Printer Error Messages Incorrectly Redirected to Terminal Server Instead of Client Session Where Error Occurred

ID: Q252644

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 4.0, 4.0 SP4, 4.0 SP5, 4.0 SP6, Terminal Server Edition

SYMPTOMS

When you try to print from your Windows NT Server version 4.0, Terminal Server edition-based client computer to a printer configured locally on the Terminal Server (such as LPT1), you may receive the following error message on the Terminal Server console (or the client assigned to session zero):

Error writing to LPT1: for Document print job name: The device is not ready.
Do you wish to retry or cancel the job

NOTE: The error message must be cleared on the console (or the client assigned to session zero) before the spooler will continue printing any queued requests. This error message will not occur on the client computer that requested the print job.

CAUSE

This problem can occur if there was an incorrect check to determine which Windows-based computer actually has a direct connection to the local printer.

RESOLUTION

A supported fix that corrects this problem is now available from Microsoft, but it has not been fully regression tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. If you are not severely affected by this specific problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Windows NT 4.0 service pack that contains this fix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information on support costs, please go to the following address on the World Wide Web:

http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/overview/overview.asp

The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later:


   Date       Time                 Size    File name     Platform
   -------------------------------------------------------------
  01/26/2000  12:26a               149,776 Localspl.dll  (x86)

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT 4.0.

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbenv kberrmsg kbprint kbbug4.00 kbfix4.00
Version : winnt:4.0,4.0 SP4,4.0 SP5,4.0 SP6
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbprb