Reciept printer doesn't print 1

[Gloryhound]

Well at least nothing visible. The printer operates the way it should, feeds properly and you can even hear the print head going. Here's the kicker.. nothing on the paper, I thought I was going to have to call an exorcist. The ribbon is new the printer is good, I have 3 of them. Drivers are good. I've tried several ribbons, each printer acts the same way on this computer.

Win 95 B
Epson TM-u200D reciept printer
Bi-direction cable and BIOS reflects this setup LPT1
there is another TM-u200D reciept printer installed on the COM1 of the same computer and it works.

 

[edfair]

Printer port? May be missing a data line. Print head should move when it gets CR or LF which are both control codes. If all it ever gets are control codes because a data bit is stuck low, this is the action you'll get since none of the data coming is printable.
Is parallel port on the M/B? You could add an expansion parallel card. Ed Fair
efair@atlnet.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.

 

[Gloryhound]

If I read your post right your telling me that one of the "pins" or lines in the parrallel port could be gone, making the printer port unusable? hmm.. I had a feeling that the MB was the culprit.

Thanx for the info. If anyone has any other ideas on what may cause this I'm all eyes

 

[edfair]

That is what I think. But you might want to reboot into DOS and try printing from there. It is a cleaner path to the printer. dir > prn should put the directory on the paper, the lines will get mangled by the narrow print, but all the characters that show on the screen with dir should show on the paper.(unless set to truncate) Depending on what you have modifying text before the printer it is possible that you have driver problems. You should hear pins firing in the head when the printer is in action. You might want to compare the sound to one of the working printers.

Ed Fair
efair@atlnet.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.

 

[Gloryhound]

Thank you for the prompt and sage advice Ed. I believe you hit the nail on the head. Many thanks, hope I can return the favour someday.

 

[Daire]

Sometimes the printhead in DM printers creeps out of its slot if not held in with a clip. The head still flies over and back but nothing prints. If a few of the pins were broken you would still get something on the paper.