Windows 7 Professional 64Bit Printing Issue to HP m401n
Recently upgraded a small network with HP Business Pro 400 G1 workstations no domain etc simple setup. Everything went smooth except for printing to one printer. An HP Laserjet Pro 400 M401n. Printing to any other network printer prints with no issue, even an old Brother laser. But printing to this printer works for the first 1 or 2 print jobs then Word or Excel whatever is printing simply hangs and stops responding while it says printing on the screen eventually everything goes gray until we kill the task. The printer just says ready and shows nothing on it, although the printer in Windows shows spooler. Once this happens we cannot print again (not even stopping starting the spooler) until we reboot. We have changed from the regular PCL6 to PCL5 to Universal to Postscript to, changed the settings recommended by HP an still the same thing happens. We have update the firmware on the printer but for some reason I think it is the print spooler on Windows 7 Pro. As a nearby client in the same office on the same network has the same printer. We tried printing to it and the same issue, we even connected it via USB (the other way was ethernet) but same issue no matter what. Looking for a resolution any ideas are appreciated.
Thanks
Thanks
Ricardo Martínez
I got a similar problem with my Xerox Printer, we got support from the company that provides it and they acknowledge that the problem was some fonts from Microsoft Office that hanged up the printer cause it wasn't compatible, so they installed the universal driver and setup the True Type Fonts to print as graphics and that solved the problem. I suggest calling your support provider or HP people directly to know how to configure the universal driver, maybe that's where the problem is.
Try the steps in an article I wrote on this topic. https://www.experts-exchange.com/Hardware/Peripherals/A_10891-Ten-Steps-How-to-Resolve-Printer-Driver-Installation-Problems.html
since the problem is on 2 PC's - it can be the printer itself is faulty.
try the factory reset : http://h20565.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/template.PAGE/public/kb/docDisplay?javax.portlet.begCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&javax.portlet.prp_ba847bafb2a2d782fcbb0710b053ce01=wsrp-navigationalState%3DdocId%253Demr_na-c03304235-10%257CdocLocale%253D%257CcalledBy%253D&javax.portlet.tpst=ba847bafb2a2d782fcbb0710b053ce01&sp4ts.oid=5096252&ac.admitted=1406876213020.876444892.492883150
try the factory reset : http://h20565.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/template.PAGE/public/kb/docDisplay?javax.portlet.begCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&javax.portlet.prp_ba847bafb2a2d782fcbb0710b053ce01=wsrp-navigationalState%3DdocId%253Demr_na-c03304235-10%257CdocLocale%253D%257CcalledBy%253D&javax.portlet.tpst=ba847bafb2a2d782fcbb0710b053ce01&sp4ts.oid=5096252&ac.admitted=1406876213020.876444892.492883150
One thing you can try is to right click the printer within "Devices and Printers", then select "Printer Properties". Now select the "Advanced" tab, then "Print Processor". Try the different Print Processors and default data types you have available in your selection. Also in the Advanced tab section you can try different spool settings, like "Print directly to printer" etc.
does the other pc have the same OS - and updates?
So, is this printer only installed on a single PC or are you having issues printing to it from multiple PCs?
Have you tried removing the printer completely & re-installing the printer from scratch? Changing the driver & the connection method from an IP port to a USB probably will not clear out issues with the registry entries associated with the printer on that system. So, if you haven't tried it yet, I would delete the printer & install it again.
Here's what I would do:
1. make sure all print jobs are cleared out of the print queues of any printers installed
2. stop the print spooler service
3. search the system32\spool folder for .SPL files: delete them
4. search the system32\spool folder for .BUD files: delete them
5. restart the spooler service
6. remove the printer & re-install
SPL files are stored print jobs, if you don't have any print jobs pending, there should be no SPL files in system32\spool\printers so it's safe to delete any you find. BUD files are printer description files that helps the print driver spool print jobs. Out of date BUD files or BUD files for a different version of a print driver can cause issues printing or can even cause the spooler to crash. So, deleting old BUD files can resolve printing issues. The system will create a new BUD when needed to help spool print jobs.
I hope this helps.
Have you tried removing the printer completely & re-installing the printer from scratch? Changing the driver & the connection method from an IP port to a USB probably will not clear out issues with the registry entries associated with the printer on that system. So, if you haven't tried it yet, I would delete the printer & install it again.
Here's what I would do:
1. make sure all print jobs are cleared out of the print queues of any printers installed
2. stop the print spooler service
3. search the system32\spool folder for .SPL files: delete them
4. search the system32\spool folder for .BUD files: delete them
5. restart the spooler service
6. remove the printer & re-install
SPL files are stored print jobs, if you don't have any print jobs pending, there should be no SPL files in system32\spool\printers so it's safe to delete any you find. BUD files are printer description files that helps the print driver spool print jobs. Out of date BUD files or BUD files for a different version of a print driver can cause issues printing or can even cause the spooler to crash. So, deleting old BUD files can resolve printing issues. The system will create a new BUD when needed to help spool print jobs.
I hope this helps.
ASKER
Just for clarification, the printer is networked not connected directly to a USB port although when I tried that the same issue exhibited itself.
I have tried use the Universal Driver
the PCL6, PCL5
also deleted the printer and recreated it, starting and stopping the spooler etc as stated removing print jobs.
Called HP, they walked through a factory reset, it worked fine for 2 jobs and then the problem began exhibiting itself again after the third. They are sending out a refurbished but I'm concerned it is not the printer as there is another same printer in the office which I tried to print to with same computer and it hangs again.
I hooked up the old XP computer that used to print to it and it prints with no issues. I can't see anything within Windows itself that would cause this issue, even after removing all antivirus and turning off firewall etc etc.
I have tried use the Universal Driver
the PCL6, PCL5
also deleted the printer and recreated it, starting and stopping the spooler etc as stated removing print jobs.
Called HP, they walked through a factory reset, it worked fine for 2 jobs and then the problem began exhibiting itself again after the third. They are sending out a refurbished but I'm concerned it is not the printer as there is another same printer in the office which I tried to print to with same computer and it hangs again.
I hooked up the old XP computer that used to print to it and it prints with no issues. I can't see anything within Windows itself that would cause this issue, even after removing all antivirus and turning off firewall etc etc.
ASKER
I tried looking for the SPD files and found none in the spool directory. Another strange issue with this is that right clicking and selecting print preferences or printer properties does not bring up the menu unless I reboot, the screen blanks for 1 second like it is but nothing shows unless I reboot and it only does it for a few times until I try to print. The other printers do not have this issue
Paul
Paul
ASKER
Another update, this is only happening on 1 computer not on 2. Could there be an issue with the print engine, rights, corrupted files etc.
Thx
Thx
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Did you find any BUD files in the SPOOL folder? deleting the printer or changing the driver doesn't get rid of those if any are hanging around.
ASKER
web_tracker nailed it the steps worked out perfectly
Thanks
Thanks
I was glad to help, if your problem has been resolved don't forget to close the topic. Thanks.