CPU @ 100% WHY

[MIGhunter]

I noticed as I was printing something this morning that my CPU usage was at 100%. Why? As the printer finished a page, it would drop to 30% and then when it was completely done printing, it went back down to 0%. Why would my PC be at 100% usage while printing. I have a P4 2.8 ghz and 1GB RAMBUS 1066 memory.

 

[zShowtimez]

Printers are beastie, and use lots of resources. Don't know why, but thats how its always been for me.

 

[MichaelD]

Is the printer connected to the PC via a USB or parallel cable? Do you have the correct driver loaded for that printer?

 

[sharkeeper]

What kind of printer? I have a few workstations with Lexmark Z55's and they exhibit this same behavior. I wish they were Jet Direct compatible because I'd put them on that b!itch of a server we have. :|

Cheers!

 

[mikecel79]

Originally posted by: sharkeeper
What kind of printer? I have a few workstations with Lexmark Z55's and they exhibit this same behavior. I wish they were Jet Direct compatible because I'd put them on that b!itch of a server we have. :|

They are. We have two of them at work on JetDirect boxes. Of course I wouldn't load the driver onto a real server. They suck. I just install a queue on each computer for it instead. There's only 2 people that print to each of them so it's not too much.

 

[Actaeon]

It happens to me as well using my HP Deskjet.

I don't use it that often, so I don't complain, but I notice extreme slowdowns while printing.

 

[digi187]

serial printers have always been a hog.

Sucks man, but its the way its always been ;-)

 

[PCHPlayer]

Originally posted by: MIGhunter
I noticed as I was printing something this morning that my CPU usage was at 100%. Why? As the printer finished a page, it would drop to 30% and then when it was completely done printing, it went back down to 0%. Why would my PC be at 100% usage while printing. I have a P4 2.8 ghz and 1GB RAMBUS 1066 memory.

All the logic to translate PCL into the printer's hardware language is done by the the printer driver, not the printer. There is very little intelligence built into today's inkjet printers. As opposed to my old HP LaserJet 5P which does all the processing on the printer. Once the print job has been transferred to the printer, the computer has no involvement.
In other words, you are seeing normal behavior.

 

[sharkeeper]

Winprinters! :|

Cheers!