Out of Paper error

We are getting a false "Out of Paper error" error report when trying
Test Page or print normal document, on a printer HP 2100 (yr 2000) which
has worked fine until moved to a different PC.

We moved the printer from one old Win 98 PC to another Win 98 PC (to
which Office Manager remains inexplicably attached).

On the new setup, we uninstalled the networked printer link, removed
another printer installation on LPT2, disabled the ZoneAlarm security
(with network cable detached), uninstalled all components of a failed HP
2100 installation, and reran the installation software on the install
CD-ROM.

Device Manager shows the Printer port as working properly, though it had
not been used in awhile.

We opened and blew out (compressed air) the printer interior at paper
tray and print cartridge cavity, and we reset paper in tray at half
full. Printer properties are set up fairly 'vanilla', with Auto Source
for paper.

Suggestions? Thanks!

-GeneM

Do the lights on the 2100 light up with an indication of an error?

What if you connect it up again to the computer that originally had the printer?

At this point, without more information and possibly more testing on your part,
it is difficult to determine whether the error is caused by hardware (i.e. a
malfunctioning paper out sensor) or software.

I will state that based on my experience with many different HP products, the
uninstall packaged on the install CD generally does not do a squeaky clean
uninstall. There always seem to be some registry entries and/or misc files
left behind, and these sometimes wreak havoc either with a re-install or with
normal use.

Still, I would try first connecting the printer to another computer to see if
the out of paper error follows the printer or stays behind.

I've used ZoneAlarm extensively (it has been running on this computer and its
predecessor for several years), and I have never seen it completely interfere
with a software install. At most, if the software install needs to call out
over the internet for some reason, ZoneAlarm pops up, tells you and asks if you
want to allow the access. I do software installs and updates all the time on
this computer and never have needed to disable ZoneAlarm to complete an install.
(Of course, I am not using Win 98, which is a different and more primitive
animal than Win 2000 or Win XP)... Ben Myers

On Fri, 15 Dec 2006 10:52:11 -0500, GeneM <> wrote:

>We are getting a false "Out of Paper error" error report when trying
>Test Page or print normal document, on a printer HP 2100 (yr 2000) which
>has worked fine until moved to a different PC.
>
>We moved the printer from one old Win 98 PC to another Win 98 PC (to
>which Office Manager remains inexplicably attached).
>
>On the new setup, we uninstalled the networked printer link, removed
>another printer installation on LPT2, disabled the ZoneAlarm security
>(with network cable detached), uninstalled all components of a failed HP
>2100 installation, and reran the installation software on the install
>CD-ROM.
>
>Device Manager shows the Printer port as working properly, though it had
>not been used in awhile.
>
>We opened and blew out (compressed air) the printer interior at paper
>tray and print cartridge cavity, and we reset paper in tray at half
>full. Printer properties are set up fairly 'vanilla', with Auto Source
>for paper.
>
>Suggestions? Thanks!
>
> -GeneM

Thanks, Ben, we will still be playing and guessing for awhile.

It may be significant that now the other printer, legacy Epson FX-880
dox matrix on LPT1, is not working for us either, right now. Maybe we
need a REAL expert! (I used to think I could do this stuff. I'm not
even sure, anymore, how to copy a DOS file to printer in DOS.)

-- GeneM


Ben Myers wrote:
> Do the lights on the 2100 light up with an indication of an error?
>
> What if you connect it up again to the computer that originally had the printer?
>
> At this point, without more information and possibly more testing on your part,
> it is difficult to determine whether the error is caused by hardware (i.e. a
> malfunctioning paper out sensor) or software.
>
> I will state that based on my experience with many different HP products, the
> uninstall packaged on the install CD generally does not do a squeaky clean
> uninstall. There always seem to be some registry entries and/or misc files
> left behind, and these sometimes wreak havoc either with a re-install or with
> normal use.
>
> Still, I would try first connecting the printer to another computer to see if
> the out of paper error follows the printer or stays behind.
>
> I've used ZoneAlarm extensively (it has been running on this computer and its
> predecessor for several years), and I have never seen it completely interfere
> with a software install. At most, if the software install needs to call out
> over the internet for some reason, ZoneAlarm pops up, tells you and asks if you
> want to allow the access. I do software installs and updates all the time on
> this computer and never have needed to disable ZoneAlarm to complete an install.
> (Of course, I am not using Win 98, which is a different and more primitive
> animal than Win 2000 or Win XP)... Ben Myers
>
> On Fri, 15 Dec 2006 10:52:11 -0500, GeneM <> wrote:
>
>> We are getting a false "Out of Paper error" error report when trying
>> Test Page or print normal document, on a printer HP 2100 (yr 2000) which
>> has worked fine until moved to a different PC.
>>
>> We moved the printer from one old Win 98 PC to another Win 98 PC (to
>> which Office Manager remains inexplicably attached).
>>
>> On the new setup, we uninstalled the networked printer link, removed
>> another printer installation on LPT2, disabled the ZoneAlarm security
>> (with network cable detached), uninstalled all components of a failed HP
>> 2100 installation, and reran the installation software on the install
>> CD-ROM.
>>
>> Device Manager shows the Printer port as working properly, though it had
>> not been used in awhile.
>>
>> We opened and blew out (compressed air) the printer interior at paper
>> tray and print cartridge cavity, and we reset paper in tray at half
>> full. Printer properties are set up fairly 'vanilla', with Auto Source
>> for paper.
>>
>> Suggestions? Thanks!
>>
>> -GeneM

In article <7ee70$4582c4af$471c6f1c$>,
GeneM <> wrote:

> We are getting a false "Out of Paper error" error report when trying
> Test Page or print normal document, on a printer HP 2100 (yr 2000) which
> has worked fine until moved to a different PC.

GeneM-

What if the error message is almost correct? What if your
computer/printer driver is trying to print to something like "plain"
paper, but the printer is set up for "bond" paper in tray 2?

By default, the printer would assume you meant for your plain paper to
be in the hand-feed tray 1. If there is no paper in tray 1, the error
message would be correct.

Fred

GeneM <> wrote:
> We are getting a false "Out of Paper error" error report when trying
> Test Page or print normal document, on a printer HP 2100 (yr 2000) which
> has worked fine until moved to a different PC.
>
> We moved the printer from one old Win 98 PC to another Win 98 PC (to
> which Office Manager remains inexplicably attached).
>
> On the new setup, we uninstalled the networked printer link, removed
> another printer installation on LPT2, disabled the ZoneAlarm security
> (with network cable detached), uninstalled all components of a failed HP
> 2100 installation, and reran the installation software on the install
> CD-ROM.
>
> Device Manager shows the Printer port as working properly, though it had
> not been used in awhile.
>
> We opened and blew out (compressed air) the printer interior at paper
> tray and print cartridge cavity, and we reset paper in tray at half
> full. Printer properties are set up fairly 'vanilla', with Auto Source
> for paper.

Ideas:

1. Does it print a test page?

2. Air blew scrap paper over a sensor, or moved a sensor flag.

3. Parallel cable is broken or not IEE-1284 (got switched when the
printer was switched?)

4. Parallel port on printer is disabled.

5. Does it still print through Ethernet?

6. LJ2100 is an evil printer that hates users.

--
Warren Block * Rapid City, South Dakota * USA

GeneM <> wrote:
> Thanks, Ben, we will still be playing and guessing for awhile.

..tluciffid gnidnopser sekam ti ,tsop-pot uoy nehW

> It may be significant that now the other printer, legacy Epson FX-880
> dox matrix on LPT1, is not working for us either, right now. Maybe we
> need a REAL expert! (I used to think I could do this stuff. I'm not
> even sure, anymore, how to copy a DOS file to printer in DOS.)

Not really such a thing as a DOS file, but if you have a print file:

copy /b filename.ps lpt1:

To test a parallel printer:

copy con: lpt1:

Type a line of text, press Enter.
If you're testing a laser printer, type Ctrl-L to eject a page.
Type Ctrl-Z to end.

--
Warren Block * Rapid City, South Dakota * USA

GeneM <> wrote:
>We are getting a false "Out of Paper error" error report when trying
>Test Page or print normal document, on a printer HP 2100 (yr 2000) which
>has worked fine until moved to a different PC.
>
>We moved the printer from one old Win 98 PC to another Win 98 PC (to
>which Office Manager remains inexplicably attached).
>
>On the new setup, we uninstalled the networked printer link, removed
>another printer installation on LPT2, disabled the ZoneAlarm security
>(with network cable detached), uninstalled all components of a failed HP
>2100 installation, and reran the installation software on the install
>CD-ROM.
>
>Device Manager shows the Printer port as working properly, though it had
>not been used in awhile.
>
>We opened and blew out (compressed air) the printer interior at paper
>tray and print cartridge cavity, and we reset paper in tray at half
>full. Printer properties are set up fairly 'vanilla', with Auto Source
>for paper.
>
>Suggestions? Thanks!
>
> -GeneM

Which test page fails?
The one from the Windows driver or the one from the printer buttons?
If the former then try the test page from the printer button, if that fails
then the problem is the printer and has nothing at all to do with the PC.
Do you get the failure when printing from tray 1 (the fold down multipurpose
tray)? You can test this by loading it with a few sheets of paper and pushing
the large button.
Tony
MS MVP Printing/Imaging

GeneM wrote:
> We are getting a false "Out of Paper error" error report when trying
> Test Page or print normal document, on a printer HP 2100 (yr 2000) which
> has worked fine until moved to a different PC.

Wow, there are some good ideas, Warren, Fred, Tony, so thank you all!

Warren, ref. "DOS print"
That looks familiar,
except I was trying to copy to :lpt1 rather than lpt1:
I'll make a note of it and thank you!
We got that old FX-880 recovered and printing. I probably fixed the
settings in OfcMgr's old DOS acctg dinosaur, but had not yet rebooted PC
to clear the cob-webs. I went home frustrated Friday, came back Monday
and the 880 printer was responding properly.


Out of Paper error:
I'll check those ideas more thoroughly. I had worked through some of them.

Merry Christmas, all!
-GM