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Grex > Micros > #253: Mac network printing weirdness. Help? | |
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other
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Mac network printing weirdness. Help?
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Oct 13 02:38 UTC 2003 |
Computer: Blue & White G4 Tower, OS 9
Printer: HP LaserJet 4M Plus
Symptoms:
1) Print jobs appear to process normally from the computer end, and
printer appears to receive and process job, but job never actually
prints. Appears to occur mainly in Adobe PageMaker 6.5, although ps
and eps files saved to desktop experience identical failure.
2) The same file, from another machine, produced a box on the
partially pronted page containing the text:
--
An error occurred while printing this page.
Error: VMerror Offending Command: dict
Suggestions:
Choose correct PPD in the Print dialog. Page or graphic too
complicated. Simplify page, try Maximum setting for PostScript
printing in Other Preferences or try proof print.
--
(Correct PPD is selected. Location of referenced setting unknown.)
Steps taken thus far:
Upgrade OS to 9.2.2 (OS X not an option at this time)
Full diagnostic (TechTool Pro - minor file errors only)
Install Adobe PostScript print drivers
Trash and rebuild desktop printer, both using Adobe and Apple
drivers (identical results with both).
Configure printer to print PS error notification (no output beyond
that described above).
Suspected problems/contributing factors:
1) Appletalk network flakiness (suggested by bizarre filesharing
behaviors such as machine identities being confused)
2) Unidentified corrupted fonts
3) Too many fonts (what IS the limit, anyway?)
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| 24 responses total. |
other
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response 1 of 24:
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Oct 13 02:41 UTC 2003 |
The printer in question was in use by other machines on the LAN
throughout the process with no adverse or unexpected results on those
print jobs.
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rcurl
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response 2 of 24:
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Jul 31 17:00 UTC 2004 |
(This item seems to need a little use....here is a printer-related question.)
I have a HPDeskjet 932C printer that seems to have developed a heart problem.
That is, after it has been used a while, the goes into "fibrillation" - all
three panel lights flash rapidly in unison. The User's Guide says to turn it
off, unplug the printer, plug it back in, and turn it on again. This works
if I leave it unplugged for a long time (overnight, for example), but not
if I just leave it unplugged for some minutes. If I plug it back in too soon,
it goes into "fibrillation" immediately.
Is there anything I can do about this? Or is it time to recycle the printer?
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keesan
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response 3 of 24:
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Aug 3 03:48 UTC 2004 |
It sounds like a capacitor somewhere is holding a charge and they tried to
make this into a feature instead of redesigning it. Jim will ask our neighbor
the electronics engineer.
Maybe some transistor is failing and overheats and lets through current when
it should not?
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rcurl
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response 4 of 24:
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Aug 3 04:29 UTC 2004 |
The User's Manual doesn't give any reason why it might "fibrillate" except
for saying "printer might need to be reset". I guess it could get unset for
all sorts of hardware problems.
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rcurl
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response 5 of 24:
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Oct 20 02:32 UTC 2004 |
Here is some more Mac network printing weirdness.
On the same LAN with a G4(OSX/9.2) and iMac(9.2), which I have described
elsewhere, I have a HP Deskwriter 540 by means of an AsanteTalk
Ethernet-to-Serial-to-Phonenet adapter. This has always worked well when I
had OS 9.2 on both computers, but it stopped working when I went to OSX on
the G4. Some websurfing disclosed that OSX runs a different flavor of
AppleTalk (required for the printer) than does OS 9.2.2, and this is the
reason the HP 540 doesn't show up on the OSX printer list. But it also
didn't show up in the Chooser on the iMac or on the G4 when booted in
9.2.2.
I thought I was going to have to abandon the HP 540 (and a OS 7.1 computer
on the PhoneNet LAN). But I came across a suggestion on the web that has
made it possible to print to the HP 540: turn the printer on *before*
turning on the AsanteTalk adapter! Apparently the adapter can't see the
printer now if the adapter is on first, but does if the printer is already
on. The mystery is, why is this new need a result of the installation of
OSX on the G4?
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twenex
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response 6 of 24:
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Oct 20 10:57 UTC 2004 |
Sounds like a Microsoft trick: Upgrade and make all your other apps
incompatible!
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rcurl
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response 7 of 24:
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Oct 20 15:51 UTC 2004 |
It certainly shows some indifference to all the consequences of the changes
they make. I can see that, though, from their perspective: the changes
they make offer more prospects for future applications (and growth) than
losses from the forced obsolesence. What I don't like, though, is that they
don't do a good job in explaining the work-arounds for the use of the older
systems. This is left up to user groups to find and pass around.
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rcurl
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response 8 of 24:
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Oct 31 07:21 UTC 2004 |
The behavior of the Deskwriter 540 has changed: it no longer requires
being turned on before the AsanteTalk adapter to show up on the Choosers
in either computer as long as OS 9.2.2 is running. I guess something,
somewhere, had to trained.....
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rcurl
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response 9 of 24:
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Nov 8 23:39 UTC 2004 |
Then it forgot its training....and I couldn't find the 540 in the chooser
for a while, even though I thought I did again what I did before. However
I got it back by following a particular sequence in turning on the printer
- pause - the Ethernet hub - pause - the iMac (running 9.2.2). Apparently
if I turned on the G4 on the same network before the iMac, I could not
link to the 540 with the iMac - maybe. Anyway, you have to admit this is
all "Mac network printing weirdness".
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prp
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response 10 of 24:
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Dec 1 23:37 UTC 2004 |
As to the HP 932C, you might try there web-site. Finding the section for
older printers is tricky, but once there they have some problem determination
procedures, and contact info for a real person. Among the things I found
for the 935C is button sequences for extended testing at power-up.
That didn't figure out the problem, but two rounds of email did. It turns
out the ink cartridge was expired.
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gelinas
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response 11 of 24:
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Dec 2 00:29 UTC 2004 |
"Expired" or "empty"?
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rcurl
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response 12 of 24:
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Dec 2 03:02 UTC 2004 |
The "fibrillation" problem is not due to an "expired" cartridge. The 932C
will print from what it *says* is an empty cartridge if you insist on it.
I suspect a problem in the power supply, which is in the printer (which
plugs directly into 120 VAC): maybe even a capacitor!
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prp
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response 13 of 24:
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Dec 3 00:12 UTC 2004 |
Expired, not empty. Black stoped working, so I put in a "new" cartridge.
it worked for a bit then stopped. Since the first cartridge still had ink
I thought the problem was in the printer.
The cartridges have two expiration dates. One on the outside of the package,
and a later date printed on the cartridge, but hard to read.
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rcurl
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response 14 of 24:
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Dec 3 08:09 UTC 2004 |
I refill my cartridges and have been using the same ones over again many
times, for years. I suspect a printed expiration date is like an expiration
date on many products, to indicate beyond what date the product is no longer
warranted to perform correctly. For example, you can use film years beyond
the printed expiration date if you store it properly.
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arthurp
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response 15 of 24:
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Jan 29 00:58 UTC 2005 |
I have a VCR that has a similar weirdness in its power supply.
Eventually it will not track on a tape no matter what. It fuzzes in and
out with a periodicity of just over 1 second. The only way to fix it is
to unplug the power cord until the unit has reached room temp again.
This happens much more frequently in the summer, and has yet to do it
since fall this time.
As to the printing weirdness it sounds like various components in the
setup set compatibility flags when they first come up based on what they
are capable of, and what they hear on the wire. The OS9 box may come up
and hear the 'old' adapter protocol and lock to some compatible version,
or since it hears that proto does not turn it off in favor of more
modern stuff, but if the OSX box is up then maybe the OS9 box says,
'hey, modern stuff, lets turn off the old stuff.'
As awesome as Mac stuff is, this is the kind of error you can get in a
fully autoconfig system when the system includes components spanning
three generations.
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gull
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response 16 of 24:
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Jan 29 05:22 UTC 2005 |
A classic way to diagnose problems like your VCR's is to spray various
components with a cooling spray until the one that fixes the problem
is discovered. I don't know what they make the spray out of these
days; it used to be Freon but I'm sure it isn't anymore.
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keesan
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response 17 of 24:
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Jan 29 14:58 UTC 2005 |
Is it worth fixing VCRs nowadays? There are lots of old ones around - try
Kiwanis. THe parts could be hard to get hold or or at least expensive.
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arthurp
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response 18 of 24:
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Jan 29 17:55 UTC 2005 |
I have three in various states. I intend to spend $0 on VCR-ness from
now on. When they are all dead beyond kicking and rigging, then I will
no longer view the 5 or so VHS tapes I own. That goes as far as using
up spray on them to put in a part from my junk drawer. VHS was a bad
idea while it lasted. I'm glad it's finally going away.
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gull
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response 19 of 24:
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Jan 29 18:57 UTC 2005 |
Sometimes it's worth fixing old ones, if they're good quality. You can
buy a new VCR pretty cheaply now, but getting a *good* one...that still
isn't cheap.
I still like having a VCR around, not just for viewing old tapes, but
for time-shifting.
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rcurl
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response 20 of 24:
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Jan 29 20:48 UTC 2005 |
We find our VCR quite useful for recording some programs for later viewing.
I suppose we will use it until it fails....and then start using the extra
one we have in reserve until it fails...and then I guess DVD-RW will be
dirt cheap.
I do prefer DVD for movie viewing because of the flexibility of reviewing
scenes, and of course the "extras". But they are more fragile than tape when
personhandled by previous rentors. We are finding rented DVD more frequently
unreadable (although some thorough cleaning often restores them).
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arthurp
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response 21 of 24:
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Jan 29 21:22 UTC 2005 |
I'm quite OCD with my DVDs and CDs, but rentals are sometimes a problem.
Other people seem to think that since they don't own that disc they can
treat it as porrly as they want. But it's not far to the rental store
for me, and they will switch out if you have one that you can't play.
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rcurl
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response 22 of 24:
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Jan 30 05:06 UTC 2005 |
We had one rental DVD that had the movie burned on both sides. One side
was damaged about half-way through, but the other side played fine. I haven't
come across another burned on both sides.
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arthurp
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response 23 of 24:
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Jan 30 22:08 UTC 2005 |
Was that 4:3 on one side and widescreen on the other? I've seen a bunch
done that way.
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rcurl
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response 24 of 24:
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Jan 31 06:00 UTC 2005 |
Yes, now that you mention it. (I stop noticing after watching for a while.)
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