HP 8100 Prints Random Characters

[superco7]

I have an HP LaserJet 8100 installed on a Windows NT box with SP 6 using the PS driver. My problem is that it has been printing 2 to 3 lines of random characters per page and the pages just keep coming until the tray runs out of paper. If I power down the printer, and power it back on, it seems that everything is normal until you load more paper into one of the trays, but right after that the symptoms above continue. Not sure where this is coming from because there is nothing in the queue. I have tried reinstalling the drivers a couple of times, resetting the factory defaults / resetting the memory etc. Could this be a virus or has anyone seen anything like this before. Any help would be great.

Thanks,

Mark.

 

[dbMark]

This sounds like the printer has scrambled things and is trying to print data which should really be printer codes and/or vice versa.

Have you tried disconnecting the printer from the computer and unplugging the printer for 30 seconds, then turning it back on and adding the paper? If it does it while still separated, then it should be a printer issue.

The following comment applies only if your problem happens after someone tries sending a print job. Could this might be a symtom of someone sending a print job without the matching printer driver?

 

[superco7]

Thanks for the help, I will give it a shot.