HP Printer and KA7 problem

[Joel]

I have an HP 694 C(crappy) printer. After a fresh install of Win98SE, it detects the printer connected to the parallel ports and ask for drivers. So I provide the HP drivers for 98 and it shows me that the test communiation takes place successfully between the computer and the printer. But, after a reboot, the printer just stops working and on there is no communication that takes place all when I try to test it. This has been bothering me for the past week and I have tried a lot of things to make it work.

I have a KA7, Athlon 700, Vortex II sound card, and a GeForce SDR (Don't know if that either of two could be making problems)

If someone has experienced this sort of a problem before, please help me out here. Thanks a lot!

 

[Joel]

Anybody?

 

[veryape]

Did it ever actually print the test page? If not then it was never properly detected. Try removing then reinstalling the drivers. Also,make sure that there is enough paper and that it is loaded correctly,as it will not work otherwise. Also make sure it goes on the correct port,lpt1. About all i can think off right now,sorry.

 

[Joel]

Yes, it did print the page out the first time properly.

I tried removing the drivers (once again) like you said. Rebooted hoping Windows would recognize new hardware but nope ... didn't do JACK! So I added a new printer and this time installed the drivers on the Win98SE cd. I reboot my PC and close anything that is running on my computer and try to print a test page. It's gives me this error :
"There was an error writing to LPT1: for the printer (HP Deskjet 694C): Cannot access the port. It may be in use by another problem. Quit all programs and try printing again."

This is why I closed everything and anything that was running my computer ... I have no clue as to why it finds an error with the LPT port though it find the printer the very first time I intstall the printer.

Any ideas on how to fix this? I am willing to format any number of times to get this working.

 

[bluezebra1098]

Is the printer set to be the default printer in the printer properties window?
Also in the BIOS what parallel printer port setting are you using: Normal, EPP,
ECP, ECP + EPP?
Also try a new/borrowed cable and make sure it is screwed in and grounded.

 

[Joel]

I have a feeling it's got something to do with the BIOS. How do I know what I should set for my parallel printer port setting in the BIOS?

 

[Joel]

Ok ... I ended up formatting 3 times today (and used drive images to save time) and found out exactly what creates the problem.

I install Win98SE, then new Via 4 in 1 drivers that came out today, and then install the video card. Up to this point, the printer prints fine and has no problems whatsoever. As soon as I install my VortexII sound card and check the printer communication, this error: "There was an error writing to LPT1: for the printer (HP Deskjet 694C): Cannot access the port. It may be in use by another problem. Quit all programs and try printing again." pops up once again. My sound card sits on the 3rd PCI on my mobo.

So I load the stable image of my parition onto C, and once am back into Windows note that the printer works fine as expected. Now, I try to provide drivers for my Ethernet card and check the printer communication, the error once again shows up. My ethernet card is on the 6th PCI slot.

I have no clue as to how to fix this problem but my sound card and my ethernet card are the only two devices that Windows doesn't ask for drivers upon a fresh install of Windows. I have to go into System Properties -> Device Manager and then install drivers for each one.

I'm really really tired and hope someone can help me to get this to work somehow. Thanks.

 

[beafer]

Check HP to see if there has been any updated drivers for that printer. Also, make sure that the drivers that you are using the other devices aren't getting from the system folder of windows(win sometimes fool people into believing it is installing new drivers for devices, but in fact it will say "the best drivers for ... has already been found", or "windows is already using the best drivers...etc".) Make sure that you try to use a different parallel cord to test the printer. You'll sometime be amazed at how sometimes it is just the cable causing the problem. One more thing too, check to see if you caan find a prog to test ports on your MB.

 

[CraigRT]

I think it's the printer!
i have an HP 680C and once i get done all my important upgrades 1st this piece of scrap is going to be incinerated and will hopefully be burning in hell!
stupid loud, unreliable, bad quality HP.... JUNK!!!