With most printers, over 50% of all problems are customer fixable. This guide was created to help bail you out when you get stuck on tough printing problems. NOTE: If you need specific information or help with a particular printer, please contact the printer manufacturer.You troubleshoot printing issues like you would any other computer/network related problem. You start at a general point and rule out the possibilities until you have the specific cause. The first question that you need to answer is: "Is the problem hardware, software, network or performance related?".Hardware:First make sure that the printer is on and that it is in "ready" position.
Make sure that there are no error messages on the LEDs or LCD if applicable. Now complete the following steps:
If it still doesn't print, many printers have a special reset often referred to as an NVRAM reset. NVRAM stands for Non-volitile RAM and is where a printer may store a variety of information including network settings, ripped print jobs and more. Sometimes a piece of corrupted information from a bad print job can "confuse" a printer and cause it to hang. Sometimes an NVRAM reset will flush this bad information and restore the printer. It may also wipe all of your network/printer settings so you should contact the printer manufacturer before doing this.
If this procedure doesn't fix the problem, then call for service.
Almost all printers have "consumable items" or CRCs. These are parts of the printer that are customer replaceable and have a lifespan, which means that they aren't intended to last forever. On a laser printer these may include a fuser, photo-receptor, scorotron charger, toner cartridges and more. It is a good idea to keep spares of these parts on hand for troubleshooting reasons. You can save a lot of time and headache waiting for a technician, by swapping these parts one at a time and seeing if it cures the problem.
Make sure that you run about 20 test pages after inserting a new CRC and see if there is improvement. Sometimes hardware failures can leave messes that have to be "mopped up" with quite a few test pages. If these steps do not cure the problem, then contact the manufacturer for further assistance.
Once you have answered this question, the following steps should get you on your way.ISSUE IS AFFECTING 1 OR SOME PCs:
Try the driver test page that can be printed from the properties dialogue box for the printer. Does this print? If "no" go to step 2. If "yes" then it is probably a problem.
For example: if the printer has an IP address, can you ping it? If it is Appletalk, does it show up in the chooser? Many printers have an internal "configuration page" that can be printed that will list the network addresses and available protocols. This can often be found on an LCD when applicable. If the answer is "no", go to step 3. Find out what is acting as the print server for the printer. Some printers act as their own print server and others will print through a Novell queue, Windows LPR port or jet direct box.
Try sending the test page and see if it makes it to this device. Does the job show up in the Novell queue? Does it appear in the NT queue? If the job doesn't appear in the queue, go to step 4. If the job is making it to the queue but not to the printer, Make sure that this is the same queue that the other PCs are printing to. If so, then quite frankly there is something very goofy going on if this is the only PC having the problem. Get the classifieds and look for another job.
This is almost always a driver configuration issue. It usually means that the driver is not pointing to the correct port, print server or queue. Go to another PC and check the network settings for the printer in question. Go back to the ailing PC and delete the printer. Reinstall the printer and insert the correct network path, port or queue, depending on how you are connected.
Make sure that this user has appropriate permissions to use this resource.
If not, then make sure that the printer is on the network. Check cabling, network addressing/configuration, etc. Check the cabling by connecting a known working device to the network drop that the printer is on and see if you are able to communicate with it. If not, then get a new cable. If you can see another device on this drop, their may be a hardware problem with the printer.
Although it is rare, network cards do fail.
If "no", continue reading. If the test page doesn't print from the print server, it means that the print server probably isn't properly configured for that printer which would obviously prevent anyone else from being able to print to it. Check the type of printer port or queue that you have configured and make sure that it is correctly pointing at the printer.
Does the job show up in the Novell queue? Does it appear in the NT queue? If the job appears in the queue, go back to step 2 as something is either wrong at the print server or all of the PCs are pointing to the wrong queue on the print server.
Below are some of the fundamental questions that should be asked early in a problem investigation.POSTSCRIPT TECHNIQUES/QUESTIONS:
Consult your printer manufacturer.
do this?
You may have to get a network sniffer or network monitoring software to check this. If you are using an external print server such as a Jet Direct box, consider the fact that you actually have a parallel connection to the printer which has a slower transfer rate than a network connection. The parallel connection from the print server to the printer is a bottleneck. Some printers are now supporting 100baseT connections which may help in this area.PROCESSING TIME:The processing that occurs on a printer is called Raster Image Processing(RIP). This is the process of the printer converting the file sent into image data that the printer uses to "paint a picture" on the page.
If this process appears to be slow, the first thing to consider is the size of the file being sent. If you are sending a 5mb file, it is going to take some time to process. Note: In order to view the true size of the file being processed by the printer, you must print to file and then find the size of the file after it has been run through the driver. PostScript files can be as much as 3x larger than the original file. Send over a simple notepad file with the word "test" on it and see if there is a significant difference.
Find out if the printer's memory is upgradable. This can help with processing times. Most printers have different print quality settings specified by dots per inch(DPI). File sizes will typically be larger when higher resolutions are selected.PRINT TIME:The print speed that is quoted by the manufacturer does not include transfer or processing time. It only includes print engine speed once the job is processed.
If the printer handles multiple paper sizes, the print speed probably is referring to the speed for the smallest paper size. If you are printing on pages larger than 8.5x11 inches, the print speed will be slower. If it is a color printer, find out if there are different speed capabilities for color and monochrome. Most printers have different print quality settings specified by dots per inch(DPI). Printers will typically print slower in higher resolutions..
7 Seconds Resources, Inc. publishes helpful technology web sites including mcmcse.com, a premier destination for free computer certification training materials. Our sister site, TechTutorials.com provides a database of thousands of free technology tutorials.RXG Systems Announces Release of Elite Mail Server? 1.0 for November 1, 2003
Elite Mail Server? combines both the software and hardware necessary for a complete corporate email solution. Ease of setup, administration, maintenance and unlimited users are key selling points. RXG Systems offers pre-configuration at no cost as well as a complimentary maintenance/support plan for one year. Elite Mail Server? features include:* Standard POP3/IMAP Accounts * SMTP Relay with Access Control * WebMail with Calendar* LDAP Based Address Books* Shared Folders via IMAP and WebMail * Aliases (forwarders) * Auto Responders * Anti Spam/Anti Virus Controls* Web Updates * Administration through Secure Web Interface* LCD Panel for easy initial setup and ongoing status In addition to Elite Mail Server? RXG Systems has also developed a unique service called Elite Backup?. This is an add-on feature to Elite Mail Server? used to backup data stored on the Elite Mail Server? system.
Backups occur on a nightly basis over the internet. No user intervention is required."Many companies...
RXG Systems Announces Release of Elite Mail Server? 1.0 for November 1, 2003
Digital Or Film?
For many, digital photography is a breath of fresh air, but be wary - believing our landscape images will
be superior could be a serious blunder.
Having lost count of the number of people who have asked me: "have you gone digital?" I am always left
wondering why it's such a much-asked question. The camera is only a tool in which a photographer creates an image. His personal ability to create a unique image remains the same.
For many forms of photography, digital has long held obvious advantages, but for landscapes the resolution necessary to make larger prints just wasn't available. But things have changed and digital cameras are fast becoming the tools that most pros use.
Modern digital cameras are perfectly capably of matching the 35 mm film - the format which most landscape photographers begin with.
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Digital Or Film?
HI-POD X2 Goal Camera Captures Adidas Global Soccer Tournament USA Finals
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HI-POD's new X2 GOAL CAMERA unit was up to the task. The HI-POD X2 extends up to 25 feet. It provides a stadium-like shot without a stadium. The unit provides total touch control of pan, tilt, and zoom, as well as an eye level LCD monitor so that even a novice can operate the unit in less than 5 minutes. And now that the HI-POD X2 has introduced its patented spring-retraction handle...
HI-POD X2 Goal Camera Captures Adidas Global Soccer Tournament USA Finals
CompAmerica Announces the Wonder PC, at $299 (and up) an Amazing Price Breakthrough
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CompAmerica Announces the Wonder PC, at $299 (and up) an Amazing Price Breakthrough
7 Tips for Shooting Great Digital Photos
Do you have trouble shooting good digital photos? Perhaps you've been taking digital photos for some time, but never really got the beautiful shots you wanted. Maybe you somehow messed up the photos you took of important events, like your daughter's birthday or your trip to Paris.How do you begin to take good photos? Well, the first thing to remember is this: It's the photographer that takes great photos, not the camera. Think about that for a minute. It's true isn't it? I've seen some people take great photos with a simple point-and-shoot camera, while some take lousy shots with the most expensive SLR.Fret not! Read these tips on shooting digital photos and apply them the next time you have a chance. Before long, you'll be shooting photos like a pro!1.
Know Your CameraDoes this sound familiar? You buy the latest digital camera out there, come home, rip off the box, then proceed to fiddle with the device. You briefly flick through the hundred page camera manual and then never...
7 Tips for Shooting Great Digital Photos
'Xtreme Cyber Mania at Navy Pier Chicago' DDR Dance Dance Revolution & Halo 2 Competition featured in the largest public venue in the United States
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Xtreme Cybermania 2005-2006 will feature its innovative Gamer Table with NEC LCD 32" Displays for an enriched gamer experience in conjunction with both Microsoft Xbox and Nintendo GameCube consoles. Spectators can enjoy viewing NEC LCD 46" Displays. See both the real-time videogame and the gamer's elation and chagrin during competitions on our split-screen vivid displays.
Witness the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat! Demonstrate your gamer skills...
'Xtreme Cyber Mania at Navy Pier Chicago' DDR Dance Dance Revolution & Halo 2 Competition featured in the largest public venue in the United States
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