Apple LaserWriter Pro 630 not printing ?????? 1

[DaveGoTech]

OK - here's a challenge for a sharp printer expert. A LW Pro 630 was connected to a Mac server via ethernet and working fine for years. 1 day it stopped working. When you power the printer ON, the printer goes through the normal self-test and initialization routine, except you never hear the laser scanner motor fire-up (the mechanism motor and fan do work). The printer goes READY as if everything is OK. If you send a print job from the server, the printer data LED blinks (as if receiving data), but nothing is ever printed. No error is displayed on the Server or the Printer. The blinking never stops until turned-off. Nothing is printed. We tried: a new laser scanner, board that drives the scanner, power supply, HV power supply, Apple logic board, fuser assembly and even the toner cartridge. Just to make sure nothing was getting burned-out, the parts were then installed into a working printer and they all work. I even tested all the door interlock switches. This 1 has me stumped! Had to eventually replace the printer with another and this 1 now sits idle, unless someone can shed some light on the problem.

 

[Guest_imported]

how are the printer and the server connected? Parallel, serial, ethernet? What queueing software are you using on the server? What kind of a server is it? Do the clients print to the laserwriter exclusively via the server or do you allow AppleTalk PAP (Printer Access Protocol) to the ethernet/localtalk interface?

 

[DaveGoTech]

The printer error has nothing to do with networks, serial, server, ethernet, Appletalk, etc. As mentioned above, the error is a printer initialization error, when not connected to anything. Thanks anyhow, but I don't think you'lll be able to help.

 

[Zelandakh]

What happens if you disconnect the printer from everything bar the mains before firing it up? (Unlikely)

I can't recall the 630 - corona wires problem?

Daft idea, can you do a test page print out? I know you tried sending a job, but doing a TP may work.

If you have got the old reset button on the back have you tried pressing that whilst switching on?

 

[gunthnp]

have you tryed a diag pulg to see what sub system it is and how about hough test pages did the you out
So long and thanks for all the fish.

 

[Guest_imported]

I have exactly the same problem with the LW 630.

The bottom of last page printed by the LW was vertically distorted, a problem never seen before. After that, it stopped working in the way you described.

It doesn’t matter which connection, driver or language you use, after the first job the data LED starts blinking until reset and nothing is ever printed.

If everybody has a solution for this problem, please let us know it here.

 

[Guest_imported]

What happens if you execute the printer diagnostic (jumper pins 7 and 9 on the I/O board DB-9 connector and switch on the printer)?

After two minutes the four LEDs are indicating the following errors:
[tt]
LED1 - LED2 - LED3 - LED4
OFF - ON - ON - OFF : Diagnostic Executing
ON - OFF - ON - OFF : I/O Board Error
ON - OFF - ON - ON : Fuser Assembly Error
ON - ON - OFF - OFF : Laser/Scanner Error
ON - ON - ON - OFF : Main Motor Error
OFF - OFF - OFF - ON : Fan Error
OFF - ON - OFF - OFF : ROM #1 Error
OFF - ON - OFF - ON : ROM #2 Error
ON - ON - OFF - ON : ROM #3 Error
OFF - ON - ON - ON : ROM #4 Error
ON - OFF - OFF - OFF : SIMM #1 Error
ON - OFF - OFF - ON : SIMM #2 Error
ON - ON - ON - ON : No Error Found
[/tt]
If the "diagnosting executing" LEDs persist longer than three minutes, an unknown error exists.

 

[Guest_imported]

I had a similar problem with my Laserwriter 12/640, and just figured it out!

The solution came when I was working with it in a silent room. I noticed
that there was a buzzing sound coming from the side of the printer. When I
noticed that it was coming from the unmoving fan, it occurred to me that the
sound was more like the sound of an electric motor which isn't able to move.

I opened the printer to attempt to get access to the fan, but there was no
way I was able to do that (have you ever seen the inside of this thing? It's
very complicated in there!). Looking through the fan grille, I saw that the
fan was choked with dust. I took some Q-Tips and poked them through the fan
grille to get out the biggest dust rhinos.

When I started the printer back up, the big difference I noticed right away
was that the fan started too! And boom, it spat out the test page almost
instantly, and every page I sent thereafter.

My attempt to clean out the printer was sufficient to get it working, but
it's far from all the way clean. When I get a chance in the new year, I'll
be taking it in for a good cleaning service.

 

[a3785]

I am having the same problem with my LaserWriter 630. Have you found what is causing it??
Thanks,
Ed

 

[Guest_imported]

I found the problem of my LW630. Executing diagnostic (see message of L. John) indicated a main motor error. Replacing the main motor fixed it, although the old motor seems to work well. Perhaps an electronic error on the small board mounted on motor.

John, thanks a lot for your posting.

 

[Guest_imported]

Hi,
I have a LaserWriter Pro 630 printer
and is connected to a Windows 2000 PC.
It had been printing fine until one day
it started printing the Postscript source code
for any graphical print I do through applications.
Anything (even test page) from the PC spits out
"
%!PS-Adobe-3.0
%%Title: Apple LaserWriter Pro 630, Job 2
%%Creator: Pscript.dll Version 5.0
%%CreationDate:...........

The Poscript Sources are obvious serval pages long.
What is wrong (I have tried removing and reinstalling
the printer several times bu no improvement)?

Any help or advice is much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[TexasMom]

DaveGoTech,
Does the LW630 have a filter assembly? I had the same problem with a LWIIf (if I remember correctly - was many years ago). The filter was changed by a tech and the printer began working again, for another year. then quit. By then we had switched the network to HP LW, so we just inventoried it. What I remember is that the filter is not easy to service and often overlooked.

 

[UIDzero]

I'm wondering if there is away to print a test page on the LaserWriter Pro with out it being hooked up to the computer/system. Much like the HP Lasers. If anyone could assist me, I'd appreciate any info.

 

[Guest_imported]

I'm having the same prob - I have a LW630 and the paper-out and paper-jam lights both stay on all the time. According to the manual (

http://developer.apple.com/techpubs/hardware/Developer_Notes/Printers/LaserWriter_Pro_600_630.pdf)

this means that 'the printer requires service'.

Does anyone know what needs to be done to the printer, because it doesn't even accept jobs over it's parallel port - the ready light doesn't flash, and the PC that it's connected to reports that 'the device is not connected'. I've tried a couple of different PCs (running Win2k and Win98), so I'm sure that the PCs are OK (they work fine with my old DeskJet anyway). If I print a test print (button inside manual feed flap) then it prints ok from the cassette.

 

[Guest_imported]

Found the problem with my LW630 - I hope this helps someone ;-).

The printer had *no* memory, so it wouldn't even complete diags (jumper serial conn pins 7&9) - it just displayed a green 'ready' light but wouldn't print anything other than the engine test print. I thought that these had memory soldered on-board rather than as SIMMs, which is why I hadn't checked it sooner. Ho hum. BTW, does anyone know if the single SIMM slot on the botton of the io card is for the standard memory - I've just installed a SIMM in slot 1 for now and it's working fine.

 

[Guest_imported]

Hi there in the Tech-forum!

I have the same Problem, an after check the servicemode, the 3 lamps flashing meen , the main Motor is def! I open the Printer and check the elecrical
parts for any broken pieces, but all is OK.
I replace the main-Motor M1 , and the Printer begins again to print.

greeting from europe

Klaus

 

[Guest_imported]

I have a Laserwriter Pro 630 and the paper being printed gets folded like a fan on the bottom half. Eventually it gets stuck and does not feed through.