12 replies to this topic

[Stank_Ho]

I've actually got a topic to post. Here's the deal...
I have two end users that share a printer. Not a network printer. They use an a/b switch. Last week, one of them (suddenly) couldn't print. The printer would blink when he sent a job to it but nothing would print. The other person sharing the printer, can print.
I first try to rule out the a/b switch and run a cable (new) directly to the printer. Same results.
Now I log him off the network so I can uninstall and do a re-install on the printer. No end users have authority to add/delte software. Only me. So I do this and update the drivers and bang!, I can print test pages and excel sheets yadda yadda. So I log myself off and him back on and, you guessed it, it does the same friggin thing as before. His profile has somehow been changed that's not allowing him to print?!?
I was wondering what any of you think might be the problem.

[PeePs]

Just network you printer instead of using a stupid switch   .

[Stank_Ho]

No, this printer has no ethernet connection. No way to set it up on the network.

[wingzero2309]

my printers on my network...and it has no ethernet either

im sharing my internet connection w/ a router, and i just did that make a home office network wizard thing...and bam it worked

[unstable]

pros and cons either way you go.  If you network the printer using peer to peer, that means that the computer that does not have the printer attached locally can:

#1-only print when the other computer is on.
#2-only print when the network is available.

If you're not receiving any errors on the console when the user tries to print, do you have anything in the event log?

[PeePs]

Quote

#1-only print when the other computer is on.

That is a very good point, you can imagine how angry I get when it's late at night and I'm finishing up my homework. Then I'm like, "Yes, it's finally time to go to bed!", but little do I know I will have to wait for 15 minutes while that slow ass piece of shit computer, with the printer, starts up. It's usually on though because we keep all of our music on that one computer, and then just listen to it through the network   .

[MICROWAVE]

You say his profile has changed...is that a guess or do you see something that tells you this??You could try a system restore to see if it works......I know there are many that are not fans of restore or don't turn it on but in my opinion it can be a good tool to identify quickly a corrupt file somewhere:)
Microwave

[unstable]

There's actually a little thing that I've read about that sounds kind of interesting.  It's a piece of software called "FreeSco", it's supposed to function like a Cisco router...the only drawback is, it's Linux of course...which I'm not knocking, but there is a big difference between Cisco IOS and Linux (of any brand)--Cisco IOS is specifically built for a particular task, when Linux is kind of "cobbed" together to make it do whatever people want.

Anyways, the reason I mention it here is because...from what I understand, you can use a really old 486 or something, don't even need a hard disk just a floppy---and setup the machine as a print server with the printer connected directly to the old 486 via LPT.

Of course, if you're asking this question because you are in a business environment, that might not be that much use to you.  But if it's on your home network, it might be a viable option rather than investing in a $200 jetdirect print server or using that crummy A/B switch.

[Stank_Ho]

Quote

You say his profile has changed...is that a guess or do you see something that tells you this??You could try a system restore to see if it works......I know there are many that are not fans of restore or don't turn it on but in my opinion it can be a good tool to identify quickly a corrupt file somewhere:)
Microwave

Well, when I sign on his pc using my network admin sign on, I can run the printer fine. I'll sign him back on and it craps out which is leading me to think his actual profile is corrupt somewhere.
No error logs, and I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that it isn't hardware or software, so it must be with his profile which I'll have to get from the master server. That's where it's all saved.

[unstable]

well just for shits and giggles, if you're running roaming profiles...have him log into the computer next to it (if you haven't already--I can't remember and I'm too lazy to read this thread again).  If it works, then it's obviously computer specific, might try blowing away the locally stored stuff on his computer c:documents and settings%username%

[Stank_Ho]

Nope. He can log onto the pc thats also sharing the printer and he still can't print. I'm getting him a whole new profile set up, but I dont get it. Both profiles are exactly the same as far as permissions and access go. Yet his is f'd up.

I'll get his lazy ass defaulting to a network printer if this doesn't work. I really don't know why he needs a printer sitting next to him anyway, like he's a friggin secretary or some shit.

[john.burks]

You might try adding the user to the Print Operators group on your network.  Also, there are some inexpensive printer server adapters so that you can make the printer a network printer.

[Stank_Ho]

That was odd. I added him to a network printer group and he printed fine. Only the lazy ass has to walk to the front office to get what he printed, God forbid. But he still can't print to his local printer. Oh well. He'll get a new profile soon.