Peer to peer print server

[techguy13]

I am having a problem with a print box in a peer to peer network.
There are three printers (HP4000, HP1120c, HP450c) shared from a single Win98 box. Six of the ten PCs (2xXP home, 2x 98, ME, 95) in the network can print to all three of the printers on the Win98 box. However, four of the ten networked PCs (XPhome, ME, 98, 95) are unable to print to the HP1120c though all can print to the HP4000 and HP450c. When trying to print to the HP1120c the following is received: “There was an error writing to \\printserver\hp1120c for the printer (HP1120c): There was a problem printing to the port check to make sure your printer is configured to use a valid port.” Netbeui, TCP\IP and file\print sharing are installed on all PCs with Client for MS Networks set as default. I have tried the newest drivers for the HP1120c as well. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanx.

[NooNoo]

3 printers on a single 98 box - so the 98 box has 3 lpt ports or are you using some kind of switch?

Try removing the printer from the machines that cannot print to it, rebooting them and then setting the printer up again by browsing to it from network neighbourhood, then double clicking the printer to start the network printer wizard.

[techguy13]

Thanx NooNoo

I have already tried deleting/rebooting and reinstalling the printers through Network Neighbourhood. There are three LPT ports installed, no switch. Does anyone else have any ideas. Thanx

[Ya_know]

The pc hosting the printers, does it display an error when you get the error on the PC sending the print job? On the XP home pc that can’t print to this printer, does it show anything in the event log?

This one is tough to decipher...keep the dialog going, something will trigger soon…

[Ya_know]

Also, have you tried switching LPT ports for the printers? It sounds foul, but it might show something that otherwise was being assumed.

Also, on the 98 box, there are no hardware confilcts I presume?

[techguy13]

Thanx for the response Ya_Know. There are no hardware conflicts reported on the 98 PC sharing printers. The 98 box sharing the printers does not display any error messages when one of the four troublesome PC sends a print job. I haven't check the error logs on the XP PC. I will try swaping around the LPT ports for the printers. As this is part of a side job I won't have a chance to check the error logs or swap ports untill tonight or the weekend. Thanx again please keep the ideas coming.

[SpongeBob]

I'm an HP certified guy... and was a print server operator before i got to network admin....

1) for any one printer... when you setit up... make sure that when you install the drivers for the different OS'es that they are all the EXACT same version #.

2) dont forget to install ALL the os'es that you will be using drivers when you create the printer. (there are some issues with this and old OS'es)

example problem....

server is win98...
Client is win2k
Deskjet is Pre-2k (made and released before offical 2k drivers were ready, but u can get them from the web siite)

When you added the 2k driver (which 80% of the time are different version than the 98 ones -- see rule #1) win 98 wont install them, because it dosent know win2k OS was ever inventer. Or it over writes the old 98 driver, and tries to be comatiable... LOL... M$ compatiable? hehehehe

now the win2k and xp will work (usually) but 98 and 95 wont.
-------------

This is why network print server recommendations... the print server needs the NEWEST OS possable. (now hope you dont have to many REALLY REALLY old printers) You probally wont have to install as many drivers.. and XP/2k usually supports older 95 /98 drivers built right in for networking stuff like this.

but best way is to get printers that have NIC's in them and do it via the TCP/IP network printing.
--------------

any questions?


this concludes netwotk printing boot camp.



enjoy

[confus-ed]

Are you sure you got the right ports assigned to each printer on each machine, 10 pc's with 3 ports each to catch means its easy to get confus-ed.....

I'm pretty sure that's what your error message refers to....

[techguy13]

Hi Confus-ed

As I am more of a Novell network techguy I may be missing something with the MS print sharing. Though it does seem strait forward I may be mistaken in my belief that the Win98 box sharing the printers assigns the printer ports to the specific printers and the networked PCs merely pass the print job to the 98 share not specifically to the port. I have set-up the printers via Network Neighborhood. There does not seem to be a place to specifically set a local port on a shared printer other than on the 98 box acting as a print server? Note that the PCs that are printing successfully to the HP1120c have been set-up the same way through Network Neighborhood.

Thanx all, please keep the ideas coming. Maybe I may make it home for dinner before midnight this evening.

[confus-ed]

So you can print to each printer, from somewhere's on the network, however 4 of them will print to only two of the three ....?

So the installed drivers on the host would seem to be correct.

Have you tried printing from Command prompt (DOS - it isn't really but that's being pedantic(picky!))..... Try this lifted from Q243075 MS KB article...

"Print to a file, and then copy the file to the print server:
Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.
Right-click the printer you want to use, and then click Properties.
Click the Details tab, and then click File in the Print To The Following Port box.
Print a document from any program. When you are prompted, type a file name for the print job.
Click Start, point to Programs, and then click MS-DOS Prompt.
At the command prompt, type copy path to filefile namenetwork printer name /b, and then press ENTER, where path to file is the location of the file you created in step D, file name is the name of the file you created in step D, and network printer name is the location of the printer on the network (for example, \\servername\sharename).

NOTE: The /b switch denotes a binary file and causes the whole file to be printed. Without the /b switch, the whole file may not be printed. The printer may stop printing the file at the first CTRL+Z character it encounters in the file. "

You want to try this for the 'missing' printer from the errant machines ....

Oh & you have made the connections to the network printers permananent ? and you aren't just saying print to 'x' network printer .....

"Capture a printer port for the network printer rather than using a universal naming convention (UNC) connection:
Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.
Right-click the printer you want to use, and then click Properties.
Click the Details tab, and then click Capture Printer Port.
Click the port you want to capture (such as LPT2) and the path to the network printer (such as \\server name\printer share name).

NOTE: If you want this connection to be available each time you start your computer, click to select the Reconnect At Logon check box."

This was what I was refering to when I said "Are you sure you got the right ports assigned to each printer on each machine, 10 pc's with 3 ports each to catch means its easy to get confus-ed"

I don't think checking any error logs is gonna do you too much good, I think the output simply doesn't know where to go & then where to come out....

Originally posted by Ya_Know
This one is tough to decipher...keep the dialog going, something will trigger soon…

[techguy13]

Hi all

I am still fighting the networked printer. I tried Confus-ed's idea of mapping the printer port through the network with no success. However I did make a discovery. I tried assigning an hp1200c driver to the HP1120c printer and was able to print to the network successfully. However the print quality greatly suffers as well as printing time so this is not a successful solution. I have tried installing the hp1100c driver, suspected this may provide better compatibility with the 1120c, but receive the same error as with the 1120c drivers. Does anyone know how to stop the auto print driver installation in a MS peer-peer network? Or how to remove a resident print driver from windows 9x/me ? I suspect that the driver installed or associated with the HP1120 may be corrupt and a simple download and reload of a new driver is not successfully overwriting the suspect driver? Any other ideas? My stomach is getting the better of me I’m going home and will give it a try again tomorrow.

[confus-ed]

Are you in a position to prove whether its the printer or the network ...? What I mean is try a.n.other printer on lpt3 instead of the hp 1120c ... at least that way you know whether its a 'ports' issue or a driver issue...

The HP 1100 series uses its own scaling software which it calls 'smart' software, maybe its too smart for a peer to peer network ....?

Will or won't all the machines print from dos to all the printers ... ?

I also found this HP DeskJet 1120C Series Printer - A Fatal Exception Error Occurs when Printing from an HP JetDirect Print Server on a Novell Network

Now that link says bi-directional printing isn't handled properly, I know its not quite the same error, but its similar enough to make me draw your attention to it.

I also found another one on the Knowledge base about EMF printing & how to change mode which also might be worth a try MS KB Q302940

Like I say try to isolate whether its just this printer or any old 'third' printer on your network, when your guts have recover-ed .....

[techguy13]

Back again, brain bleeding from ear, shaking fist at sky, muttering obscenities at Microsoft and HP.

I have tried printing from the command prompt but once I get to the step
"Print to a file, and then copy the file to the print server:
Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.
Right-click the printer you want to use, and then click Properties.
Click the Details tab, and then click File in the Print To The Following Port box.
Print a document from any program. When you are prompted, type a file name for the print job.”
At this point when I go to save the name I just gave to the document I receive the same printer error for the 1120c that initiated the problem. However if I assign a different print driver, Hp1200, I am able to complete this step.

I have also swapped ports. The HP1120c has been moved from LPT2 to LPT1 and is still posting the original error message, The HP 4000 has been moved from LPT1 to LPT2 and is functioning properly. Again if I change the print driver for the HP1120c to a HP1200 I am able to successfully print to the share.

I am able to print to the HP1120c from DOS

I have tried editing the HPW5CFG.exe and HPW5DDI.ini files as outlined in Confus-ed suggestions without success. I have also tried disabling Bi-directional printing for the 1120c on the host PC without success.

Thanx again confus-ed . Does anyone have further suggestions?

[techguy13]

I managed to stop the haemorrhaging to my brain long enough to figure out my network printer problem .
The antivirus program must have been interfering with the install for HPs “smart” software . Once I disabled the antivirus program and installed the 1120c locally on the workstation then set the port to the shared network printer all was well on reboot with the AV program running. If I ever meet Mr. McAfee I’m go’na kick him square in the kilt. Ey a man no forget a swift kick to the kilt. Thanx to all those who helped and my apologies for missing such a simple problem and using your time.

[Ya_know]

The next time someone comes in here with problem noone can figure out, the first thing I am going to suggest is to turn off AV....What a drag!

I am glad you got it on your own!