CAN’T “SEND” DATA TO PRINTER 2

[brubray]

CAN’T “SEND” DATA TO PRINTER
My wife’s printer just stopped working. She has a Canon BJC 620 tied to an AMD 1.333 using Windows 98SE.
All the printer “tests” work fine, prints good on test procedures. But error code says “CHECK PRINTER/CABLE” when I send a page to the printer.
Print jobs get to the “Microsoft Windows Printing System for the Canon BJC 620” but there seems to be no signal sent on to the printer.
I’ve reinstalled the printer driver and the above Microsoft software and it still doesn’t work.
I swapped my own computer’s printer and printer cable for hers. They work on my computer but not on hers.
I thought there might be a problem with the parallel printer port but that seems very unlikely to be the problem.

Any ideas?

 

[chaps]

We suggest that you go into the control panel under system and look at the properties of your printer port.
Make sure there are no errors listed. Also you can look under system tools properties and check IRQ’s to see if there is a conflict. But I suspect that the problem is an incorrect bios setting. Go into bios and look at the settings for your parallel port, also look at the printer data and see what is recommended. You will have several choices in bios e.g. SPP-standard Parallel port, ECP-Extended Capabilities Port, EPP-Enhanced Parallel port. The settings make a difference in how of if your printer will function. On some older machines the on board parallel port chip is not capable of good operation with some of the newer printers. I once had to install a parallel port PCI slot card on an older machine my wife was using in order to get the printer and scanner to work properly. I hope that this information is helpful, good luck.

Mike

 

[edfair]

How about breaking out into dos and do a dir > prn. This is as simple as it gets. A failure there probably would indicate a problem with the parallel port.
The mangler will show the parallel port as good, even if there are problems on the output side. Ed Fair
unixstuff@juno.com
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[bluescreen77]

VISIT MS KNOWLEDGE BASE:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q128345

CHECK:
1)BIOS-> "Parallel Port Mode" - ECP/EPP (SOS)
2)UPDATE PRINTER & CHIPSET DRIVERS
3)PRINTER PROPERTIES/SPOOL SETTINGS/"SpoolDataFormat" ->EMF or RAW, "Disable Bi-Directional Support" R.T.F.M.
ftp://download.intel.com/support/processors/manuals/tsPCguide.pdf

 

[ceh4702]

You might try a new printer cable. Newer printer cables have higher standards. Sometimes if you just take the cables off and put them back on it will help. I think built up corrosion can be caused over time; especially if the contacts are different kinds of metals like gold or copper or aluminum. This is probably either the cable or the port or the Printer itself. Decide what you want to replace first. A printer port is not hot pluggable, so shut the computer down completely before messing with it. A lot of the newer printers can work with USB. If you do not like my post feel free to point out your opinion or my errors.

 

[Rentvillas]

What software does it have problems w/? is it only office? or internet explorer also. If you having trouble w/ a range or programs then it is most likely the cable. But if its only certain applications then make sure you have the latest drivers, patches, sp's, etc. etc. Also go into the print screen before you print and verify that you have selected the right printer from the drop down. There might be 2 of the same printers in the drop down and you have the wrong one selected.

 

[tviman]

Try printing from her PC to your printer using her cable. That will narrow things down a lot. There's always a better way...

 

[brubray]

From brubray
Thanks folks, I've sorta solved my problem. The best advice was from edfair to try a dir print. I had forgotten how to do that but thanks to the internet I was reminded and sure enough the printer worked. Printer port, cable and printer cleared as suspects.
Now I had already deleted Microsoft's printer software for the Canon BJC 620 and reloaded it, but I thought I'll just try to load the BJC 600 drivers in and see what happens.
Guess what! The printer worked from anything, internet, word or whatever.
Now I thought I'll just lay the 620 printer software and driver back on and see what happens. I did and it doesn't work again. I know the two disks are O.K. because I just used them on my other computer. So now although my printer works it is running in low gear on an old software driver.
Any ideas now? I have the old BJC 600 driver checked as the default printer so it works while I'm trying to find out whats wrong. Again, when I default to the BJC620 drivers, the print shows printer/cable not working. i.e. no signal gets to the printer from the comptuter.
brubray

 

[edfair]

How about a canon driver? Haven't looked for one for a printer this new for SE, but have downloaded from them for some older stuff.
Think you also get some management software with it. Ed Fair
unixstuff@juno.com
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.