nework printer problem

as ^ my networked printer has just gone AWOL from my system .

the printer was working on a batch of docs i need printing for the weekend - and had done 4 out of 9 , when unable to find the next file i required - i had an epithany - and reasised it was on one of the NAS drives that [ for security pruposes - they are my main backup - i dont have on line all the time ]

so - i switch them both on - and they dont appear as drives on the desktop

to " remedy " this - i open the buffalo " client utility app " - and hit find drives - and BAM

3 quick beeps from the computer -

both NAS drives are now recognised and showing thier directories

printer is " off line "

this is within one second , WTF ???????

the MS " trouble shooter " doesnt do anything to help

the printer will still print a self test page - that it can do without being connected to any computer / network

and the printer / printer network adaptor could have failed

but i think its a suspicious co-incidence that the printer went off line at exactly the same time as the NAS drives were recognised

hardware :

HP laserjet 2100tn printer
acer computer - running windows 7 home premium
buffalo tera stations
BT home hub brouter / hub

any ideas / solutions ?

Turn every item off for two minutes, then turn them all back on one at a time.

P

If restart does not clear the issue then it is a hung print spooler... (Windoz)

Step 1: Start Notepad
To stop the print spooler and its files, we will have you create and run a script file that will automatically stop the service. This sounds difficult, but it really isn't. Just follow these steps carefully.

Click Start, and then click Run.
In the Open box, type notepad, and then click OK. Notice that a blank Notepad document opens.

Step 2: Copy a command script to Notepad
Now we will have you copy and paste some commands to the Notepad document.

Carefully select (highlight) all the following text:
net stop spooler
del %systemroot%\system32\spool\printers\*.shd
del %systemroot%\system32\spool\printers\*.spl
net start spooler
Right-click the text that you selected, and then click Copy.
In Notepad, right-click in the blank document, and then click Paste.
Carefully select (highlight) all the following text:
C:\DeletePrintJobs.cmd
Right-click the text that you selected, and then click Copy.
In Notepad, click Save As on the File menu.
In the File Name box, right-click, and then click Paste.

Note Notice that this file name differs from most other file names that you might have seen. That is because this file is a command script file.
Click Save.

Step 3: Run the command script file
Now that you have created the command script file, you will run it. To run it, you will copy and paste the name of the command script file in the Run box.

Carefully select (highlight) all the following text:
C:\DeletePrintJobs.cmd
Right-click the text that you selected, and then click Copy.
Click Start, and then click Run.
In the Open box, right-click, and then click Paste.
Click OK.
Notice that the Command Prompt window opens to run the command script file that you created. Notice also that this window closes automatically when the command script file has finished running. If you do not see the Command Prompt window open, check that you saved the command script file by using the correct name and that you entered the correct command script file name in the Run box.

What may of happened is the printer and the nas have the same IP address probably with the printer having a fixed ip address so if the printer needs to have a fixed ip just set it up with one in the routers dhcp server or set the dhcp pool to 2-200 and the printer to 201 for example

reply to post by ignorant_ape


Never enable your printer on a network.
That is a potential liability.

Reconfigure your access/ports and your problems will be solved.

A couple of things to do:

Go to this link to find out how to print a configuration information page if you don't already know how.

Check that the IP address is still what you think it should be. In a console window (command prompt - run "cmd") try pinging the IP address listed on the configuration page printed. If it responds, your printer is most likely connected to the network properly. Now check that the IP address for the printer port associated with that printer is the same as the IP address on the configuration page.

Checking these things will eliminate several possible problems. Often, fixing computer problems is essentially determining what the problem isn't and through process of elimination, we find out what the problem is.

reply to post by GMan420


thanks - that worked - the page bthe printer produced gave me a device IP an it was tottally different - to the IP that the computer was stating for the printer

i am now back in action - thanks very much

reply to post by ignorant_ape


Glad I was able to help!