My Printer Can't See !!

Kenny Forbess · Post by **Kenny Forbess** » 27 Oct 2000 10:35 am

I used it yesterday, tried it today and it wont print.
It's a HP 610 CL,
The power lite is on-- the resume lite is flashing like it's out of paper or the top is open, or paper jam.

I've checked everything in the trouble-shooting section of the manual ,when I turn it off and back on, the power lite comes on but the resume lite is not on which is normal, and ready to print.
when I select print, it goes back to the flashing resume lite on and does not print.

A block appears on the monitor saying "the printer is not responding", I wish it would tell me something I don't know.

any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

oh yeah, all connections have been checked, I even UNinstalled and REinstalled the software,with no problem with blocks on screen that anything was wrong.
You'all think it fried it's self just sitting at idle ?? It's not a year old.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 27 Oct 2000 11:21 am

If the printer is connected via the printer (parallel) port, make sure both ends of the cable are connected properly (unplug each end then plug it back in). Since it has worked it is more than likely the interconnect cable is good, however you can't rule it out. Check the system properties to make sure the printer (parallel) port is operating properly. You could even uninstall it and let windows reinstall it. Have you changed any settings? such as the BIOS?? Check the BIOS setup (accessed on most PC's at boot up time before windows starts) and the parallel port settings. Optimum setting for this port is ECP. If you do not have that option then set it for EPP. ECP or EPP will yield a little better operation than the "bi-directional" setting.

Finally you could have a hardware problem in either the PC Printer port or in the printer. [This message was edited by Jack Stoner on 27 October 2000 at 02:50 PM.]

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 27 Oct 2000 11:32 am

Don't forget to wiggle the cable in its connector at both ends (printer and computer) to make sure you have a good connection.

Kenny Forbess · Post by **Kenny Forbess** » 28 Oct 2000 9:12 am

Jack, I've tried everything you mentioned to no avail,
my hands are tied, I even uninstalled and reinstalled.
I guess i'll have to buy one.

Earnest, I even bought a new cable!
thanks for your suggestions guys, they are certianly appreciated,
If you think of anything else, I'll be here.
Thanks,
Kenny[This message was edited by KENNY FORBESS on 28 October 2000 at 10:13 AM.]

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 28 Oct 2000 11:08 am

If you have the wrong printer driver installed (sometimes this can happen during a Windows 'hiccough'), your printer will get the call from the computer, but it will respond with a paper jam or out-of-paper message.

I know - happened to me last week!

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 28 Oct 2000 11:47 am

One other thing to check. Make sure the printer is assigned the correct port. Usually the on-bord PC parallel printer port is LPT1. The newer printers require an IEE 1284 bi-directional cable. Some bi-directional cables will not work. Same with length, some will not work with a cable over about 3ft. HP's are touchy about both the type of cable and cable length. (I was working on setting up a HP Printer - it was a 600 series printer - for a client and the brand new IEE 1284 bi-directional printer interface cable he had bought would not work with the HP printer. I tried it on my PC with a Lexmark printer and it worked fine. Had to return that cable and buy a better grade cable to get the HP to work).

Before you buy a new printer, either take the printer and cable to a friends computer and install it on that one and see if it works. Or borrow a known good working printer from a friend and install it on your PC to see if it works. Will narrow it down to either the parallel port in the printer or to the actual printer. Depending on the other person's printer you may be able to get away with just hooking it up, not installing the printer software, to test the interface. Just hooking the printer up to the PC may not print correctly but if it responds and you do not get the "not responding error" it's safe to assume it's good.

If the problem turns out to be the printer port in the PC you will probably have to buy a parallel I/O printer port card as most of the newer PC's have the parallel port hardware integrated on the motherboard. Usually there's enough interrupts and addresses available that you can install the new printer port card without disabling the old one. You will have to reassign the printer to the correct (new) "LPTn" port.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 28 Oct 2000 5:10 pm

Have you tried reseating the ink cartridges?

David Pennybaker · Post by **David Pennybaker** » 30 Oct 2000 7:36 am

Is this an old printer, that you've used previously?

If so, try new print cartridges. I had this happen once with an HP printer, and that's what cured it.

You seem to have covered the other bases.

------------------
The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons

Kenny Forbess · Post by **Kenny Forbess** » 30 Oct 2000 9:13 am

Jack,
the printer is assigned to LPT-1.
The cable I switched was the same # and it's about 3 ft. long,it gave me the same "printer is not responding" msg.
I've put the original back on.
I'll try the cross switch testing you mentioned before I go out and buy one,and if I have to buy another, I don't think it will be a HP due to the cost of the cartridges.
any suggestions for a good reasonable priced one ?
Bobby, I have had the cartridges out and didn't see anything wrong,they were seated correctly,
but I'll put new ones in as David mentioned cause they're about half empty anyway.
thanks again for all the help to all,
I'll post the problem if i find it.
Kenny

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 30 Oct 2000 9:37 am

Can you boot MS-DOS without starting Windows, and try to print a file in DOS?

something like

copy myfile.text >prn:

Help me out here, DOS guys

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 30 Oct 2000 12:35 pm

Many of the newer printers are "windows only" and will not print in DOS mode.

As far as what brand printer to buy?? It's sort of like steels, whichever is your favorite. I've owned a Cannon (paper jams and handling problems), Lexmark (constant cartridge problems and bad cartridges from Lexmark) and a HP (deskjet 882c). Of the three the HP has done the best for me.

David Pennybaker · Post by **David Pennybaker** » 30 Oct 2000 1:08 pm

For a general purpose printer, it's hard to beat HP.

For photos, the Epson 870 is a great choice.

------------------
The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons

[This message was edited by David Pennybaker on 30 October 2000 at 01:09 PM.]

Bill Crook · Post by **Bill Crook** » 30 Oct 2000 3:19 pm

Kenny...

I bet that if you look real close, you will find a small paper jam in your printer. Sometimes a very small pice of paper will hang up in the printer and not be very noticeable by just a casual look.

If this is a color printer, and one of the color cartriges is empty, it will stop the printer from working and give you this error.

Hope this helps..

Abe Stoklasa · Post by **Abe Stoklasa** » 30 Oct 2000 3:28 pm

I'm not sure how to fix it, but i'll give you some advise. It would probably be cheaper just to get some computer buff hired to look at it. It's really hard to say what's wrong with it if you haven't seen it. So, If you don't find the problem, I wouldn't buy a new $200 printer, I'd just get a guy to fix it. you might jsut be able to walk into a store and ask them what the problem is. I'm sure they will be glad to help. And, They wouldn't charge you. You can also call HP Tech support. They can tell you what's wrong on the phone for free. I hope I've helped you. Good Luck.

------------------
Abraham - D-7 string lap steel, standel amp, George L bar, 2 finger picks and 1 thumb, soon to have a pedal steel and probably a Peavey session 400 or Nashville 400.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 30 Oct 2000 11:51 pm

From DOS, try "print autoexec.bat".

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 31 Oct 2000 3:55 am

Abraham, HP will not give you "free" support if the printer is out of warranty. Also it is not a free call to their tech support - it is a long distance call.

Abe Stoklasa · Post by **Abe Stoklasa** » 31 Oct 2000 5:16 am

OK. Well, I thought it was free, but It's still cheaper than buying a new printer.

------------------
Abraham - D-7 string lap steel, standel amp, George L bar, 2 finger picks and 1 thumb, soon to have a pedal steel and probably a Peavey session 400 or Nashville 400.

Les Pierce · Post by **Les Pierce** » 2 Nov 2000 9:39 am

Have you tried printing the "Self Test" page that's built in to the printer?

That would at least tell you if the printer was working at all, and that should work even if there is no communication between the PC and the printer.

Take care,

Les

Kenny Forbess · Post by **Kenny Forbess** » 3 Nov 2000 6:19 am

B0B,
I can't find "print autoexec.bat",
from Start-Programs-MS DOS PROMPT,I can't access "print" in that mode,
or maybe i'm in the wrong place.

Les,
If you're speaking of the "print a test page",
I've tried that, it just goes back to the blinking on the resume light.and say's "printer not responding".

Bob Carlson · Post by **Bob Carlson** » 3 Nov 2000 9:00 am

Mine started doing just about what your's is doing after I installed ME the first time back in mid Sept.I tried everything but yelling at the wife and kicking the dog, but to no avail. Then I remembered I hadn't defragmented my hard drive in the last month or so. It was so messed up it took at least a half hour for it to get past 2%. It got to 67% and wouldn't go any farther so I shut it down and went to bed. Next day I started it again first thing and when I got out of the shower it had finshed. I tryed the printer and it worked. I had installed a CAD program and a couple more, then when I throwed ME at it I guess that really did. I now do it every 3 or 4 days and click on details so I can watch them little squares and it's suprising how out of place they can get in that short of time.

Bob Carlson

UF Da![This message was edited by Bob Carlson on 03 November 2000 at 09:06 AM.]

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 3 Nov 2000 4:45 pm

Kenny, from the MS-DOS command prompt, just type "print autoexec.bat". It should look like this:
<center>

</center>

Kenny Forbess · Post by **Kenny Forbess** » 3 Nov 2000 7:54 pm

Bobby,
says "bad command or file name"
Kenny

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 4 Nov 2000 3:16 am

I just tried the old DOS print on my WIN ME machine and get the same thing. Bad command or filename. I thought you had to specify the "LPT1" in the DOS command?? However, my HP printer does not support DOS printing.

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 4 Nov 2000 6:23 am

I think the command, "copy filename lpt1:" will work in Windows ME. However, while my printer works fine in Windows 2000, I got a "Not Ready" window when I tried this on my box. It may be that the good old DOS printing days are over.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 5 Nov 2000 3:35 am

Like I mentioned before, there are some printers that do not support DOS mode printing. Only windows printing.