When a pc on a small network boots to windows 98 it starts printing a line of garbled characters. I deleted the printer and re-installed the printer. This cured the problem with this printer.
I now get an error message saying "Unable to print to Star 24-10" (spare printer kept offline) (i can't remember whether this was set as windows default after deleteing the other printer, at home now).

Is this a rogue program sending out a print job? Nobody has sent a document for printing but we get this message when the PC boots. How could l trace the program that seems to send the print job?
What are the sequence of events when you send a print job, is the data sent to a windows system folder before being sent to the printer?

TIA

Fran

I had a similar problem once where 98 and my printer kept a job "pending" in the printer box regardless of my attempts to purge or delete the job. Unfortunately, I can't remember how I fixed the problem. Did you check thoroughly through your Printer stuff (My Computer..Printers..right click on current printer and click on Properties)? When you boot up..is there a little printer icon down by the clock in the System Tray? If so, you can get into the printer pending stuff through there. With my printer, there is a procedure of turning the printer off for so many seconds to "erase" and then turning it back on. Does the printer in question have something similar? Does the printer have "testing" stuff..like printing test pages and such?

I am sorry..don't know the answer to your question about sequence. Always thought that program being used sent printing info straight to printer..but guess it would have to go through the OS somehow. Still sounds to me that there is a "job" stuck in the printer in question though.

To set the existing printer as the default unit, right click on the printer in My Computer/Printers, click 'Set As Default'.
Also, did you remove the removed printer's software in Control Panel/Add-Remove Programs, and do a virus check?

Kay, you're right, there is a part of the OS that deals with printing. Spool32 is possibly the culprit.

Fra. Try replacing the file spool32 on the computer that the printer is connected to. Easiest way is to go Programs<>accessories<>system tools, and use the system file checker which will allow you to replace an individual file from the installation CD.

Hope that helps, it sorted an error I was having with a printer.


David

Thanks for the replies,
KayofOOO's, the printer doesn't normally run a test routine and l did check through it's properties and everything looked OK, I'm starting to think that it maybe a scheduled print job coming from a program by mistake. I'll check Monday.

Ski, l don't mind leaving the Star printer to default until l sort out the rogue print job, the PC's are on a closed network but l will check for virus' just in case one transfered by floppy.

David, l presume you mean file spool32.exe (\ windows\system) there is a folder named spool in the windows folder.
Again thanks for your replies, the dead end l thought l was heading for has found a new turn.

Cheers
Fran

Fra : Your phrase "scheduled print job" made me think of something else. When I first installed my HP printer, it came with the Instant "something"..can't remember name..turning "on" in StartUp that was supposed to go online, by itself, and print out stuff. Is there anything in the StartUp folder (Start..Programs..StartUp) that you don't remember being there? Or in msconfig? I don't have any program, other than antivirus, that loads at bootup..but if your theory about a print job being scheduled by some program is correct..then that program has to loading.

Site that explains StartUp and how to go about checking/changing is Whidney (http://www2.whidbey.net/djdenham/Uncheck.htm).

Just another thought to check out maybe. :)

Fra. You're right on both counts. another thing to check - look in the folder windows/spool and see if there is a file in the folder for your printer. If there is delete it and see if that cures the problem.
It could be that a spooled print file has got "stuck" in there.

If you think it could be a real print job, copy it somewhere else first.


David

Thanks again for your suggestions....... I won't be able to try them out till tomorrow. Going to be a busy Monday morning.

Cheers

Fran