Error printing to LPT1

[bs13690]

I have a Toshiba Protege 3480CT running Windows 2000 Professional with a HP 2100 and 3100 set up as local printers (on different ports). When I try to print from the 2100, I get the error message "There was an error printing to LPT1. Would you like to cancel or retry?" If I delete the port, or change the port setting in the BIOS to ECP instead of Std. Bidirectional, it prints fine until I reboot again at which point I get the same error message. It doesn't seem like anything else is using that port, anyone have any ideas?

 

[UnkUser]

Hello. I don't know if I can help, but I'll give it a try.

Which printer is set as the default printer?

Do you have more than one printer which is supposed to print to LPT1?

In either case, try setting the 2100 as the default printer and make certain that no other printers are set to send output to LPT1. Change the setting to "File" from LPT1 for all other printers.

Please let me know if this helps.

 

[cnthomp]

Have you tried uninstalling the 3100's software? It is likely polling the parallel ports (not just the one assigned to it) and interfering with the 2100's communications. I've seen similar problems when printers from other manufacturers that install funny drivers for the parallel port are installed. If you owned one of these prior to these HPs, (such as an NEC) its drivers might still be present.

P.S. If you find you have to choose between the 2100 and the 3100, keep the 2100 - far more reliable in my experience.

Hope this helps.