P rin t in g S yst e m Tro u b le sh o o t in g

Tro u b le sh o o t in g Hin t s

Printing System Problems, Causes and Solutions (Cont.)

Problem

Possible Cause

Solution

The printer does

The printer-to-

1.

Switch off the printer, disconnect the printer

not print.

computer

 

cable, switch the printer on.

(All lights are

connection failed.

2.

If the Power light comes on and the Form Feed

blinking)

 

 

 

light remain off, print a sample page.

 

 

 

 

 

3.

If the sample page prints, the printer is not the

 

 

 

problem.

 

 

4.

Reconnect the printer cable and re-send the file.

 

 

5.

If the problem persists, the problem may be with

 

 

 

the printer cable, the cable connections, or the

 

 

 

computer port. (First, try another printer cable.)

 

The printer has

1.

Switch off the printer, disconnect the printer

 

failed.

 

cable, switch the printer on.

 

 

2.

If all lights begin blinking again, the printer is

 

 

 

faulty.

 

 

 

The printout

The wrong printer

Verify that the proper printer driver is selected. The

contains garbled

may be selected.

printer driver’s name should appear in the installed

or strange text

 

printer’s dialog box (MS Windows) or the Chooser

characters (such

 

menu (Macintosh).

as hearts or

 

 

 

smiling faces), or

 

 

 

contains

 

 

 

distorted graphic

 

 

 

images.

 

 

 

 

The printer-to-

1.

Switch off the printer, disconnect the printer

 

computer

 

cable, and switch the printer on.

 

connection failed.

2. Print a self-test (or demo) page.

 

 

 

 

3.

If the self-test page prints, the printer is not the

 

 

 

problem.

 

 

4.

Reconnect the printer cable and re-send the file

 

 

 

to the printer.

 

 

5.

If the printout is still garbled, the problem may be

 

 

 

with the printer cable, the cable connections, or

 

 

 

the computer host. Try another printer cable. Try

 

 

 

a different computer.

 

 

 

The paper does

The printer did not

If the software does not send automatic form-feed

not eject from the

receive a form-

commands, press the Form Feed key on the printer

printer.

feed command.

to initiate a manual form-feed.

 

 

 

 

Continued on next page