SP2 and printing problems 1

[tb913]

I have a 98 machine sharing an HP LaserJet 2100 printer over the network. The other machines that have installed SP2 now have a hard time printing to this printer. I timed it yesterday, and it took 2min., 40sec. to get a document to print. XP machines without SP2 do not have this problem. I tried removing SP2 from the machine I did the test with, which fixed the problem. Has anybody else seen this? Is there any other way to fix this besides removing SP2? New printer? Upgrade the 98 machine to XP SP2?

 

[bcastner]

Have you used the exception page of Firewall settings to allow File and Printer sharing as an exception on your LAN local subnet? If the Firewall is enabled it is important to open these ports.

Otherwise I have my own remedy of sorts:

. I remove all printer definitions on the XP workstations using the Windows 2003 cleanspl.exe utility:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...69-57ff-4ae7-96ee-b18c4790cffd&displaylang=en

(You need an XP workstation to unpack these utilities. The cleanspl.exe works fine under XP or Win2k).

. I then open the Printers and Faxes Wizard, File, Server Properties, Ports, Add Ports and add new local ports. The ports are the full network path to the printer: e.g.

\\workroom1\hplaserjet4

Now with my new set of "local" ports, I add a local printer (not a network printer), and use my new "local" port.

By doing both steps my printer jobs sped up considerably, faster I think then they used to be pre-SP2 particularly for USB or DOT4 connected network printers.

Hope that helps you,
Bill Castner

 

[tb913]

And you're using the cleanspl.exe utility all at the workstation level? I'm not familiar with this utility, but I'll give it a try and let you know if it works.

 

[bcastner]

Actually, for tough issues I use it both on the network printer sharing device (Win2k and XP only), as well as the problematic workstations.

Generally, I use the Bruce Sanderson MS-MVP article:

http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/CleanPrinterDrivers.htm

 

[hometune]

I've been experiencing the same problems on our network with printing. After turning off the spooler in services then turning it back on my printing issues where rectified.
Simple but effective.