Troubleshooting Printing Problems in Windows 95/98

• Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
• Microsoft Windows 98
• Microsoft Windows 95

SUMMARY

This article provides troubleshooting steps that may help you solve printing problems in Microsoft Windows 98/95.

The following topics are discussed:

• Check Your Printer Hardware



• Verify Printer Properties



• Windows 98/95 Print Troubleshooter



• View the Printers.txt File



• Try Printing a Test Document from Notepad or WordPad



• Try Printing from a Command Prompt and Lpt1.dos



• You Can Print from a Command Prompt But Not Windows-Based Programs



• Printing Issue Occurs only in One Program



• Remove and Reinstall the Printer Driver



• Hard Disk Maintenance



• Verify Your Printer Port Is Configured and Working Properly



• Additional Troubleshooting Topics

Q243075 How to Troubleshoot Network Printing Problems

MORE INFORMATION

Check Your Printer Hardware

• Verify that your printer is connected to a working power source.



• Verify that your printer is properly connected to your printer port. Note that the cable must be seated properly in the printer port on your computer and at the printer.



• Verify that your printer has paper (or other appropriate printing media) available, and that it is not jamming the printer.



• Verify that your printer contains a sufficient supply of ink or toner to work properly.



• If your printer has an online/offline setting or button, verify that your printer is online.



• Reset your printer by turning it off and then turning it back on after 5 to 10 seconds. Many printing problems are the result of your printer memory being full.



• Verify that you have followed all of the installation instructions provided by your printer manufacturer.



• If your printer documentation includes any troubleshooting information, perform those troubleshooting steps.



• If possible, perform a self-test on the printer. These "self-diagnostic" tools can often resolve or diagnose basic issues with your hardware. The method for performing a self-test is different for different printers, and you should view your printer documentation for instructions about how to do so.
  
  NOTE: If the self-test does not work, your printer may be damaged or need servicing and you should contact your printer manufacturer for further assistance.



• If another computer is available, verify that your printer works properly when connected to another computer. Note that if your printer does not work properly when connected to another computer, your printer may be damaged, and may need servicing.

Verify Printer Properties

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.



2. Right-click the printer you want to check, and then click Properties.



3. Verify that all of your printer properties are configured as recommended by your printer manufacturer. To do so, view the documentation included with your printer, or contact your printer manufacturer.

Windows 98/95 Print Troubleshooter

Windows 95

1. Click Start, and then click Help.



2. On the Contents tab, double-click the Troubleshooting topic.



3. Double-click the If You Have Trouble Printing topic.

Windows 98

1. Click Start, and then click Help.



2. Click Troubleshooting, click Windows 98 Troubleshooters, and then click Print.

View the Printers.txt File

Try Printing a Test Document from Notepad or WordPad

1. Restart your computer, click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Notepad or WordPad.



2. Type some text in Notepad or WordPad and then try to print the text. If you can print successfully in Notepad or WordPad, your printing issue may be specific to one program. You should try the steps in the "Printing Issue Occurs only in One Program" section later in this article. If you cannot print successfully in Notepad or WordPad, try the steps in the "Try Printing from a Command Prompt and Lpt1.dos" section later in this article.

Try Printing from a Command Prompt and Lpt1.dos

Printing from a Command Prompt

1. Verify that the printer is turned on and is online without any printer errors.



2. Verify that no printer sharing devices (printer switch boxes, and so on) or daisy-chained devices (such as SCSI CD-ROMs, Zip drives and so on) are connected between the computer and printer.



3. Restart your computer. For Windows 95, press F8 when you see the "Starting Windows 95" message, and then choose Safe Mode Command Prompt Only from the Startup menu.
   
   For Windows 98, restart your computer, press and hold down the CTRL key after your computer completes the Power On Self Test (POST), and then choose Safe Mode Command Prompt Only from the Startup menu. For more information about Windows 98 startup, click the article number below to view the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   Q178548 No Starting Windows 98 Message at Startup

   NOTE: Windows-based programs cannot print when you start Windows 95 in Safe mode.



4. At the command prompt, type the appropriate line and then press ENTER:
   
   NOTE: The following commands assume your printer is connected to lpt1 (the normal default printer port). If your printer is connected to a different printer port, substitute that printer port number in the following commands. Also, these commands assume you have a Mouse.txt file in your Windows folder. If you do not have a Mouse.txt file in your Windows folder, try substituting the License.txt file, the Support.txt file, or the Config.txt file from the Windows folder.
   
   Standard Printer

   copy c:\windows\mouse.txt lpt1

   Laser Printer

   copy c:\windows\mouse.txt lpt1 /b

   PostScript Printer, Windows 95 Only

   copy c:\Windows\System\testps.txt lpt1

Printing from LPT1.DOS

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.



2. Right-click the printer you want to use, and then click Properties.



3. On the Details tab, click Add Port.



4. In the Add Port dialog box, click Other, click Local Port, click OK, and then type lpt1.dos in the Enter A Port Name box. Click OK.

Q156126 Troubleshooting Windows 95 Using Safe Mode

You Can Print from a Command Prompt But Not Windows-Based Programs

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.



2. Right-click the printer you are trying to print to and then click Properties.



3. Click the Details tab, click Spool Settings, then click the Print Directly To The Printer.
   
   NOTE: If the local printer is being shared, Print Directly To The Pinter is unavailable. To resolve this, stop sharing the printer.



4. If your printer supports bi-directional communication, click Disable bi-directional support for this printer.
   
   NOTE: Bi-directional printing relies on the 1284 IEEE specification. If your printer cable does not conform to this specification and is not of reasonable length, bi-directional printing does not work in Windows98 or Windows 95.



5. Click OK, and then click OK again to close Print Properties.



6. Try to print from Notepad or WordPad.



7. If you can print from Notepad or WordPad, try different combinations of spool settings and bi-directional support until you find a combination that works. For example, try disabling bi-directional support with RAW and EMF spool data format settings. Also, try bi-directional support with the RAW spool data format.
   
   NOTE: RAW is the only spool data format supported for PostScript printers.

Printing Issue Occurs only in One Program

1. Think about what exactly is the printing problem. For example, does your program print graphics properly, or are you having problems with just one font?



2. Does the problem occur in one document only, or all documents within the program? As a test, try to print a blank page from the program. If this prints correctly, the program may have problems with memory or fonts.



3. Are you using a 32-bit or 16-bit program? 32-bit programs use the system registry to obtain needed information, while 16-bit programs may use .INI files. If you are having a printing problem with a 16-bit program, perhaps an .INI file needs to be modified to accommodate the program.



4. Uninstall and then reinstall the program. For information about how to do so, view the documentation included with your program.



5. Contact the manufacturer of the program for specific settings or possible known issues with their program that might affect printing. Also, many programs need upgrades or patches to work correctly, so you should verify that you are using any appropriate available patches for your program.

Remove and Reinstall the Printer Driver

1. Click Start, point to Settings, then click Printers.



2. Right-click the printer you want to remove, then click Delete.
   
   NOTE: If you are prompted to remove all the files associated with the printer, click Yes.



3. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.



4. Double-click Add Printer, and then follow the instructions in the Add Printer Wizard to reinstall the appropriate printer driver.



5. Test to determine if your printing issue is resolved. If your printing issue is not resolved, continue to the next step.



6. Try using the "Generic/Text Only" printer driver for your printer. This test can help determine whether or not your printing issue is related to your printer driver. To try using the "Generic/Text Only" printer driver:
   
   
   1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.
   
   
   
   2. Double-click Add Printer, and then follow the instructions in the Add Printer Wizard to install the Generic/Text Only printer driver as a local printer.
   
   
   
   3. Test to determine if you can print using this driver. Note that this driver is a very basic driver, and the printed output may be simplified or appear in a lower resolution. If you can print successfully using the Generic/Text Only printer driver, your printing issue is most likely specific to the printer driver you are using. You should contact your printer manufacturer to inquire about the availability of an updated printer driver, a patch (or fix) for your current driver, or information about any known issues with your driver.
   
   
   

Hard Disk Maintenance

Remove Temporary Files and Spool Files

1. Restart your computer to a command prompt. In Windows 95, press F8 when you see the "Starting Windows 95" message, and then choose Safe Mode Command Prompt Only from the Startup menu.
   
   For Windows 98, restart your computer, press and hold down CTRL after your computer completes the Power On Self Test (POST), and then choose Safe Mode Command Prompt Only from the Startup menu.
   
   NOTE: Windows-based programs cannot print when you start Windows 98/95 in Safe mode.



2. At the command prompt, type set, and then press ENTER. Note the location of the TEMP variable.



3. Change to the folder you noted in step 2. For example, if TEMP is set to C:\Windows\Temp, type cd\windows\temp, and then press ENTER.



4. Delete any temporary files in this folder. Temporary files typically have a .tmp file extension. To delete these files, type del *.tmp, and then press ENTER.
   
   NOTE: You should not delete these files from within the Windows 98/95 graphical user interface (GUI) because Windows 98/95 or a Windows-based program may be using one of these files.



5. Type cd\windows\spool\printers, and then press ENTER to change to the spool folder.



6. Delete any spool files in this folder. Spool files typically have a .spl file extension. To delete these files, type del *.spl and then press ENTER.
   

Run ScanDisk and Disk Defragmenter

1. Restart your computer normally.



2. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click ScanDisk.



3. When ScanDisk is finished, click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Disk Defragmenter.
   
   NOTE: Although you can use your computer while Disk Defragmenter is running, it is not recommended.

Verify Your Printer Port Is Configured and Working Properly

Use Device Manager to Verify Port Settings

1. Right-click My Computer, click Properties, click the Device Manager tab, double-click Ports (COM & LPT), and then double-click the appropriate port for your printer (for example, Printer Port (LPT1).



2. Click the Resources tab, and then verify that the settings are correct for your printer port. For example, the input/output (I/O) range for a standard LPT1 port is 0378-037A (a physical LPT2 port typically uses I/O 278). Also verify that the conflicting devices list displays "No conflicts".

Q133240 Troubleshooting Device Conflicts with Device Manager

Remove and Reinstall the Printer Port

1. Right-click My Computer, click Properties, and then click the Device Manager tab.



2. Double-click the Ports (COM & LPT) branch to expand it, and then click the appropriate port for your printer (for example, this would normally be Printer Port (LPT1).



3. Click Remove, click OK to finish removing your port, and then restart your computer.



4. When Windows automatically detects your printer port, follow the instructions on the screen to finish reinstalling the port. If your port is not automatically detected after you restart your computer:
   
   
   1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Add New Hardware.
   
   
   
   2. In Windows 95, click Next, click No, and then click Next.
      
      In Windows 98, click Next, and then click Next again to search for plug and play devices. If the port is not found, click "No, the device isn't in the list," click Next, click "No, I want to select the hardware from a list," and then click Next.
      
      NOTE: If Windows 98 finds your port when it searches for plug and play devices, click "Yes, the device is in the list," click the device in the list, click Next, and then click Finish.
   
   
   
   3. Click Ports (COM & LPT), and then click Next.
   
   
   
   4. Click (Standard port types) in the Manufacturers box, click Printer Port in the Models box, and then click Next.
   
   
   
   5. Follow the directions on the screen, and then Click Finish.
   
   
   
   After you finish installing the port, test to determine if the issue is resolved, and if it is not, continue to the next section.

Disable the Enhanced Capabilities Port

1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click System.



2. On the Device Manager tab, double-click the Ports (COM & LPT) branch to expand it.



3. Double-click the ECP port.



4. On the Driver tab, click Change Driver.



5. Click Show All Devices.



6. In the Manufacturers box, click Standard Port Types. In the Models box, click Printer Port, and then click OK until you return to Control Panel.

1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click System.



2. On the Device Manager tab, double-click the Ports (COM & LPT) branch to expand it.



3. Double-click the ECP port.



4. On the Driver tab, click Update Driver. When the Update Device Driver Wizard appears, click Next.



5. Click Display a list of all the device drivers in a specific location, so you can select the driver you want, and then click Next.



6. Click Show All Hardware.



7. In the Manufacturers box, click Standard Port Types. In the Models box, click Printer Port, and then click Next.



8. When the Update Driver Warning dialog box appears, click Yes.



9. Click Finish, and then click Yes to restart your computer.

Additional Troubleshooting Topics

Install the Alternate Lpt.vxd File on Your Windows 95-Based Computer

• You may receive timeout error messages, or you may be unable to print if you are printing using a Compaq-based computer and you print to a bi-directional printer.



• You experience problems printing to any bi-directional printer on a computer with a PS/2-style printer port. Symptoms may include an extra page being printed, PCL commands appearing on the printout, and so on.



• If you cannot use Device Manager to configure an ECP port to run in standard LPT mode, this may be because your computer has a Plug and Play BIOS that enumerates only ECP parallel ports.

ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/Services/whql/drivers/win95/printr/

1. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders.



2. In the Named box, type lpt.vxd, and then click Find Now.



3. Right-click the Lpt.vxd file in the Windows\System folder, click Rename, type lpt.old, and then press ENTER.



4. 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. Alternatively, you can download the Lpt.vxd file from the Microsoft FTP site to an empty folder, and then copy it to the Windows\System folder on your hard disk.



5. Restart your computer.

Microsoft Windows 3.x Required Disabling Fast Printing Direct to Port

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.



2. Right-click the printer you want to use, then click Properties.



3. Click the Details tab, click Port Settings, and then click to clear the Check Port Status check box.

Read-Only Win.ini File

1. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders.



2. In the Named box, type win.ini.



3. In the Look In box, click the drive containing the Windows folder, and then click Find Now.



4. Right-click the Win.ini file, and then click Properties.



5. If the Read-Only check box is selected, click to clear it.



6. Click OK.



7. Quit the Find tool, and then restart your computer.

Enable the Print TrueType As Graphics Feature

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.



2. Right-click the printer you want to use, and then click Properties.



3. Click the Fonts tab, click Print TrueType As Graphics, and then click OK.



4. Test to determine if your issue is resolved, and if not, enable the Download TrueType fonts as bitmap soft fonts feature. To do so, repeat steps 1-3, but in step 3, click Download TrueType fonts as bitmap soft fonts, and then click OK.

Decrease Your Printer Resolution

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.



2. Right-click the printer you want to use, and then click Properties.



3. Click the Graphics tab, click a lower resolution (or dots per inch) for your printer in the Resolution box, and then click OK.



4. Test to determine if your issue is resolved, and if not, return your printer resolution to the original setting.

Printing a Complex Document

A Graphic Is Not Printed Correctly

Problems Printing to a Hewlett-Packard LaserJet 4

Extra Page Printed with Each Print Job

Q132425 Extra Page Printed with Each Print Job

Input/Output Printer Error or Blank Pages Printed When You Start Windows 98

Q157145 Printer Activity or Garbled Text Printed When You Start Windows

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbprint kbtshoot win95 win98 win98se
Version : WINDOWS:95
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbinfo