Difficult computer question

[almost-pro]

I have a user that is running Windows XP w/SP2. The other day her printer (parallel) stopped printing. I took a look at her device manager first, no conflicts. Restarted spooler service. Tried the basic printer troubleshooting steps. Everytime you send a print job to her printer, it hangs in the queue and nothing comes out. I uninstalled printer, re-installed latest driver, still no luck. I loaded default BIOS settings, flashed BIOS, made sure all settings were correct, still no luck. Even went as far as hooking her printer to another PC and it works fine. Tried a different cable, still no luck. After all these steps were taken, as a last resort I backed her data up and formatted the PC, reinstalled XP. As soon as I added her printer back, I get duplicate LPT ports and duplicate SERIAL ports. In device manager I show only 1 LPT port, but if you go into printer properties under ports, it shows duplicates and will not let you delete them. Dell sent me a replacement motherboard, thinking that the parallel port was bad, and this still did not fix the problem. So after formatting and replacing the system board we still have the same problem. I have searched the internet extensively and found no help.

 

[almost-pro]

bump

I have a user that is running Windows XP w/SP2. The other day her printer (parallel) stopped printing. I took a look at her device manager first, no conflicts. Restarted spooler service. Tried the basic printer troubleshooting steps. Everytime you send a print job to her printer, it hangs in the queue and nothing comes out. I uninstalled printer, re-installed latest driver, still no luck. I loaded default BIOS settings, flashed BIOS, made sure all settings were correct, still no luck. Even went as far as hooking her printer to another PC and it works fine. Tried a different cable, still no luck. After all these steps were taken, as a last resort I backed her data up and formatted the PC, reinstalled XP. As soon as I added her printer back, I get duplicate LPT ports and duplicate SERIAL ports. In device manager I show only 1 LPT port, but if you go into printer properties under ports, it shows duplicates and will not let you delete them. Dell sent me a replacement motherboard, thinking that the parallel port was bad, and this still did not fix the problem. So after formatting and replacing the system board we still have the same problem. I have searched the internet extensively and found no help.

 

[BrandonXJ]

I'm assuming you've played around with changing the parallel port mode from ECP, EPP etc.. in the bios?

 

[geoboy]

sometimes if you jiggle the cable it works again

 

[almost-pro]

I'm assuming you've played around with changing the parallel port mode from ECP, EPP etc.. in the bios?

Yep.. too many times. over and over and over. I may try a debug format of the hard drive. (low level format) It's my last shot. If I can't get it working after that im gonna tell Dell to send somebody out.

 

[chewyxrage]

I assume you've posted on all the technical computer forums, right?

and you should ask dialtone

 

[Phaded]

download new drivers reboot hollah

 

[chewyxrage]

Have you tried installing a later version of the driver, sometimes the newest drivers don't work

 

[Devastation]

did you check to see if the printer is plugged in?

 

[MichaelMacGyver]

I have a user that is running Windows XP w/SP2. The other day her printer (parallel) stopped printing. I took a look at her device manager first, no conflicts. Restarted spooler service. Tried the basic printer troubleshooting steps. Everytime you send a print job to her printer, it hangs in the queue and nothing comes out. I uninstalled printer, re-installed latest driver, still no luck. I loaded default BIOS settings, flashed BIOS, made sure all settings were correct, still no luck. Even went as far as hooking her printer to another PC and it works fine. Tried a different cable, still no luck. After all these steps were taken, as a last resort I backed her data up and formatted the PC, reinstalled XP. As soon as I added her printer back, I get duplicate LPT ports and duplicate SERIAL ports. In device manager I show only 1 LPT port, but if you go into printer properties under ports, it shows duplicates and will not let you delete them. Dell sent me a replacement motherboard, thinking that the parallel port was bad, and this still did not fix the problem. So after formatting and replacing the system board we still have the same problem. I have searched the internet extensively and found no help.

Beat the damn thing with a Hammer.

 

[HumorMe]

did you check to see if the printer is plugged in?

lol

 

[jnuts]

I have a user that is running Windows XP w/SP2. The other day her printer (parallel) stopped printing. I took a look at her device manager first, no conflicts. Restarted spooler service. Tried the basic printer troubleshooting steps. Everytime you send a print job to her printer, it hangs in the queue and nothing comes out. I uninstalled printer, re-installed latest driver, still no luck. I loaded default BIOS settings, flashed BIOS, made sure all settings were correct, still no luck. Even went as far as hooking her printer to another PC and it works fine. Tried a different cable, still no luck. After all these steps were taken, as a last resort I backed her data up and formatted the PC, reinstalled XP. As soon as I added her printer back, I get duplicate LPT ports and duplicate SERIAL ports. In device manager I show only 1 LPT port, but if you go into printer properties under ports, it shows duplicates and will not let you delete them. Dell sent me a replacement motherboard, thinking that the parallel port was bad, and this still did not fix the problem. So after formatting and replacing the system board we still have the same problem. I have searched the internet extensively and found no help.

Dude, I applaud your efforts.

Now throw the fucking printer out the window and buy one with w/a USB connection.

The man-hours you've spent chasing the problem down.... It would be worth it to just buy a $70 printer.

 

[CipherLock]

Ever use a pencil?

 

[Cuthbert]

I'm assuming you tried using a USB cabele to connect instead of a serial cable as well.

 

[Ish]

I agree with this. Or you could use the parallel printer on the other pc that worked and get a new printer for that one.

Dude, I applaud your efforts.

Now throw the fucking printer out the window and buy one with w/a USB connection.

The man-hours you've spent chasing the problem down.... It would be worth it to just buy a $70 printer.