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Cannot print to shared printer

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by Member 36347166

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We have a situation where a Win2K Pro laptop was configured on one domain and then connected to another domain. The laptop was then removed fromthe first domain and then joined to the new domain. Fine.
Now, we log into the laptop as a valid user onthe new domain. Everyting looks fine and I can connect to a printer that is shared from a Win2K Pro desktop. But I cannot print to that printer. The error I get is: "Test page failed to print."
The strange thing is that if I map to the priter via the NET USE command, I can print a file from the command line.

So, two questions:
1) How can I fix printing via Windows?
2) If not, how cna I install a printer that will connect to the persistant share I assigned via the NET USE command?

Thanks in advance, all!

7 replies

by ann777

Is this per chance, an HP printer?

If yes, then I'd recommend that you uninstall the printer from Control Panel --> Add/Remove programs (if the printer drivers are there).

second, remove the printer from control panel --> printers folder

third, run through a regedit and remove any references to Hewlett Packard.

reboot, reconnect everything

reinstall the printer drivers.

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HP uninstalls do not seem to register with the registry (HP keys are rarely removed) and thus the Windows drivers get corrupted. a cleaning of the registry and reinstall seems to resolve most of these windows inconsistencies.

by Member 36347166

Thank you. It turned out to be a combination of things. We had to use the PostScript driver rather than the PCL driver. Also, we had to set the LPT1: properties to 'Use an inturrupt' and 'Legacy'. The combination of these two solved the problem!

by timthetoolman

Hi,

It sounds like you didn't install the drivers at all yet. Windows can be configured to automatically supply them when the connection is made, but it isn't happening for you...

When you look at the queued jobs on the printer does it connectsuccessfully from the laptop? I suspect not.

When you use the "net use" command, you're bypassing the printer drivers entirely and sending stuff directly to the printer - which seems to know what to do with it and happily prints.

Cheers,
Tim.

by Member 36347166

Thank you. It turned out to be a combination of things. We had to use the PostScript driver rather than the PCL driver. Also, we had to set the LPT1: properties to 'Use an inturrupt' and 'Legacy'. The combination of these two solved the problem!

by shanghai sam

For your first question, I would try adding the the printer again, as a "new" printer, with the intent of getting the option to reinstall the drivers for that printer. I can't say that will work, but it wouldn't be a huge time investment to find out..

As for the use of the persistent share, assuming you're still capturing LPT1(or any local port)to the shared printer, you should be able to set your printer properties (in print manager) to use the local LPT1 port. Then, any output should find its way to to the printer as if you were sending from the command line. Perhaps not the most glamorous solution, but sometimes that's OK. :) I hope this helps.

by Member 36347166

Thank you. It turned out to be a combination of things. We had to use the PostScript driver rather than the PCL driver. Also, we had to set the LPT1: properties to 'Use an inturrupt' and 'Legacy'. The combination of these two solved the problem!

This discussion is closed to new replies.