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neil_harrogate

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Printing large document in Win98

I have an Epson printer with 16Mb of RAM, and a PC running Windows 98, which has 256Mb of RAM.

A third party has written a database app that produces reports for me, for printing.
My problem is that the full report is  massive (500 pages). 'Windows can handle that' I hear you say, but each page has several Bitmaps on it which makes each spooled page just under 1Mb in size. When I get part way through the print (usually 50-60 pages)
Windows gives up, shuts down my app and cancels the print job.

I've tried printing after first spooled page, after last page is spooled, and direct to printer, all with the same results but for the fact the output varies with each setting before it crashes. I guess this is a memory problem, but as it is spooling
to the hard drive I didn't think memory came into it. Would increasing the printer's memory do the trick?

I know I could just print the report in chunks, or reduce the output quality, but they aren't really ideal resolutions.
This report is generated and prints directly from the compiled app so although the data is held in an Access database
I don't have the ability to amend its design.

Does anyone have any ideal on what (if anything) I can do about this? Thanks.
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rt3

Are there any error messages on the printer (assuming it has some sort of LCD).  How far into the print job does it get?  Half-way, quarter, 3/4's?  I would start with increasing your printer memory and/or adding a harddrive to it(if available as an option).  However, if right now you barely get into the print job and it chokes, then adding memory probably won't do a whole lot except get a few more pages printed.  Adding a hard drive to the printer could solve the whole issue, but I don't know if thats available for your epson and it may be pricey to do that.  Hope this helps somehow.
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If the printer works for small reports, then it may well not be printer related. It could be the program you are using is causing problems with large reports by using up too many windows resources ( GDI, stack etc ). Please send exact error messages if any.
The wisest thing to do, may be to update the W98 to Win NT or win 2000 pro, workstation which is more robust.
In any case I would :
Download the Startup COP a free pcmag utility from
                       http://www.zdnet.com/pcmag/pctech/content/18/08/ut1808.001.html

 Run it and it sill show you everything that is listed in all the possible startup
places, and allow you to disable things one at a time until the problem is eliminated. It may help out.

I hope this answers your question.

We all have our favorite troubleshooters. I found my problem by going through this Microsoft article - (almost the whole way but who cares if it gets fixed)!

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q128/3/45.asp?LNG=ENG&SA=ALLKB&FR=0
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mmadi10699

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