HP 1200C PostScript Color Printer Prints Black-and-White

• Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1

SYMPTOMS

When you print from an Apple Macintosh with Windows NT Services for Macintosh (SFM) to a shared PostScript color printer that does not have a Windows NT driver and includes a PostScript Printer Definition (PPD) file, such as the Hewlett-Packard (HP) DJ1200C, it prints in black-and-white or grayscale.

CAUSE

The cause of this problem is that the Macintosh client queries the server for information about the printer. If the printer being used is PostScript and has a PPD file, the file is read for printer capabilities. However, if there is not a corresponding PPD file, this prompts the server to return default information to the Macintosh client. The default information returned is set up for a black-and-white printer.

If you set up your printer with a non-PostScript driver, the Macintosh Services checks the default non-PostScript device. The default is set to Color=False in this device; therefore, you cannot work around this problem by setting up the driver with a non-PostScript version for the same printer.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

The Hewlett-Packard product included here is manufactured by a vendor independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding this product's performance or reliability.

REFERENCES

Windows NT Advanced Server, "Services for Macintosh"