HP Deskjet problem

  • Thread starter Thread starter h.stroph
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h.stroph

I am unable to get printing with either an HP Deskjet 1120C or a Deskjet
870Cxi with Windows 2000 SP4. The printers install successfully to LPT1,
jobs get spooled then print as a couple lines of gibberish followed by one
edge of the paper with similar characters.

HP states the latest drivers are part of Windows 2000, but apparently they
are not really functional.

Can somebody walk me through the diagnostics necessary for the
currently-connected 870Cxi, please? I really need a functioning printer
asap, and thought I couldn't go wrong with a name-brand like HP, but have
spent 4 days thrashing around with the problem to no avail.

Thanks for your help.
 
Did you follow HP's installation instructions, which is usually to install
their software from supplied cd, and connecting the printer only when
advised to do so?
 
In
DL said:
Did you follow HP's installation instructions, which is usually to
install their software from supplied cd, and connecting the printer
only when advised to do so?
Click to expand...

The installation instructions provided by HP for Windows 2000 and the
DeskJet 870Cxi are on the web, and they say absolutely no such thing as you
describe.

The only driver is contained within the Windows 2000 itself, and the
parallel cable must be connected before creating the printer in the Control
Panel. All instructions were followed multiple times, and each time the
printer fails to print even a correct test page.
 
First go back to HP and download the drivers for these printers for
Windows 2000 operating system. Install them. Try printing again. If the
same giberish appears on both printers, replace the printer cable with
one you know works as you may have a broken connector. But get the HP
drivers first.
 
In
h.stroph said:
I am unable to get printing with either an HP Deskjet 1120C or a
Deskjet 870Cxi with Windows 2000 SP4. The printers install
successfully to LPT1, jobs get spooled then print as a couple lines
of gibberish followed by one edge of the paper with similar
characters.
Click to expand...

The problem was resolved by uninstalling the LPT1 port in Device manage,
then rebooting. Subsequent printing using the installed Deskjet 870Cxi works
perfectly.
 
Recently said:
In

The problem was resolved by uninstalling the LPT1 port in Device
manage, then rebooting. Subsequent printing using the installed
Deskjet 870Cxi works perfectly.
Click to expand...
So... what port is it using if LPT1 no longer exists? Inquiring minds want
to know! ;-)

Neil
 
In
Neil Gould said:
So... what port is it using if LPT1 no longer exists? Inquiring minds
want to know! ;-)
Click to expand...

Because LPT1 was already the defined port that the installed printer was
using, it was re-installed at boot time (apparently).

The hP support person had me print a test page from the printer console
buttons, which worked properly, so we knew the printer worked. He then had
me replave the parallel cable with a spare hi-quality Belkin cable that I
had, and the same gibberish was printed from the MS test page in Printer
Control Panel, so the next diagnostic was to uninstall the LPT1 port from
the Device Manager and reboot.

After the reboot, the LPT1 port was still there, so I assume it was
re-installed as a required component at boot time, and the printer worked
flawlessly after the boot with no additional effort.
 
In I typed:
Because LPT1 was already the defined port that the installed printer
was using, it was re-installed at boot time (apparently).

The hP support person had me print a test page from the printer
console buttons, which worked properly, so we knew the printer
worked. He then had me replave the parallel cable with a spare
hi-quality Belkin cable that I had, and the same gibberish was
printed from the MS test page in Printer Control Panel, so the next
diagnostic was to uninstall the LPT1 port from the Device Manager and
reboot.

After the reboot, the LPT1 port was still there, so I assume it was
re-installed as a required component at boot time, and the printer
worked flawlessly after the boot with no additional effort.
Click to expand...

I'll add that the same problem occurred when installing diferent Deskjet
printers (870Cxi and 1120C) locally on different Windows 2000 machines, both
of which had the exact same printing resolved by uninstalling the LPT1 port
(after creating the Printer) and rebooting.

Whether the problem is in the HP/MS printer drivers or the Windows 2000 LPT1
software port definition/structure or a synergy of both is a matter best
determined by those more knowledgeable than I. I'm glad I discovered it
though, and wish I could have made it available to all the others who
experienced the same problem over the years, as indicated by a newsgroup
archive search.
 
At one time our only corporate allowed personal inkjet printer was the
870Cxi printer series - we probably had 25 or so (all running under Windows
2000). Never had a problem like that - always used the downloaded driver
from the HP website.

Of course, this was 7 or more years ago - only a few are still around -
maybe the driver is the difference - but this was a relatively problem free
printer, at least for driver and installation purposes (maintenance fell to
someone else), hence it was the first small inkjet we ever approved for our
enterprise - this is from a very conservative environment (that strongly
discourages anything less than enterprise class lasers).

Bruce
 
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