Printer problem

[SirBlack]

My wife's computer is linked to mine thru a Belkin wireless router. All was working fine until a few days ago when she coud not print any docs (or anything at all). I've tried removimg the printer & reinstalling it only to get the following message: 'There was an error writing to LPT 1 for the printer Epson Stylus C62 Series'. The printer is not ready. Make sure it is turned on and online. To continue printing, check retry. Checking retry gives me the same message. Link Quality & Signal Strength are both excellent and she's able to get online; she just can't print anything. The printer is connected to my PC. Any advice to resolve this issue would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Bob B-)

 

[Geakguy]

Quick question what port is the printer plugged into? Also are you able to view the printer from installed printers on your machine (can your computer even print?)

 

[G0AOZ]

When you installed the printer driver on your wife's machine, did you just browse for that networked printer, and then let Windows find a driver? Or did you install the Epson software package on your wife's machine as a local printer, and then subsequently tell it it's on a virtual port (network)?

Also what operating systems for both computers? And nothing strange happened in any firewall software (Zone Alarm, etc), which might be blocking it?


ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[SirBlack]

The printer is connected to LPT1 printer port & is connected to my computer via a parallel cable and I'm able to print from my PC. Printer is displayed in both PC's. My OS is Windows XP SP2 & my wife's is W98 SE. Properties shows share this printer and I've installed drivers for Windows 95, 98 and ME. Only firewall I'm running is Windows. As mentioned earlier, there was no problem printing from her PC.
I've checked Device Manager & no conflicts were found. I tried browsing to let Windows find the driver as well as installing the software on her PC & told it later it was on a network port.
I get the following error messages when trying to print,

Communication error:
Check all connections and make sure all devices are on ya da ya da. (They are)

Cannot connect to this network printer. Make sure your network is working properly and that the network share you are connected to exists. (It is)

There was an error writing to \\PC name\printer. There is not enough memory to print your document. Quit one or more programs and then try again (nothing else running). If the problem persists, try choosing the RAW Spool Data Format in the properties for your printer (I did) and try again. The printer will be set to work offline.

Thanks again for any help with this issue.

Bob B-)

 

[SirBlack]

I'm not sure if this will help but here goes. My sister is down here (FL) getting away from the cold in Philly & helping me with my rehab from major back surgery. I found her on my PC doing some work to print out. I asked her why she didn't add the printer to her Dell laptop. She later told me she tried but kept getting the following error message: "There was an error writing to LPT1 for the printer Epson Sylus C62 Series. Make sure it is turned on and online" (it was). Is there some setting on my PC/Printer that's stopping all other PC's on my LAN from using this printer. I can share files but not printer. Help please!

Bob B-)

 

[edfair]

Might be time to try IP reset on the XP machine.

Do a google search for "IP reset XP" and look for the manual procedure.

If no joy from that, then a repair install of the OS.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[PRPhx]

Hmm. Just for the hell of it, is your pc turned on at the same time someone is trying to print???????

 

[SirBlack]

Hi Ed,
Sorry for the delay in replying but I'm recuperating from major back surgery. I have my good days but mostly bad especially after my rehab excercises. I tried the "IP reset XP" manual procedure & nothing showed up except for the following:
Microsoft Windows XP (version 5.1.2600)
<C> 1985 - 2001 Microsoft Corporation
There was also a Program listed there to download Guided Help. This was the comments listed about it:

Guided Help is available to reset TCP/IP. Guided Help can automatically perform the steps for you.

The actions that this Guided Help performs cannot be undone after Guided Help is finished.

That last line got me more than a bit nervous. I'm going to check a few more sites in Google to see if I can come up with an alternative method.

Thanks again & I'll let you know how things worked out.

Bob B-)

 

[wahnula]

I'm recuperating from major back surgery

Just an OT note of encouragement that THINGS WILL GET BETTER. I had one heck of a time with medical issues last year and sometimes wondered if I would ever feel "right" again...the answer is yes, it just might be depressing at times and seem like it will never end. YOU WILL GET THROUGH IT and a positive outlook can really help the healing process. So can a diversion like tinkering with your PC, just remember how many pain meds you've taken and write things down for future reference.

Good luck, hang in there!




Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[Freestone]

Sorry to read about your back and I hope you feel better soon!

You wrote: "There was an error writing to LPT1 for the printer ..."

Now if this a printer connected through the network, why would it refer to LPT1? Check to make sure that the printer is set to the correct port (the network share) and not to the local LPT1 port.

 

[SirBlack]

Hi Tony,
Thenks for the words of encouragement! I have to admit, I'm able to finally cut back on my pain meds & even increase my rehab exercises. I'm doing a few simple things on my & my wife's PC. The best thing now is being home & eating REAL food.
Thanks again for the well wishes!

Bob B-)

 

[edfair]

On the page where you saw the guided help comment continue down the page until you find the manual IP reset instructions. But based on reflection you probably don't need to do the reset.

Saw Freestones comment and went back to the top of the thread to get a feel for the issue. Your wife's printer setup is screwed up. Time to delete it again and reinstall it as a network printer. Don't know what is buggered but the LPT1 message is not valid for the setup you are running.

Agree on the back issues. But would suggest you not spend too much time at the computers yet. This based on flare ups of my set of issues with L3/4 and L4/5 disks.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[SirBlack]

Hi Ed,
Thanks for the advice. I tried one other thing but haven't tested it yet, And yes, I try to lmit myself to 30-40 minutes max on the PC (sitiing actully). This op was to correct the disk problem between L3/4. Turned out that there was no disk left & the vertebrae @ L4 were pretty much degenerated. He had to spread the distance between L3 & L4 & make a new disk out some bone chips & 4 titanium screws. A few months from now, I get to go back as I also have a problem @ C2/3 which when it shifts, leaves my left arm & hand either very weak or paralyzed.
Take care & thanks for the suggestions.

Bob B-)

 

[MasterofCricket]

Why is this pointing to an LTP port? It should be pointing to a TCP/IP port.

Does the Printer have an IP address?

To find out, you will need to print a "Printer configuration page" from the printer itself and try and see if it has an IP Address.

Let me know if it has and I'll write step by step instructions on how to add a networked printer.

Regards,

MasterofCricket!

 

[SirBlack]

MasterofCricket,
Two questions, how do I get to wherever I need to go print a "Printer configuration page"? And do I do this on my PC, my wife's PC or both? On my PC, under the Ports tab of the printer Properties, it has a check next to LPT1: Printer Port EPSON Stylus C62 Series. No other boxes are checked. Underneath that is a check next to Enable bidirectional support. I still have no problem printing from my PC but can't from hers. The strange part is she was able to print from her PC for quite sometime before it decided to take an early retirement.
Any help you can offer would be grearly appreciated.

Bob B-)

 

[edfair]

You don't ned a configuration page. Your printer is fine. You have a network problem or a 98 problem, most likely 98.

I've seen issues with Stylus printer sharing, to the extent that I put a switch in for a customer rather than continually reinstall a network printer on SE.

Do you have the latest driver stuff on you wife's machine. IIRC it was available off the Epson site 6 or 8 months ago. It downloaded as an .exe and expanded out. But it also loads the drivers looking to LPT1: and has to be deleted and reinstalled as a network shared printer. At least that is my best recollection.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[SirBlack]

I think I stumbled on something that may be the cause of my printing problem but I'm not sure. My PC is off limits to all but my wife (& even she has limited abilities on it). Grandkids can only play some simple games that I have installed on my PC(under close scrutiny). My wife's PC is used by all who visit here. I've tried to setup some security to it but there's not a lot I can do since it's 98SE with IE6.0. I was using Windows Explorer & had all files expanded when I noticed in M$ Windows Network my wife's PC is listed under Mshome while mine is under Workgroup. Could this be the cause of the printer problem & if so, how do I correct it?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Remember, if you can't stand behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them!

Bob B-)

 

[edfair]

Yep. Different networks.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[SirBlack]

OK! Another solution that didn't work. Both PC's are now listed under Mshome (I checked both in Widows Explore) in M$ Windows Network but I still can't print from her PC. I get the same error message: "There was an error writing to LPT1 for the printer Epson Sylus C62 Series. Make sure it is turned on and online". As before, it was. I will try uninstalling it once more on her PC & reinstalling it. If that doesn't work, I may try moving the PC into the other room & try setting it up there. If it prints there, I'll try adding my PC to it & try printing from my PC unless somebody has another solution I can try. It really bugs me when a PC outsmarts me.
Thanks for any other help you can offer!

Remember, if you can't stand behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them!

Bob B-)

 

[edfair]

I have a temporary plan for you. Create another printer on your machine. Use the HP IIp drivers. That should at least let you dump text to the printer.

Then add a network printer on your wife's machine. Also HPIIp. See if you can't dump text from her machine to your printer.

I'm suggesting the HP IIp because I've used the drivers between XP & SE for several years without problems, well as much without problems as XP and SE allow.

This is going to prove that both operating system's underlying print stuff works, or not.

The fact that your wife's machine is giving a LPT1: error leads me to the Epson drivers as the cause, subject to correction if you find that the others also fail.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.