Welcome to the Enhanced Print Troubleshooter.

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Welcome to the Enhanced Print Troubleshooter.

The Enhanced Print Troubleshooter is a diagnostic tool developed by the Decision Theory Group at Microsoft Research and Microsoft Product Support Services.  The Enhanced Print Troubleshooter uses probabilities and costs associated with different faults to generate a list of recommended troubleshooting steps.  When you run the Enhanced Print Troubleshooter, the list of recommendations  is  regenerated after each question is answered, based on what the system knows about the problem you are having and the printing configuration.

The Enhanced Print Troubleshooter can detect your current printing configuration to aid in the troubleshooting process.  The sensed values will be displayed in the status window.  Select which option you prefer below.

Please detect my current default printer configuration.

Do not detect printer configuration.


What type of problem are you having?

My document didn't print at all.

Printing is unusually slow.

I only got part of the page I expected.

Graphics are distorted or incomplete.

Fonts are missing or do not appear as they did on the screen.

The printout is garbled or contains garbage.

Some other problem.


Is the document that your application is using incorrect or corrupted?

Try  printing a small new document of the same type from the same application.

Yes, a new document prints.  I will regenerate my document.

No, a new document still does not print properly.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Is the problem reproducible; does the same problem occur in the same way each time?

Yes, I am getting the same error or problem each time I try to print.

No, I get a somewhat different problem each time I try to print.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Can you print after checking the “print to file” check box in the print dialog?

1. Click the Start Menu.

2. Point to Settings.

3. Click Printers.

4. Click the right mouse button on your default printer.

5. Click Properties.

6. Click the Details Tab.

7. Change the location of the “Print to the following Port” option to FILE:.

8. Try printing; verify that a file is created in the directory listed.

Yes, I can print to file.

No, the system will not print to file.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Are you printing to a Postscript printer?

Yes, I am printing to a Postscript printer.

No, I am not printing to a Postscript printer.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Are you getting a Postscript error indicating low virtual memory?

Yes, I am getting a Postscript error indicating low virtual memory.

No, I am not getting a Postscript error indicating low virtual memory.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


The printer may not have enough virtual memory available for your print job.

Try using a printer with more memory, printing smaller graphics, or using fewer fonts.

It worked! I adjusted for low memory and now I can print.

I have tried fewer fonts and smaller graphics, but it still won't print.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Does the printer icon for the default printer in the Printer Folder appear normal (not grayed out)?

Yes, the printer icon looks normal.

No, the printer icon is grayed out.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Copy the file testps.txt from your Windows directory to the printer.  Is the indicated printer virtual memory greater than 1 megabyte?

Yes, the printer virtual memory reading is greater than 1 megabyte.

No, the printer virtual memory reading is less than 1 megabyte..

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


The problem you are having may be from trying to print an Encapsulated Postscript graphic.

If it is a Postscript graphic, try converting it to a Windows metafile, bitmap, or another graphics format.

It worked! Converting to a non-EPS format graphic printed fine.

No, I am not printing an EPS format graphic and it still doesn’t print properly.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Try turning the printer off and back on.  This operation clears the memory of the printer and can solve a number of problems.

It worked!  I cycled the printer and now it prints.

No, I turned the printer off and back on and it still doesn’t print properly

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


When you select Print in your application, does it appear that the application is taking a long time to prepare the data?

See if the hourglass stays on the screen for a long time or the application indicates it is taking a long time to generate the data.

No, the hourglass disappeared fairly quickly.

Yes, the hourglass was on the screen for a long time.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Is the problem occurring with True Type Fonts?

1. In the application you are printing from select the text that is not appearing properly.

2. Look at the Font Dialog and see if the TT symbol occurs next to the indicated font.

3. A TT symbol means you are using a True Type font (answer Yes).

4. No symbol or some other symbol indicates a non-True Type font (answer No).

Yes.

No.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Are you getting a full page of output?

Yes, the entire page is being printed.

No, I am only seeing a portion of what I expect to see.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Are your graphics appearing as you expect?

Yes, the graphics look fine.

No, the graphics don’t print or print incorrectly.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Are your fonts appearing as you expect?

Yes, the fonts are fine.

No, some fonts do not appear properly or do not print at all.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Is the output garbled and/or contains error messages?

No, the output is not garbled.

Yes, the output seems mixed up or there are error messages.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


What is wrong with your output?

I only got part of the page I expected.

Graphics are distorted or incomplete.

Fonts are missing or do not appear as they did on the screen.

The printout is garbled or contains garbage.

Some other problem.


Thank you for using the Enhanced Print Troubleshooter.

The Enhanced Print Troubleshooter is experimental software developed by the Decision Theory Group at Microsoft Research in collaboration with Microsoft Product Support Services.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Is your printer turned on and on-line?

1.	Make sure the printer is properly plugged into a power outlet.

2.	Turn on the printer's power switch.

3.	Make sure the printer is "on line". Most printers have an On Line button with a light next to it. Make sure the light is on.

If you need  more information on any of these steps, consult your printer's manual.

It worked! I turned it on and now I can print.

Yes, my printer is on, but it still won't print.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Next Steps

You've run into a problem with your printer or with Windows that The Enhanced Print Troubleshooter can't help you solve.

Try looking in your printer's manual for more information, or call your helpdesk or other service representative.

OK, I will try to get help elsewhere.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Is there paper in your printer?

1	Make sure that there is paper in your printer.

2	Make sure the paper isn't jammed.

3	Find out if you need to change the cartridge, ribbon, or toner.

It worked! I fixed the paper and now I can print.

Yes, the paper supply is OK, but it still won't print.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Are you using the correct printer driver?

If the print troubleshooter has sensed your default printer, look in the status window and see if the printer name and driver name match.

If default printer properties were not sensed, then go to the Properties sheet for the default printer and check the driver name:

1. Click the Start Menu.

2. Point to Settings.

3. Click Printers.

4. Verify that the printer you are attempting to print to is listed here.

5. Click the right mouse button on that printer.

6. Click Properties.

7. Click the Details Tab.

8. Verify that the driver settings are correct and that the proper driver is being used.

It worked! I selected the correct driver and now I can print.

The correct driver is selected, but it still won't print properly.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Is your driver corrupt?

Sometimes the software that communicates with the Printer (the Printer Driver) can become corrupted or damaged.  To investigate, do the following:

1. Click the Start Menu.

2. Point to Settings.

3. Click Printers.

4. Click the right mouse button on the printer you are trying to print to.

5. Click Delete.

6. Double-click Add Printer.

7. Choose your printer from the list of available printers.

It worked! I reinstalled the driver and now I can print.

I reinstalled the driver, but it still won't print properly.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Are you printing to the correct printer port?

1. Click the Start Menu.

2. Point to Settings.

3. Click Printers.

4. Click the right mouse button on the printer you are trying to print to.

5. Click Properties.

6. Make sure the printer is mapped to the proper port.

It worked! I selected the correct printer port and now I can print.

I selected the correct printer port, but it still won't print.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Have you selected the correct printer in your application?

1. Click the Start Menu.

2. Point to Settings.

3. Click Printers.

4. Click the right mouse button on the printer you are trying to print to.

5. Click Set As Default.

It worked! I selected the correct printer and now I can print.

I selected the correct printer, but it still won't print.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Is the pathname to the network printer correct?

If the print troubleshooter has sensed your default printer, look in the status window and check the indicated printer pathname.

To check or change the printer path, go to the Properties sheet for the default printer and check the printer pathname:

1. Click the Start Menu.

2. Point to Settings.

3. Click Printers.

4. Click the right mouse button on the printer you are trying to print to.

5. Click Properties.

6. Make sure that the path to the network printer is correct.  This path takes the form
\\Sharename\Printername.

It worked! I corrected the printer pathname and now I can print.

I have the correct printer pathname, but it still won't print.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Is your printer cable properly connected?

Make sure the cable that connects your computer to the printer is plugged in properly. Also verify that you are not using a print switching device, or if you are that it is correctly configured.

It worked! I fixed the cable and now I can print.

I fixed the cable, but it still won't print.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Is your network operating properly?

There may be a problem with the network or network cable.  Verify that the network is functioning properly.

It worked! I reconfigured the network and now I can print.

The network is configured properly, but it still won't print as desired.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Are the printer timeouts too short?

To check or change the printer timeouts, go to the Properties sheet for the default printer and check the printer timeouts:

1. Click the Start Menu.

2. Point to Settings.

3. Click Printers.

4. Click the right mouse button on the printer you are trying to print to.

5. Click Properties.

6. Click the Details tab.

7. Increase the value of the printer timeouts.

It worked! I increased the printer timeouts and now it prints.

No, I increased the printer timeouts, but it still won't print as desired.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Are you printing from an MS-DOS-based or a Windows-based application?

I am printing from MS-DOS or from an MS-DOS application.

I am printing from a Windows application.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Is print spooling turned on?

Go to the Properties sheet for the default printer and see if print spooling is enabled.

1. Click the Start Menu.

2. Point to Settings.

3. Click Printers.

4. Verify that the printer you are attempting to print to is listed here.

5. Click the right mouse button on that printer.

6. Click Properties.

7. Click the Details Tab.

8. Click Spool Settings to determine whether spooling is turned on or off.

Yes (spooling is on).

No (spooling is off).

Restart the troubleshooter.


Are you printing to a network or local printer?

Are you using a printer connected directly to your PC (local) or a printer located remotely (network)?

Local.

Network.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Do you have adequate free space on your hard disk?

Make sure you have at least 2MB of disk space free on your hard disk.  Free space is needed to store your print request during printing.

It worked! I freed up some space and now I can print.

I have plenty of free space, but it still won't print.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Do you have adequate memory in your printer?

Try printing a very small document from the same application that you are trying to print from.  The document you are printing may be too large to fit in the printer’s memory.

It worked! A small document prints properly.  I guess I need more printer memory or smaller print jobs.

A small document still will not print properly.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Is your application generating the correct output?

Use Notepad or Wordpad to print a small text document.  If this works, there is probably a problem with the application you were trying to print from originally, and you need to reinstall it or check with the manufacturer.

It worked! I will check my application.

Printing from Notepad or Wordpad does not work.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Are your printer driver settings correct?

1. Click the Start Menu.

2. Point to Settings.

3. Click Printers.

4. Click the right mouse button on the printer you are trying to print to.

5. Click Properties.

6. Check the values for the paper source, size, graphics resolution, and so on.

It worked! I fixed the settings and now I can print.

I checked the settings, but it still won't print.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


 Is your port and printer cable functioning correctly?

If possible, try connecting the printer to a different port, with a new cable. Also verify that you are not using a print switching device.  Please contact your service representative for assistance in repairing a printer port.

It worked! I changed the cable/port, and now I can print.

I changed the cable/port, but it still won't print properly.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


 Do you have the page orientation set correctly for your document?

1. Click the Start Menu.

2. Point to Settings.

3. Click Printers.

4. Click the right mouse button on the printer you are trying to print to.

5. Click Properties.

6. Make sure that the orientation is set correctly (Portrait/Landscape).

It worked! I changed the orientation, and now I get the full page.

The orientation is correct, but it still won't print properly.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Do you have the print area set correctly for your printer?

1. Click the Start Menu.

2. Point to Settings.

3. Click Printers.

4. Click the right mouse button on the printer you are trying to print to.

5. Click Properties.

6. Make sure that the print area is set correctly for your printer.

It worked! I fixed the print area, and now I get the full page.

The print area is set correctly, but it still won't print properly.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


 Does you screen font match your printer font?

In the Font Selection menu from your application, note whether the font you are using has a printer symbol next to it.

If so, this is a font that is only available on the printer; the closest matching font available for display to the screen will be used in the application.

If not:

1. Click the Start menu.

2. Point to Settings.

3. Click Control Panel.

4. Double-click Fonts.

5. Is your font listed here?  If not, try using one of the fonts that are listed here.

It worked! I verified my font selections, and now I get the printout I expect.

The fonts are configured correctly, but it still won't print properly.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


 Are your printer driver graphics settings correct?

1. Click the Start Menu.

2. Point to Settings.

3. Click Printers.

4. Click the right mouse button on the printer you are trying to print to.

5. Click Properties.

6. Make sure that the graphics resolution and other graphics options are correct.

It worked! I corrected my graphics options, and now I can print.

The graphics options are set correctly, but it still won't print properly.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


 Are your fonts installed correctly?

1. Click the Start button.

2. Point to Settings.

3. Click Control Panel.

3. Double-click Fonts.

4. Click the right mouse button on the font you are trying to print.

5. Click print.

If it will not print correctly, use a different font or try re-installing the font.  To re-install the font:

1. Click the right mouse button on the font you are trying to print.

2. Click Delete.

3. Click File.

4. Click Install New Fonts.

5. Install the Font in question.

It worked! I corrected my font files, and now I can print.

I corrected my font files, but it still won't print properly.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


 Does your printer accept True Type Fonts?

There are some Printer/Hardware combinations that will not print True Type Fonts properly.

1. Click the Start Menu.

2. Point to Settings.

3. Click Printers.

4. Click the right mouse button on the printer you are trying to print to.

5. Click Properties.

6. Click the Fonts Tab.

6. Check the box titled Print True Type as Graphics.

It worked! I tried sending my True Type Fonts as graphics, and now I can print.

I’m sending my True Type Fonts to the printer as graphics, but it still won't print properly.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


 Is your application taking too long to send the image to the printer?

Try enabling print spooling:

1. Click the Start Menu.

2. Point to Settings.

3. Click Printers.

4. Click the right mouse button on printer you are trying to print to.

5. Click Properties.

6. Click the Details Tab.

7. Click the Spool Settings button.

8. Check the Spool Print Jobs button, and check the Start Printing after last page is spooled button.

9. Try printing again.

It worked! With Print Spooling enabled, I can now print faster.

I enabled Print Spooling, but it still takes a long time to print.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


 Is printing taking too long after the application creates the data?

Try Disabling print spooling:

1. Click the Start Menu.

2. Point to Settings.

3. Click Printers.

4. Click the right mouse button on printer you are trying to print to.

5. Click Properties.

6. Click the Details Tab.

7. Click the Spool Settings button.

8. Check the Print directly to the printer button.

9. Try printing again.

It worked! With Print Spooling disabled, I can now print faster.

No.  With Print Spooling disabled, it is still slow.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


We suggest you consult the printer’s manual or call your helpdesk or service.

Try looking in your printer's manual for more information, or call your helpdesk or other service representative.

OK, I will try to get help elsewhere.

Is there anything else I can try?

Restart the troubleshooter.


We cannot detect a printer.  Please install a printer or select a default printer in Print Manager.

I have installed and selected a default printer.  Let's try again.

Let's continue anyway.

Please exit.


Is the printer port mapped to the correct network printer path?

1. Click the Start Menu.

2. Point to Settings.

3. Click Printers.

4. Click the right mouse button on the printer you are trying to print to.

5. Click Properties.

6. Make sure the printer is mapped to the LPT number you are printing to from MS-DOS.

It worked! I fixed the settings and now I can print.

I checked the settings, but it still won't print.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Is the printer queue too long?

There maybe many other print tasks waiting for the printer.

1. Click the Start Menu.

2. Point to Settings.

3. Click Printers.

4. Double-click the printer to which you are trying to print to examine the print queue.

If there are many pending print jobs, then it may take a long time to print.  Wait until the print queue clears, and then try printing again.

It worked! I waited until the print queue was shorter and now I can print.

The print queue is short, but it still takes too long to print.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Is the printer toner supply low?

Check to see if there is an indicator on the printer for low toner.  If so, refer to the printer’s manual and replace the toner cartridge.

It worked! I replaced the toner cartridge and now I can print.

The toner supply is adequate, but I still cannot print.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Is the network printer driver set to work offline?

1. Click the Start Menu.

2. Point to Settings.

3. Click Printers.

4. Click the right mouse button on the printer you are trying to print to.

If the Work Offline option is checked, uncheck it.  If it will not uncheck properly, you may need to correct a network problem.

It worked! I unchecked the Work Offline option, and now I can print.

The Work Offline option is not checked and it still won’t print.

I don't want to do this now.

Restart the troubleshooter.


Not yet implemented.