printer driver update?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jo-Anne
  • Start date Start date
J

Jo-Anne

I have a seven-year-old HPLaserJet4100PCL printer attached to my WinXP SP3
computer. I have no problems printing except in Word, which I recently
started using. Sometimes, when I bring in text from WordPerfect, it looks OK
on-screen and in Print Preview but prints strangely, with extra space
between some words and hyphens that print over the letter they're supposed
to follow.

I asked on the Word newsgroup and was told I probably need to update my
printer driver because Word uses the printer differently than other
applications do.

Before I try updating the driver, however, I'd like more input on whether an
older driver is likely to be the problem--and, if so, whether I could cause
myself more trouble by updating the driver. (I'm not even sure there IS an
updated printer driver, since my printer is no longer supported by HP.)

Thanks much!

Jo-Anne
 
I have a seven-year-old HPLaserJet4100PCL printer attached to my WinXP SP3
computer. I have no problems printing except in Word, which I recently
started using. Sometimes, when I bring in text from WordPerfect, it looks OK
on-screen and in Print Preview but prints strangely, with extra space
between some words and hyphens that print over the letter they're supposed
to follow.

I asked on the Word newsgroup and was told I probably need to update my
printer driver because Word uses the printer differently than other
applications do.

Before I try updating the driver, however, I'd like more input on whether an
older driver is likely to be the problem--and, if so, whether I could cause
myself more trouble by updating the driver. (I'm not even sure there IS an
updated printer driver, since my printer is no longer supported by HP.)
Click to expand...
Not if you update from HP direct.
http://welcome.hp.com/country/us/en/support.html
Never ever update drivers using MS!
 
Kayman said:
It's possible. Updating the driver shouldn't do any harm. But just in
case,
set a restore point prior updating and have a look at this link as well:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283657
Click to expand...

Thank you again, Kayman! Now the problem is finding out whether there IS an
updated printer driver.

I let HP download software to check my printer. The result of the check was
"Cannot determine the driver status for your printer." I printed a test page
(since that appears to be the only way to get the driver version), and it
said that my driver version is 6.0. It also listed 13 "additional files used
by this driver."

I checked the driver download page for the HP 4100 series printers, and the
driver versions listed seem not to go above version 4.

So I'm stumped. Do you by chance know of any forum that deals with older HP
printers?

Thank you!

Jo-Anne
 
Jo-Anne said:
Thank you again, Kayman! Now the problem is finding out whether there IS an
updated printer driver.

I let HP download software to check my printer. The result of the check was
"Cannot determine the driver status for your printer." I printed a test page
(since that appears to be the only way to get the driver version), and it
said that my driver version is 6.0. It also listed 13 "additional files used
by this driver."

I checked the driver download page for the HP 4100 series printers, and the
driver versions listed seem not to go above version 4.

So I'm stumped. Do you by chance know of any forum that deals with older HP
printers?

Thank you!

Jo-Anne
Click to expand...

"Advanced Printing Features" may be one possible cause, try disabling it
in Printing Preferences, for the printer
 
Bob I said:
"Advanced Printing Features" may be one possible cause, try disabling it
in Printing Preferences, for the printer
Click to expand...
Thank you, Bob! But what are the Advanced Printing Features?
Jo-Anne
 
Jo-Anne said:
Thank you, Bob! But what are the Advanced Printing Features?
Jo-Anne
Click to expand...

A big pain in the butt sometimes. Some printers, notably HP, have
something in their drivers that are supposed to "enhance" the ability of
the printer to make the output "nicer". When the output does not appear
as you expect, try turning off/Disabling the Advanced Printing Features.
 
Bob I said:
A big pain in the butt sometimes. Some printers, notably HP, have
something in their drivers that are supposed to "enhance" the ability of
the printer to make the output "nicer". When the output does not appear as
you expect, try turning off/Disabling the Advanced Printing Features.
Click to expand...

Got it! Thank you again!
Jo-Anne
 
Bob I said:
You're welcome, I trust that corrected your issue?
Click to expand...

Haven't tried it yet, Bob. I was hoping to hear whether I could update the
printer driver first, so I wouldn't have to turn the Advanced feature on and
off.
 
Thank you again, Kayman! Now the problem is finding out whether there IS an
updated printer driver.

I let HP download software to check my printer. The result of the check was
"Cannot determine the driver status for your printer." I printed a test page
(since that appears to be the only way to get the driver version), and it
said that my driver version is 6.0. It also listed 13 "additional files used
by this driver."

I checked the driver download page for the HP 4100 series printers, and the
driver versions listed seem not to go above version 4.

So I'm stumped. Do you by chance know of any forum that deals with older HP
printers?
Click to expand...

One of the six products listed may be suitable, but I really wouldn't know.
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...portFAQ&docIndexId=64254&prod=LaserJet4100PCL

You may wish to register with Business Support Center for specific help.
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Home.jsp
--Or--
Business Support Forums
http://forums13.itrc.hp.com/service...&cc=us&admit=109447627+1225929296674+28353475

This also may be beneficial:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SupportResources.jsp?lang=en&cc=us

Good luck :)
 
Kayman said:
One of the six products listed may be suitable, but I really wouldn't
know.
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...portFAQ&docIndexId=64254&prod=LaserJet4100PCL

You may wish to register with Business Support Center for specific help.
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Home.jsp
--Or--
Business Support Forums
http://forums13.itrc.hp.com/service...&cc=us&admit=109447627+1225929296674+28353475

This also may be beneficial:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SupportResources.jsp?lang=en&cc=us

Good luck :)
Click to expand...

Thank you! I waited to report back til I heard from the HP forum that I
posted to; unfortunately, no one responded to my question about a more
up-to-date printer driver. Eventually, though, by a circuitous route, I
ended up emailing someone at HP. He checked and said he couldn't find a more
current printer driver than mine.

I also tried Bob's suggestion of disabling the Advanced Printing Features,
but that didn't help either.

I guess I'll have to work around this printing problem in Word. Mostly I'll
stick to WordPerfect, using Word only when I have to.

Jo-Anne
 
Jo-Anne said:
Haven't tried it yet, Bob. I was hoping to hear whether I could update the
printer driver first, so I wouldn't have to turn the Advanced feature on
and off.
Click to expand...
Addendum: After I found out from HP that there's no printer driver update, I
tried your suggestion. Unfortunately, it didn't work. Thank you, though, for
trying to help!

Jo-Anne
 
Jo-Anne said:
Addendum: After I found out from HP that there's no printer driver update, I
tried your suggestion. Unfortunately, it didn't work. Thank you, though, for
trying to help!

Jo-Anne
Click to expand...
Jo-Anne,

Couple of other possibilities for this,

Is there a PS(PostScript) driver for that printer? If so, install and
try that. You should be able to create two instances of the printer, one
PCL and one PS(PostScript)

Another trick would be to "print" to Microsoft Document Image Writer,
and then send/print the image to the printer. Or creat a PDF and then
print that.
 
Bob I said:
Jo-Anne,

Couple of other possibilities for this,

Is there a PS(PostScript) driver for that printer? If so, install and try
that. You should be able to create two instances of the printer, one PCL
and one PS(PostScript)

Another trick would be to "print" to Microsoft Document Image Writer, and
then send/print the image to the printer. Or creat a PDF and then print
that.
Click to expand...
Thank you again, Bob! I think what I'll do instead, though, on the
troublesome pages is just bring them in to WordPerfect and print them there,
since that seems to work. As I mentioned to Kayman, probably I'll continue
to use WP for most things and switch to Word only when I have to because I
email my billls to companies that use it.

Jo-Anne
 
Jo-Anne said:
Thank you again, Bob! I think what I'll do instead, though, on the
troublesome pages is just bring them in to WordPerfect and print them there,
since that seems to work. As I mentioned to Kayman, probably I'll continue
to use WP for most things and switch to Word only when I have to because I
email my billls to companies that use it.

Jo-Anne
Click to expand...

Ok, as long as you get what you need out of it, and you are quite welcome!
 
Back
Top