bidirectional communication

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aga151

Hi,
Having lots of problems with my Lexmark X4580 all-in-one printer running
in Windows XP Home.
Spooler is not running and now I'm told that I need to : Enable
Bidirectional Communications, can anyone offer help on this please

regards
aga
 
aga151 said:
Hi,
Having lots of problems with my Lexmark X4580 all-in-one printer running
in Windows XP Home.
Spooler is not running and now I'm told that I need to "Enable
Bidirectional Communications". Can anyone offer help on this please?

Regards
aga
Click to expand...

That could be a BIOS setting. Restart your computer, press the key that
allows you to enter BIOS setup, and look through the port settings for
that option.
 
Hi Elmo,
Didn't seem to find anything in BIOS relating to 'ports' or
bidirectional anywhere else I can look?

aga
 
Hi Elmo,
Didn't seem to find anything in BIOS relating to 'ports' or
bidirectional anywhere else I can look?
Click to expand...

Look again; it might be called "parallel" instead of "ports". Look for
anything to do with printing, printer, parallel, connections,
peripherals; can't think of any more right now. Or is it a USB
connection? Probably not; I haven't heard "bidirectional" w/r to USB
cables.
Bidrectional simply means a communications channel so the computer
can talk to the computer instead of just the computer talking to the
printer. Printers will work without it, but none of the printer
messages, out of paper, things like that, and any tool boxes will not
work.

What brand/model of computer do you have? Someone here might have the
same one.

You also need a bidirectional capable printer cable. Some of the
cheaper or older cables don't have a wire on those pins. If it came
with the printer, then it's going to be OK.
 
Hi creator,
Thanks for your help,got all done as you requested,the printer
is connected through the USB port,been having major probs with this one,had a
diagnostic check done by Lexmark and they told me it was a firewall problem?
not anything to do after another check was done then they said it is an issue
with microsoft and that the spooler was NOT running,contact microsoft and
they would assist with the correct updates,well, they were not much help this
is why I came to communities.
Done all as you suggested and I am now being told that
theprinter cannot communicate with the printer,this is after the user details
window appears and that I should connect to the FAX modem!! I pointed out
that the printer worked initially with out being connected to 'fax' modem,now
I have got you to answer the last 2 questions can you figure out why the
printer will not print,the printer never needed to find the modem when newly
installed,total mystery,anyway thanks for your help,much appreciated
regards
aga
 
Hi,
The firewall is Windows Firewall,the other security I have is Avast
scanner version 4.8.1201,there is a Checkpoint zone alarm,the Lexmark guy
told me that initially the firewall might be the problem but after a
diagnostic check said it was the issue withe windows that I needed an update.

I.m not sure of the version of Firewall all I could find was Windows
Firewall,hope this helps

regards
aga
 
Hi,
Just an after thought,the port in Lexmark 3500/4500 series Properties
where the printer is set on is USB Virtual printer port,when I configure this
setting I get error message:
an error occured during port configuration,this operation is NOT supported:
There is another port shown in port properties:
Lex... Lexmark Print-2-Fax when this box is ticked there is an option th
enter the path to the application to associate with the port

Don't know if this is beneficial but thought I should mention it.
regards
aga
 
Hi creator,
Ok done all as you stated,checked that everything was
deleted,disabled firewall and Zone alarm.reinstalled,at the point of
installing the 'fax' anerror came up as:
A problem occured during install,this program may not work properly.

Could this be a software problem?anyway there is nothing coming from the
printer,I've checked the spooler is set ot auto,the bidirectional
communication is ticked,there is one thing though! I have learned a lot about
getting round the PC,ha ha, but alas, no joy from the printer,it still
refuses to print,'come bacl Epsom all is forgiven'
Microsoft said I needed an update for the spooler service,I have
looked for this update there are a few but the question is, what is the
correct one!.
To go back to the software which left the error message,is there anyway
that this being the case why the printer will NOT work: and can you check the
disc for errors?

regards
aga
 
Hi, creator,
Done everything you suggested including a defrag reinstalled
the printer,at the fax stage of the install there was an error message:

Aproblem occured during the install,this program may not work correctly.

Might this be the trouble? software,Microsoft did suggest that I may need a
update for the Spooler service,I have been looking for this update but there
so many don't know what the correct one is.
As you may gather the printer is not working!!

Come back Epson all is forgiven!
I have tried to print the test page,from Word,Notepad and there is
sbsolutely nothing,I have checked again, (from your help I'm now familiar
with the clicking round the PC for things I new nothing about1 ha ha but the
spooler service is running,bidirectionalCommunication is ticked think that
about covers everything, what might the answer be!!

Thanks for your patience and your work in this matter,much
appreciated.

regards
Allan (aga)
 
Hi creator,
Ok done all as you stated,checked that everything was
deleted,disabled firewall and Zone alarm.reinstalled,at the point of
installing the 'fax' anerror came up as:
A problem occured during install,this program may not work properly.

Could this be a software problem?anyway there is nothing coming from
the printer,I've checked the spooler is set ot auto,the bidirectional
communication is ticked,there is one thing though! I have learned a
lot about getting round the PC,ha ha, but alas, no joy from the
printer,it still refuses to print,'come bacl Epsom all is forgiven'
Microsoft said I needed an update for the spooler service,I
have looked for this update there are a few but the question is, what
is the correct one!.
To go back to the software which left the error message,is there
anyway that this being the case why the printer will NOT work: and
can you check the disc for errors?

regards
aga
Click to expand...

Do you know the cable is wired for bidirectional operation? Was
previolusly asked.
Try disabling bidirectional printing: the printer will still print,
just sans error messages. Other stuff probably won't work. Test & see
if that's the issue. If not, put it back. If printer works with
bidirection off, then there's a problem in the cable and/or the
connectors.
 
Hi,
The latest is,after another diagnostic test it appears that the problem
lies with Microsoft,I need I think he (lexmark supervisor) says I need a
hotfix from Microsoft,the name being Q 318152, now when I went into the
Microsoft site there was no such number, I spoke to another guy who virtually
said that this is typical Lexmark,something to do with the spooler and not
being able to get there printers to work but depend on them not getting there
printers to can't remember what he said but it didn't sound good,you got any
ideas on this latest outcome!

regards
aga
 
Hi,
Yes, I have fitted a new USB Cable,still will not work,someone told me
from microsoft that what I needed I would find in there FAQ'S,well,there was
so much in there that I had nio idea as to what I should or should not
download,why couldn't they just tell me exactly what I needed instead of
asking someone who needed help with the problem,I thought that was what they
were supposed to do!! but then I guess not,you buy there product,they've got
the money!!!!!

regards

aga
 
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