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HP OpenVMS Systemsask the wizard |
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The Question is: We have a number of HP5SIMX laser printers that have recently developed a "jamming" problem. The printers are accessed by by Window NT and OpenVMS print queues using TCP/IP. There isn't a problem when a Windows app sends a job to the printer. When a vms print queue sends a job the paper stalls in two places inside the printers. This is happening on at least 4 different networked printers. The vms queue reports the queue is either busy or printing when this happens. A tech has checked the printers is confident that the printers are physically ok. The administator of the vms system assures me that nothing has change recently on the vms side. I doubt it's a hardware problem because the NT client's don't have any problem. The printer's error log reports "paper late jams" Any suggestions? The Answer is : The Wizard has seen various paper jams resulting from differing paper selections, and due to changes in the ambient humidity in the immediate area of the printer(s) and in the area where the paper is stored. The Wizard finds it relatively hard to believe that remote software, using supported printer interfaces, should cause printer hardware to jam paper, without there being a printer problem. Assuming that this is not a simple case of humidity or paper, the Wizard believes this is a flaw in the printer itself, possibly being provoked by a particular software timing or by a particular set of software activities. This may have a hardware or a software workaround. With all respect due the folks that keep the laser printers going given the abuse they get, the Wizard doubts that most printer technicians could isolate a problem with the print engine design or with the print engine software without assistance from the printer manufacturer(s) and/or from the software vendor(s) involved. This is going to need to be reported via formal channels, so that the exact hardware and software configuration and the exact environment for the jams can be reproduced.
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