When we try to print several pages on a printer that is shared either on a server (Windows NT 4.0) or a networked personal computer, the following error appears after printing the first page and the printer becomes offline. Then after clearing the Use Printer Offline tick mark in the printer setup, it prints one or two pages and again goes offline.
“THERE WAS AN ERROR WRITING TO //PLANNING/HP FOR PRINTER (HP LASER JET 4). THERE WAS A PROBLEM PRINTING TO THE PRITER DUE TO AN UNKNOWN SYSTEM ERROR. RESTART WINDOWS, AND THEN TRY PRINTING AGAIN. THIS PRINTER WILL BE SET TO WORK OFFLINE. TO SAVE YOUR PRINT JOB IN THE LOCAL PRINTER QUEUE, CLICK OK.”
We have been seamlessly printing on shared printers for years. This problem has started just three weeks back. However we did not face any problems in printing thru our Unix server (this means the printer daemon in the Unix servers is working fine also it clarify that there is no problems in the network Hardware)
Corrective Action taken:
Scanned the Server and the PC to which the printer is attached, for virus using the latest virus scanning software (McAfee/Network Associates), however, no virus infection was found.
Tried to print on several printers (Laser, Dot Matrix, DeskJet, etc.).
Tried different operating systems (Windows 98 + service packs, Windows 98SE and Windows 2000 Professional)
Tried using different Ethernet Cards.
Network Details
LAN Network (10/100mbps)
Hardware/Software Used
Server
Compaq 1600
18GB HDD
256 RAM
OS Windows NT 4.0 service pack 5
Compaq alpha server
OS True64 Unix
Personal Computers
Pentium-III, 450MHz, 128MB RAM (more than 1GB HD free space)
MS Windows 95
MS Windows 98
MS Windows 98SE
MS Office 2000 Premium