Reply to this and save a printers life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[goodbuddy]

I have this HP 1200 series printer that is setup as a local printer at the desk of someone I don't want to agitate. It tends to print for a couple of days just fine, then on occasion the user sends a print job (usually an email from Outlook 98)and it shows the print icon in the systray and in the queue the status says it's "printing" but the icon in systray never goes away and it never prints. I have found a temporary fix for this which is not acceptable, I have to close out every single program that is running (in windows 95) and then poof! it starts printing. The following is a plan of attack that I've put together starting with the most likely to fix the problem to least likely. If anyone has another idea or thinks one of these solutions is better than the other, please reply and possibly save this printer from being tossed out the 24th floor window. Thanks
Solutions:
1. Install newest available driver for 1200 series or backtrack to an older driver that works for other printers
2. Disable bi-directional printing option...not sure if this is supported
3. Arrange the printer so that it has more room behind it so it's breathing better and the fans cooling properly.
4. Find something that's interupting the print request...email reminder or something.
5. Check for some sort of Novell setting

 

[JimInKS]

Did you have a printer installed previous to this one? If so, did you uninstall all associated software. Many HP printers have a bloated printer management suit of software that is pretty invasive.

Checked BIOS settings for the printer port?
I usually choose EPP mode.

Do you have a good quality printer cable?

I assume you are not trying to use USB since this is win95.

Your idea of using an old printer driver is a good one. The Laserjet 4 driver seems to be one of HP's best.

uh, get rid of win95?