Extra Page Printed with Each Print Job

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Windows 95

SYMPTOMS

When you print to a Hewlett-Packard (HP) printer (or a printer that emulates an HP printer) that is connected to a computer using a PS/2-style parallel port, you may receive an extra page before each print job. The extra page contains PJL codes or a single character in the upper left corner of the page. The output on this page depends on whether you have enabled bi-directional communications.

NOTE: This problem does not occur with the Generic/Text Only printer driver.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, use either of the following methods:

• Configure the port in your computer's CMOS settings to a non-PS/2 mode (for example, use standard LPT mode, or ECP or EPP mode).

  NOTE: This option is not supported on all computers.

• There is an updated Lpt.vxd file on the Windows 95 CD-ROM that corrects this problem. To install the updated file, follow these steps:

  1. Use Windows Explorer to rename the Lpt.vxd file in the

        Windows\System folder to Lpt.old.
  

  2. Copy the Lpt.vxd file from the Drivers\Printer\LPT folder on the

        Windows 95 CD-ROM to the Windows\System folder on the hard disk.
  

  3. Restart Windows 95.

  NOTE: If you do not have the CD-ROM version of Windows 95, you can obtain the alternate Lpt.vxd file from Microsoft Windows 95 Service Pack 1. For information about obtaining Microsoft Windows 95 Service Pack 1, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

        ARTICLE-ID: 142794
        TITLE     : Availability of Microsoft Windows 95 Service Pack 1
  
  

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about the Lpt.vxd file, please see the Readme.txt file in the Drivers\Printer\LPT folder on the Windows 95 CD-ROM.

The Lpt.vxd file from the Windows 95 CD-ROM is version 4.00.503. To check the version number of your Lpt.vxd file in Windows Explorer, click the file, click Properties on the File menu, and in the File Properties dialog box click the Version tab.

Note that the symptoms described in this article can also be caused by a printer switchbox. If you are using a printer switchbox, you may want to disconnect the switchbox to see if the problem persists.