Network Printer Problems - Need Assistance

[Muscles]

Hi I built a new experimental system for my fathers insurance agency running WinXP Pro w/SP2 on an old NT 4.0 Server domain. I got the system working flawlessly on the domain with the exception of the printer. The printer is a Lexmark Optra E312L. I added the network printer correctly and it works fine if I print anything from within windows (ie: word documents, web documents, etc.) however if I'm in a program under dos on the NT server and I try to print it DOES NOT work. It does show the correct printer and everything and it does say "printing to laser on lpt1" etc. in the dos window but nothing happens.

Does anyone have any ideas how I can get it fixed?

Before people try mentioning it, No I can't upgrade the server to Win2003 because our main insurance underwriter's software isn't caught up with the times just yet.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Muscles]

Bump

 

[oldman420]

did you install the drivers for the printer on the server and is the printer setup correctly for any 3d party products?
thats the best i can offer at the moment sir.

also double check cables.

 

[Muscles]

The printer has been working for years before I built this new winxp pro machine. There are 4 workstations all running Win98 SE on the domain and they all have had no problems printing from the desktop or the dos applications run off the NT 4.0 Server. We are tired of the old crappy hardware/OS all the workstations are running on (win98se, celeron 333's, 64mb ram) thus the reason for my "experimental" winxp pro machine I just built (Athlon 64 3000+ NC, 512mb ram, etc.). The only problem I'm having is printing from within those DOS apps on the NT server. If I can get it to work I'm going to replace all the crap win98 machines with brand new xp pro a64 machines....

With that additional information I've supplied do you still think I should still have to get on the NT server and update the printer drivers? Is that what you're saying? Like I said, the printer has worked perfectly fine for years (since 1998) but all the workstations were win98 se. I successfully added the printer on the new WinXP Pro machine but I can only print outside the dos apps that are run off the nt server. Ideas? Suggestions?

 

[oldman420]

When you say dos apps what do you mean?
is the printer installed on the server or a workstation?
you may have to install the printer on both the server and the xp box as there is a big diff between the two.
does shift /printscreen work?
did you reboot and power cycle everything?
sometimes that helps if the server is local.

 

[Muscles]

The printer is installed on the server. This is how I added the printer to my new winxp pro machine. Control Panel -> Printers and Faxes -> Add a Printer -> A network printer, or printer attached to another computer -> Browse for Printer -> Lexmark Printer on NT Server found -> Installed.

When you say dos apps what do you mean?

I mapped a network drive called K:
When I need to use my main insurance undewriter's software I access the file on the server K:\\shared\ads.bat which opens up a DOS fullscreen window. I cannot use the print function when inside that program. And yes, everything is local. It's a small business insurance office.

 

[LordOfAll]

So let me see if i have this right, you are at the xp machine opening a dos resorce that is on the server and it will not print. If that is the case try this.MKB

 

[Muscles]

Thanks LordOfAll that got me on the right track but I'm getting an error when trying to execute that command. Anyone know why?

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>NET USE LPT2: \\NT_SERVER1\Lexmark0 /persistent:yes
System error 66 has occurred.

The network resource type is not correct.

Can't seem to get passed this error and I'm pretty sure I've got the command correct.

 

[charlie21]

You have a colon following LPT2, the command on the MS page didn't. Don't know if that will help, just noticed that.