When it comes to network printer troubleshooting in an organization, people often think the solutions lie along the lines of tweaking hardware and changing software configurations. However, a lot of the times, issues such as slow printing do not have to do with either of these things. Slow printing issue in network printers, in fact, is s result of printers having been networked the wrong way. This often leads to difficulties in finding the cause of the problem and remedying it. Three reasons for slow printing are given below.
Print servers are the most common way to network printers. These servers function as a single point for processing all the print jobs. This can sometimes result in slow printing issue in network printers, in cases where the print server becomes inefficient. To solve this problem, you can either modify the way in which printer networking is laid out, or find a way to somehow boost the print server’s efficiency.
Many organizations have more than one office to do their business form, and sometimes, the most sensible way to set up printers is with a central print server. All the offices are networked to this print server, but the problem with this is that every time someone makes a print, the print file will need to be sent to the server and back, over WAN.
This can result in heavy traffic inside the network, and slow printing issues in a remote office. To solve this, you can either make use of direct IP printing or set up local print servers. Another way to go is using solutions to compress print jobs before sending them, or to consolidate print servers.
Printing through a terminal server can be detrimental to print speed because the application is inside the terminal server. The server itself can be somewhere on the other side of the world. Every time a user makes a print, the file gets sent over WAN. If multiple users happen to be printing at once, the network gets swamped.
This problem has different solutions, based on the way the printers are installed on the terminal server. Commonly though, it is enough to render the print jobs on the client side, or even compress the files to be printed. Another solution is to bring up the network capacity in some way.
Laser printers are a common feature in homes and offices these days. While they provide better print quality, this comes with increased printing costs. Most manufacturers hold that you should only use original toner cartridges if you want good print quality, but it is seen that aftermarket products can pull off pretty much the same trick. Following are some ways you can save on printing expenditure other than troubleshooting printer issues, especially concerning consumables.
You can get new cartridge units that work with specific laser printers, but which are brought out by third party manufacturers. A compatible cartridge is essentially the same as the original, and goes for half as much as OEM in the retail market.
This is a good option, because the remanufactured unit contains old and yet working parts, which can be put to good use at a lower expense. These are put together and tested, so that they can give the same performance as the original cartridge.
You may have empty toner cartridges inside storage, which are doing nothing but taking up space and collecting dust. Reactivate these for use in another printing cycle. This can be done with a toner refill kit, which comes with detailed instructions on how to do the refill. Most modern cartridges can be refilled in under 5 minutes, and the refill kit comes at just $15. Still, you get 2,500 pages inside 5% coverage. You can fill most OEM cartridges up to 3 times.
Multi-pack toner refill kits are a great way to go, allowing you to save money by buying in bulk. This way you can remove your need for costly toner cartridges, which is a much-needed move in offices where the printing costs have already gone up through the roof.
Most offices, especially big ones, have a setup where more than one printer is used at the same time. There may be lots of in-house document and paperwork, that needs to be finished, in which case, printing tasks can also take some time to complete. For high volume printing, printer pooling is often the best solution. This allows a collection of printers to work as one.
You will not find the standard printer pooling features in all operating systems. Among the Windows line-up, only XP, NT, 2000, Windows 7 and Vista are compatible with this kind of thing. Operating systems that came later allow pooling unlimited number or printers.
Despite the snags, pooling printers has proven a very helpful system in many companies. The ease with which printing tasks can be completed, coupled with the time saved, is enough to bring up the productivity in most offices. It also works well if you have printers that are suited to office use, and to pooling.
Windows 10 is a robust operating system, although some users still encounter issues after having upgraded to it during the first year. One of the common printer problems with upgrading your OS is the resulting lack of printer support. Sometimes, even supported printer models don’t work the way they should. New operating systems are also known for not having drivers for old printers.
If your printer has stopped working all of a sudden, follow the steps outlined below for troubleshooting printer problems in Windows 10.
See if the printer is installed: If the troubleshooting in the above step did not do the trick for you, the nest thing to do is check if the printer has been installed. Go to Start, then open Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners. If your printer is not listed in the main window, choose Add a Printer or Scanner, and wait for some time so the OS can detect the printer on its own. Just be sure the printer is connected and powered on.
Error 0x00000709 denotes a situation, when a user cannot configure a default printer in Windows or a different printer to one that has been already configured as default. A glitch in Windows Registry settings may cause the error to pop up or the situation where Registry prioritizes a previously assigned printer as default.
For troubleshooting printer issues such as Error 0x00000709, it is necessary to have a back up of the Windows Registry before manually modifying the settings. To take a backup, press down R key and Windows key simultaneously and key in regedit in the Run dialog box. When the dialog box of User Access Control pops up next, seeking permission to run Registry Editor as Administrator, click Yes in order to run it.
In Registry Editor window, navigate to File > Export, assign a name to the backup Registry file and then Save it. After that, click on HKEY_CURRENT_USER, expand Software folder, and then scroll down to and click Microsoft. After that, click to expand Windows NT and again choose Windows folder. Then, right-click on the REG key titled Device to the right side of the Windows Registry Editor, and choose Modify from the context menu that pops up.
Now assign the name of your default printer device, which you want to configure in Windows PC. Note that while configuring the name of the printer, you should leave the string of text following it denoting the spooler as just that without editing.
In case Windows sends a prompt such as Cannot Edit Device, click OK upon prompt, right-click on Windows folder to the left side of the Registry Editor, and select Permissions to expand it. This will launch Permissions for Windows dialog box. In that window, select Full Control option under the heading titled Permissions for Everyone.
If that fails to resolve the Error 0x00000709, click on the Start button, search for Devices and Printers, and open it on the Control Panel. Once the Devices and Printers opens up on screen, right-click the printer name and choose See What’s Printing. Then, choose Open As Administrator in the print queue window and choose Set as Default Printer in the next menu that reveals itself.
If you are a computer user who has long been using the printer in his/her office to print a number of documents, then you must have encountered a “Printer in Error State” error at least once in your life. Several people who come across this frustrating computer printer error often ask how to fix the “Printer in Error State” issue.
It is true that fixing these types of printer issues requires a specific set of computer skills. So, if you are new to the world of troubleshooting printer issues, it is best to seek the help of an expert printer support technician when your computer notifies you that your printer is in an error state. The expert technicians will help you fix the issue at a rapid pace, and also ensure that you don’t experience any such issues in the long run.
It is significant to note that this is a common printer error, which means that you might be easily able to solve the issue. So, if you are planning to try to fix the “Printer in Error State issue” on your own, then below are a few tips and techniques that might help you to fix the issue. If you have no clear idea on how to perform this set of steps, it is best to hire printer support technicians.
The first and most important thing you need to do is ensure that all the connections to your printer are accurate. So, you will need to thoroughly check the connections between your computer and printer. If the connections are not properly made, make them once again and run a test print job before proceeding to the next troubleshooting step.
In most cases, a number of common printer errors and issues can be easily fixed by simply restarting the printer. So, turn off your PC and printer for a couple of minutes and turn both devices on. You will need to run another test print job to see whether the issue is resolved or not.
You might be a little bit surprised to hear the fact that most of the common printer issues happen because users are using an outdated printer driver version. So, check whether you are using an older version of your printer or not. If yes, updating the printer driver will help you to fix the issue.
The ink cartridges smear the ink on to the paper in a controlled manner to create the impression of a text or image. It contains numerous microscopic nozzles that fire the ink in a steady stream to form an image on the paper. As a heavy-duty component, the ink cartridges are prone to numerous issues that can affect the functioning of the entire printer. Mostly, the cartridges can fail that causes the production of low quality faded and blotched printouts. It can even cause the printer to develop errors and stop printing altogether.
However, there are some ways to clear the issue with a bad ink cartridge. These methods can restore the normal functioning of the cartridge so that they offer efficient ink delivery during printing. The only thing required is to carefully follow the guidelines mentioned in the printer’s operating manual or the instructions given on the printer manufacturer’s website. Below are some effective ways to fix faulty ink cartridge in an inkjet printer.
A faulty ink cartridge can lead to deterioration of the print quality. It can result in faded printouts with several blotches, stripes, lines, and smears on the printout. These are usually caused by the improper alignment of the print head. Every printer comes with utility software that can execute different tasks like print head alignment and cleaning. Carrying out print head alignment and cleaning by following the onscreen instructions along with test printouts will likely resolve the issue.
A physical inspection of the ink cartridges can actually determine if it has any surface damages or not. Any damage to the cartridge can cause its delicate interior components to malfunction. The ink stored in its container can also drain out from a damaged ink cartridge causing spillage and blotches during printouts. Inspect the cartridge and make sure that the electrical contacts and the nozzle section are intact without any obstructions.
Faulty ink cartridges will result in several error codes to appear on the computer screen. These error codes are actually programmed in the printer for helping the user identify the problem and take the required action. A bad ink cartridge can cause the generation of certain error codes that can be identified by looking at the operating manual or the manufacturer’s website. If the cartridge is causing the whole printer to stop printing, it is best to replace the cartridge and have the printer serviced by a qualified technician.
Printers can be complex devices to work with, and can sometimes serve up issues you have no idea how to fix. All-in-one home printers are the most notorious of the lot, and it is not uncommon for a user to grow frustrated enough to hurl a printer out the window.
It does more good troubleshooting printer problems than wallowing in them. Following are the top issues with all-in-one printers, and tips on how to fix them.
Most times, the problem comes down to your computer and printer not being connected properly. Let us check out the basic fix for this. Restart both machines, and update the drivers you have installed. If that does not work, delete the printer from the laptop, and then add it again. This is often enough to fix the problem.
If the above fix did not work, then check the router. Sometimes it may be trying to keep you safe from unauthorized wireless connections. Check if you have a WPS connection button on the router, and if there is one, press it so that the router takes a break and lets your devices connect.
Three main issues can occur with the ink: it van dry up, run out too fast, or cost too much. Most modern inkjet printers come with built-in routines to ensure that the ink cartridges stay in good shape, but for that to work, you will need to leave the printer on at all times. Some printer models use more ink during maintenance, and that can be a problem as well.
To save ink, print no more than the quality you require for a specific job. For example, while printing plain black text, take the setting down to Draft in the printer pop-up window. Choose Grayscale or Black & White if you are not going to be printing an image. When buying ink, it might be better to go with aftermarket ink wherever possible. You should also have the right printer for the job, as well as use right refill or ink subscription services for the needs you have.
Jams can be extremely frustrating, and more often than not, have to do with the paper you are using. See what the manufacturer recommendation is, and do not mix two brands of paper in the same tray. Additionally, fan out the sheets before you stick them in the printer, so that they do not stick to their neighbors.
One of the issues with printers in Windows is that the deleted printer keeps reappearing in the system. Several users complain of this issue, mainly because the problem happens in the middle of an unfinished printing job. If you click to check out what is printing, it is possible to see that there are documents until being processed.
The configuration of the registry might not change even after deleting the printer from Settings app. So, hit Windows + R and then write regedit. Hit OK, and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers. Then, expand the Printers key, and locate the printer to delete. Go to Devices and Printers again to see if that worked.
Apart from the above two steps, you can also use a deleter tool to fix the issue. This will help you remove the printer by running it as administrator. However, before doing that, create a system restore point. Alternatively, you can open Device Manager and go to View, then select Show Hidden Devices. Expand the Software Devices group, and then locate and delete the ghost printer.
This is a good way to delete a ghost printer with minimal hassle.
If none of this works, get in touch with printer repair experts to get the problem fixed as soon as possible. Do not do anything on your Windows computer that you are not sure of. Trained professionals can assist by diagnosing the problem and listing out network printer troubleshooting steps aimed at getting rid of the problem at the earliest.
If you are trying to print receipts in a USB printer in a POS system, follow the below troubleshooting steps to fix a connectivity error or a possible printing issue.
When you are trying to print a web page, click the three horizontal lines to the top-right or the menu button and click exit. In certain browsers, clicking the ‘x’ button to close the browser tab may not necessarily exit all tabs fully and may enable printing issues in the browser to persist. That is why you should exit the browser and then reopen it to retry printing.
Rebooting Windows differs as per the version of the OS you have installed in the system. In Windows 7, click Start on desktop, click on the arrow near Shut Down and select Restart from the list of options. In Windows 8 or later, you need to right-click on the logo icon to the bottom left on desktop, click Shut Down or Sign Out, and select Restart. Crosscheck whether the receipt printer is shown as online once the system reboots.
For that, click Start button and key in Devices and Printers on the search box to search Windows programs and files. In Devices and Printers see to it if the printer is listed online. If the printer icon is shown in a gray color, it suggests that the OS feels the printer is disconnected. If it is not shown as when the printer is online, skip to the next step.
If the printer is shown offline in Devices and Printers, then that suggests the device is not connected with the computer or it is not able to communicate with it. Try the below steps to troubleshoot that.
If all steps mentioned here fails to resolve receipt printer connectivity, get in touch with tech professionals for remote troubleshooting.