Optiplex 980 win 7 64 Network Printer

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the risult of any Printing action from the Optiplex is a document stuck in the Printing queue. I have also tried to stop and start the net spooler without any result. I stress that for years I had no problems at all, with any of the homenetwork computers, included the Optiplex.

Thanks

After deeper analysis and many test I freezed several points may help in finding a solution:

1) The failure is not due to the printer driver as it works perfectly when the printer is installed as local.

2) The failure is not due to correct TCP/IP address (http://192.168.1.1:1631/printers/Samsung provided by US Robotics

router) as , by means of an ipscan application, the port has been revealed.

3) The failure is not due to the net spooler as , despite all the printings get stuck in the queue, the stop and start of the

spooler, as the deleting of  SHD & SPL files, makes no difference

4) the failure is not due to the home network as the involved computer (DELL Optiplex 980 with Windows 7 pro 64 b)

browse the network without any problem, so as several other computers and laptops browse and (IMPORTANT) print

correctly on the network printer.

5) The failure is not due to antivirus , firewall or antimalware programs as they have been closed.

Then let me go to the side of possible solutions:

1) The computer has been printing for years therefore the cause is someting happened recently to the operative software,

during an upgrade or a new software installation (only upgradings occurred).

2) I thing then the problem is due to the inability of addressing the specific port, differently from the other computers of the

network.

Hope this may let arise some comment or proposal.

Thanks for your time

Manlio13,

Stuck print job(s) in the queue can cause problems.

Try running Delete Print Jobs then restart your computer.

If the problem remains, then run Delete Print Jobs , restart the computer, then start, control panel, programs and features, uninstall the printer, restart the computer, then make sure the printer was removed. Try installing the printer and see if it works properly.

Rick

Manlio13, Stuck print job(s) in the queue can cause problems. Try running Delete Print Jobs then restart your computer. If the problem remains, then run Delete Print Jobs , restart the computer, then start, control panel, programs and features, uninstall the printer, restart the computer, then make sure the printer was removed. Try installing the printer and see if it works properly. Rick

Dear Rick,

thanks for answering my help request, nevertheless if you read my last post you will discover that all these actions has been largely and repetitively done. without any result. Now it's the Sixth day I am on this trouble and I start thinking that the problem is more serious of what I could imagine.

If you will be contributive to my solution, please have the kindness to read all my posts, where I have reported the actions done to solve. Up to now I failed, therefore I need your help and your ideas.

Thanks

Manlio

Manilo,

You can try using system restore and go back before the last Windows updates, maybe one of them caused the problem, since some of them were for .net framework.

You double checked the printer, IP address? Compare it with the IP address of another system?I usually copy the IP address from another system, when adding a printer from our work network.

Try reading Sharing a printer through a wireless network

What virus program and firewall are involved. I have seen people disable them but still have problem. I have seen virus programs and firewalls uninstalled and everything works.

Did you try inserting the operating system disk and stop it from running?

Start, all programs, accessories, right click on command prompt, left click run as administrator. Type

sfc /scannow          (space between the c and /)

Hit enter. This will replace and missing or corrupt Windows files. A restart will be needed.

Rick

Hi Rick, again thanks for the answer.

I am sorry but again I have to dismiss your suggestions, just because I have already made part of them, Others don't apply as the computer is wired to the router. I am unable to let understand some of you that the level of the failure is higher and that my type of experience in digital world is above all the preliminary type of intervent like "sfc" and similar. Please, please please don't judge this statement as arrogance, but I am forced to it so you, kind persons, don't lose time to give suggestions valid for newbies. I am 77 years old electronic engineer with experience in software and hardware, just because I am "old" !! :-) I know that probably I have to reinstall Windows 7, but I don't like to do it and I pray to find a direct less  invasive solution.

I hope you may understand the above and still keep you great will to help me. Thanks

During a part of the night (this is a very important and unique problem for me !) I was able to step a little ahead in the troubleshooting:

Finally I was able to determine the cause of the problem. Unfortunately, not yet, how to solve it.

The cause resides in the inability of the system software on the Dell Optiplex with Windows 7 64 to address the printer port. I am pretty sure of the above, as I have installed another machine and connected it with the same wires to the router. That machine prints without any problem.

In the mean time I installed on the Optiplex a WiFi dongle and changed its network propriety from wired to wireless. The computer still was not able to print. I remind that all the Others computers of the home network, on the WiFi side of it, print regularly. Therefore its a specific problem for the Optiplex not to be able to address the printer.

Of course this is some thing that affected the machine only recently. May be due to some upgrade installation or to the printer installation.

I went again to the web configuration of the router, for the printer server data and the instruction is evident:

Printer location: http://192.168.1.1:1631/printers/Samsung

Now I may concentrate my efforts to understand why the computer is unable to address it.

Pls let me have your comments.

Thanks

Manlio,

Operating system is in English, correct?

Make sure the printer is not usb cable connected to the computer.

On the Optiplex, I would run Delete Print Jobs then restart the computer.

Uninstall the printer in programs and features, then restart the computer, then make sure the printer and drivers were removed. Manual Printer Driver Removal

Go to Samsung's website(since I don't have the model number) and locate the Vista 64-bit drivers for this printer. Install the printer in the Vista(I'd try Vista SP2) Compatibility mode The Vista drivers in the compatibility mode works for most of Windows 7 systems.

Hopefully, when you install Samsung's drivers, there would be an option to select network and follow the instructions.

You say network, so I'm also going to include these links. If the printer is attached to a XP computer, this works both ways.

Share Files and Printers between Windows 7 and XP

How to Network with HomeGroup in Windows 7

Rick

Dear Rick,

I start thinking my english is so bad that your are unable to read it.

Unfortunately all your last suggestion are absolutely out of my problem solution. Or because they are already discussed and verified or because they don't apply to my failure.

Please, please, please READ my posts before doing any other attempt to help me.

I beg your pardon if I am so rude but today is the sisth day I am on that problem and I cannot rewind every effor already done.

Thanks

Manlio

Manlio,

I have discussed the problem with few of my colleagues and found a workaround for this problem. Note that it is only a workaround and not a permanent fix and this was tried on Dell printers connected to Dell computers. They suggested to try this.

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q  Disconnect the usb cable. Use the stalled print wizard to delete any documents pending in the queue.

q  Uninstall the printer completely by using the uninstaller from All programs

q  Reboot the system in safe mode with network from the Go to Assist wizard

q  Navigate to C:\Program Files(x86)\ (printer-Model),C:\Program Files\( printer-Model) and delete that folder

q  Navigate to C:\Dell\Driver\( Model) and delete that Folder

q  Delete the spool folder contents ( Note: Never Delete the Entire Spool folder)

Steps to delete contents of Spool Folder:

• Navigate to C:\Windows\system32\Spool\Drivers\W32x86 or X 64 \ 3  and delete all the contents of  3 folder
• Now Navigate to C:\Windows\system32\Spool\ ----- Select all the sub folders and delete them ( Delete the contents of a folder first followed by deleting the folder ( In case if  a particular folder is not getting deleted)
• Under C:\Windows\system32\Spool – There would only be 2 folders left towards  the end named “ Color” &  “ Tools” which can be ignored

Removing printer driver traces from Registry: 

• Navigate to and then click the following registry key:
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Current Control Set\Control\Print\Environment\Windows NT x86\X64  (Depending on the OS)
• View the list of sub keys. There should be only the following sub keys:
• Drivers 
• Print Processors 
• Under Drivers ----- Version 3--- Delete any traces of printer drivers
• If there are any keys other than those listed above, follow these steps:
• On the File menu, click Export.   In the File Name box, type a descriptive name for this key -- for example, type WindowsNTx86regkey -- and then click Save to save it to your local Desktop.
• We can use this backup of the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environment\Windows NT x86 registry key to restore the key if you experience any problems after you complete this procedure. 
•  Delete all keys other than Drivers and Print Processors. 
  • Navigate to and click the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Monitors registry key. View the list of sub keys. There should be only the following sub keys:
    • BJ Language Monitor 
    • Local Port 
    • PJL Language Monitor 
    • Standard TCP/IP Port 
    • USB Monitor 
• If there are any keys other than those listed in above, follow these steps to delete them:
• On the File menu, click Export. 
• In the File Name box, type a descriptive name for this key -- for example, type Monitorsregkey -- and then click Save to save it to your local Desktop
• We can use this backup of the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Monitors registry key to restore the key if you experience any problems after you complete this procedure. 
• Delete all keys other than the 5 listed above.   

q  Reboot the system in Normal mode

q  Go to Programs and Features in Control panel > click Turn Windows features on or off

q  click the + sign of Print services

q  Put a check beside LPD and LPR. Click on OK.It will take time for the config change to complete and it will go back to programs and features.  click “Turn Windows features on or off” again.

q   Click the + sign of Print services Uncheck Internet Printing Client. > restart your PC to ensure there is no error of spooler service.

q  Restart your PC.

q  Reinstall the printer drivers afresh ( Suggested- Please download the latest drivers)

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Rick

HI,

now is night here in Italy and I will look deeply into your suggestion Tomorrow, BUT, please may be a misunderstanding , as you can read in the past post, the network printer IS NOT INSTALLED on the Optiplex or any other PC of the net, but is installed on the USB port of the router.

Therefore, as I preliminarly read that it is presumed a printer connected to a PC, let me know if your suggestion is still valid with the printer connected to the router.

Manlio,

Clearing out the old registry values, should give you a fresh start.

Rick

Hi Rick,

this morning at 7 I started to follow step by step your instructions. At 10:30 I completed the whole procedure and tested the printer getting exactly the same result. Printing stuck into the spooler.

After that I had toi work another hour to rebuild the previous configuration as several other virtual printers were deleted from the test ( XPS , PDF etc ..)

OK not bad, if I ask support, it's my duty to follow suggestions.

Now I hope to have gained the right to have you listening my opinion. I say this as I think that yourself and your friends could help me. But I would like to convince you all that my points are worth of some thinking.

My printer failure doesn't  depend from drivers installation, neither from net spooler or firewalls - antiviru etc. Time on these areas is just wasted !

The problem is that this computer (Optiplex 980 win 7 64B), and only this one, is unable to address the printer.to

http://192.168.1.1:1631/printers/Samsung  . Being this address the US Robotics router print server.

The US Robotics 4 ports+printer  Router is the Gateway of my home network and all the computers share easily the network, they can share resources and internet, so as the network printer (upto one week ago and for years).

ONLY the Optiplex stopped to print and all test brought on the argument have one conclusion : INABILITY TO ADDRESS THE PRINTER SERVER.

I tested the port 1631: it's OK but may be the Optiplex cannot open it. This is the failure. All other computers on the network use the port and print.

Please put your competence on work on this specific problem:. what can I do to restore the capability to address the print server ?

Thanks

Manlio.

Manlio,

I could have suggested that you try attaching the printer directly to the system, but from the way it sounds, the printer will not plug and play install. I first asked about the operating system being in English because some printers do not have drivers for certain operating systems in other languages, but I have found a way, with the help of another forum member, to trick the system to install the drivers on an operating system, let's say Italian Operating system, but the printer would work in English.

When I suggested the little Delete Print Jobs macro, running it with admin rights(right click, run as administrator), it stopped the print spooler then deleted the print jobs, the restarted the print spooler. A restart was needed.

net stop spooler
del %systemroot%\system32\spool\printers\*.shd
del %systemroot%\system32\spool\printers\*.spl
net start spooler

Usually when a printer will not install, the operating system has a problem with it's installation.

The easiest method is Restoring Your Computer´s Software to the Factory Settings if the recovery partition is intact. If the recovery partition is not intact, then you need to follow How To Restore or Reinstall Microsoft® Windows® on a Dell™ Computer

It is important to follow How to Download and Install Drivers in the Correct Order

Dell System Software, v.7.0.1, A01 and the Intel Chipset Software Installation Utility, v.9.2.0.1030, A05

Intel AMT HECI, v.6.1.20.1059 PV, A04

Intel Unified AMT6 HECI Driver

The above drivers know what is attached to your specific system. If they are not installed in the exact order, anything that is attached to the system usually fails installation.

Rick

Dear Rick,

your answer makes me smile, almost Always, and thanks for that. In one of so many posts I told you that I have no difficulties to print in local. It's enough that I unplug the USB on the server(Router port) and connect to one of the many USB port of the Optiplex and Ooops the printer installs as local and ... no problems. My System is in italian and US Robotics too. We came out of the Roman Empire and now we are almost a modern country :-))) despite with a lot of problems (just like you !) No problems for drivers etc etc. don't worry about that and consider also that I am not so much newbie, as I spent almost 40 years of my life in electronics (now I am 77) from semiconductors to software etc. (stop here because I start crying !)

Dear Rick I see that you continue to consider this problem a problem of installation of the printer ... it's not. The printer installs in a snap.. the drivers are new and updated, just for 64 B .. the problem is related to opening a port. When we install a network printer, generally we install as local and after we change the port. The change is only to give an address - period! The address cannot be on opur choice, is fixed by US Robotics ..  Then there is very few things to do around installation.

On that <ADMIN NOTE: Profane word removed per TOU policy> of a computer happened some thing on the TCP routines ..

All your links are known, thanks the same, so as I have no problems to play with the spooler. I have full controll on it and it's not a problem. When a Printing goes stuck into the spooler (and this is due to not being able to open that damn port), I just clean the spooler and recover the server functionality. No problems.

Thanks for all you efforts, I really appreciate it. My email address is <ADMIN NOTE: Email id removed per privacy policy>. If ever you find something to solve the port addressing problem, send me a whistle ... it will be very well accepted. Ciao