Question

printer keeps showing out of paper, disable LPT1 and restart fixes but keeps happening

Asked by: ddefreitas

My printer connected to LPT1 shows out of paper message.  Disabling LPT1 and restarting as reccommended in the Windows troubleshooting section fixes the problem for a short period but then keeps happening.  Any ideas?

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Asked On
2009-09-16 at 02:09:25ID24735632
Topic

Printers

Participating Experts
4
Points
500
Comments
6

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Answers

 

by: afthabPosted on 2009-09-16 at 02:20:02ID: 25343473

Try this out,

1. Look at the lights on front panel of the printer. If printer shows that paper is out, then it's hardware problem of the printer. If it is okay, go to 2

2. Go to the printer properties,to ports tab,and disable the bi-directional support.
Restart the PC and print a test page,check the printer lights to make sure that it is in "ready" state and there is no hardware issue.

3. Still not solved, Change printer network cable, and check

 

by: nobusPosted on 2009-09-16 at 02:25:45ID: 25343507

can you test the printer on another PC, to show if the problem comes from the printer, or PC ?

 

by: walkman48Posted on 2009-09-16 at 21:15:23ID: 25352831

If none of the above works make sure that the cable that attaches to the LPT port has IEEE-1284 compliant stamped on it all along the cable. If is not IEEE-1284 compliant than it will give you errors because the older cables were not made to handle the printer telling the computer anything.

good luck

 

by: ddefreitasPosted on 2009-09-17 at 02:52:44ID: 25354265

I have tried a new cable, worked for the first print but then gives the same problem.  I am now trying a new computer with old cable.  Thanks for suggestions so far(just thought I would keep updated)

 

by: JimWarnerPosted on 2009-09-17 at 09:15:44ID: 25357842

You don't mention what type of printer nor the type of paper.

While the computer's printer port or cable might cause your symptoms, there are a few things to check first.

1. If using continuous sheet paper (aka fanfold), the creases at the folds could be severe enough to allow the paper out sensor actuator to move enough to trigger a false paper out condition.

2. Check the paper size defined in your printer driver. If the paper size selected in your printer driver does not match the actual paper size (US Letter vs A4, for example), that can trigger a paper out condition.

3. Some paper out sensors are optical sensors that can be adversely affected by paper dust or debris.A simple blowing out of the paper path, with close attention paid to the location of the Paper Out Sensor, will often fix the problem.

Hope this helps

 

by: ddefreitasPosted on 2009-09-20 at 08:50:06ID: 25377632


Forgive the delay on repsonding to all the helpfull suggestions.  I have tried them all and attaching all the same equipment to another computer still appears to be working fine so I think I will have to close the question and award points to that answer.  

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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