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Conference noted::windows95

Title:Microsoft Windows 95 ("Chicago")
Notice:Please read topics 1 to 22 before writing anything
Moderator:EEMELI::BACKSTROM
Created:Mon Nov 14 1994
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2958
Total number of notes:19968

2881.0. "Problem with HP inkjet printer" by CADSYS::GROSS (The bug stops here) Thu Mar 27 1997 14:34

My printer stopped working last night. My wife was using PrintShop
to make a birthday card and she was hitting keys on the keyboard while
the card was printing. The printer stopped 1/2 way through and it
hasn't worked since. I am wondering whether the problem is hardware
or software.

Is there some key combination my wife could have hit that would
screw up the printer driver permanently? It is an HP 855C. I have
tried a cold reboot and that doesn't fix it. I have used the HP
utilities to test two-way communication with the printer -- that
works fine right after a reboot, but fails if I try to print something
first. It won't print a test page. Whenever I try to print anything
the printer motor starts up but it doesn't try to feed a sheet of paper
and it just sits there with an amber light flashing. Eventually the
motor shuts down and the light continues to flash. At this point
the printer driver thinks the printer is busy and never recovers.

Is it worth reinstalling the printer driver? Or should I just take the
printer to the shop (it is covered under the store's waranty)?

Thanks in advance...

Dave
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
2881.1Bypass the printer driver to see if the printer's brokenSMURF::PBECKWho put the bop in the hale-de-bop-de-bop?Thu Mar 27 1997 15:089
    You can pretty much eliminate any issues with the printer driver
    this way: create a small text file with a FF at the end, boot up raw
    DOS, COPY file.txt LPT1: , and see if anything comes out. This
    doesn't involve the Windows print driver (or any printer-specific
    code at all to speak of). 
    
    If the printer doesn't work in this case, and jiggling connections
    (cable between computer and printer, for example) doesn't help, I'd
    probably take the printer to the shop.
2881.2LEFTY::CWILLIAMSCD or not CD, that's the questionThu Mar 27 1997 16:306
    Also, check the printer manual for a self test process. Most of the HP
    printers I've owned have a button sequence which forces a self test
    page to be printed... If that does not work, then it is repair time.
    
    Chris
    
2881.3WRKSYS::TATOSIANThe Compleat TanglerFri Mar 28 1997 02:432
    And if you haven't done it yet, unplug the printer from the wall and
    then plug it back in again, then give it another go...
2881.4The printer is a sick puppyCADSYS::GROSSThe bug stops hereFri Mar 28 1997 11:3410
The printer failed the self-test. I took it to the shop and (to my
relief :-) it failed the self-test again at the repair desk.

For what it's worth, self-test on the 850/855C is initiated by
pressing the pause button for 3 seconds until the amber light
starts to flash.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Dave
2881.5No problem foundCADSYS::GROSSThe bug stops hereThu Apr 03 1997 12:5512
My printer returned from the shop with the notation "no problem found".
Indeed, I plugged it in and it worked, so the problem wasn't software.
Along the way, I completely detached the printer cable so maybe jiggling
both ends made a difference.

However...I tried the self-test at the store and it seemed unusually
slow. At home I tried printing a message from inside Eudora Light and
that was extremely slow too. (But MSWORKS printed at normal speed.)
If these symptoms don't sound familiar to anyone I'll just accept that
that's the way it is.

Dave
2881.6Much too slowCADSYS::GROSSThe bug stops hereFri Apr 04 1997 12:5813
It now takes over 1/2 hour to print one page from Printshop. I think
it's going back to the shop. I tried reloading the printer driver -
no help. I tried some suggestions I found on HP's web site to cure
slow printing - no help (but it did lead me to save many mega-bytes
of hard drive space devoted to .TMP files). The printer acts like it
has an internal clock that is running 10 times slower than normal.

There is one more thing to try. On the HP web site I found out that
this printer has a "diagnostic" test feature in addition to the self-test.
I haven't tried it, but you hold the power button and tap the pause
button 5 times to initiate the diagnostic test.

Dave
2881.7Printer fixedCADSYS::GROSSThe bug stops hereThu Apr 10 1997 13:2411
I got my printer back last night. The analysis was "defective
ink cartridge". I was skeptical but the technician DID pick out
the cartridge that was replaced recently (the one for black ink)
and he had no way of knowing that. I put in a new cartridge and
the printer is back to normal.

I got the defective cartridge from Comp USA. They wouldn't take it
back without a receipt so now I have to write to HP and hope they
will take it back.

Dave