it, and it is then possible to delete any items in the queue.
In my limited experience though, I would tend to go with the suggestion of re-installing the drivers.
Conan the Librarian
30th Nov 2005, 23:29
If the printer is still talking boll*x, then it is most likely that the spool still has documents trying to print. You need to get to the spool and clear any outstanding docs and then all will be fine.
Conan
Oggin Aviator
1st Dec 2005, 00:39
If the original document has been sent to the printer, depending on its internal memory configuration, logging off Wondors XP may not delete it. Best advice I think is to shut down the printer for a while, shutdown the PC and reboot then turn on the printer and see what happens. Other option is to get a ream of paper and just let it do its stuff, turning over and feeding back in the printed gibberish pages once the ream runs out !!
Reinstalling the drivers is the option if this problem is happening all the time.
Ignition Override
1st Dec 2005, 05:14
Thanks much for the info. Our hard-drive was just out of the warranty period and my wife had to replace it while I was gone, yesterday! She has more luck with the printer but I will keep your comments.
Ausatco
2nd Dec 2005, 10:38
Depending on how much memory there is in the printer, you may end up with part of your print job in the printer's buffer and part in the PC's printer queue.
If that is the case, turning your printer off and on will probably clear your printer's buffer. When it powers back up the PC will communicate with it and send the next part of the job from the PC's queue to to the printer, but because the printer was turned off it has "lost its marbles" in relation to converting the digital gibberish from the PC into a printable image.
So you need to empty BOTH the PC's printer queue and the printer's own buffer.
Options:
1 Open the print queue from the system tray and cancel the print job. Then reset the printer.
2 Switch off printer and shut down PC and restart everything.
AA