Lesson 5:?Troubleshooting Common Printing Problems

In this lesson you will learn about some common printing problems and how to troubleshoot them. This chapter also introduces you to the built-in Printer Troubleshooter and some of the other troubleshooting features included in Windows XP Professional.

After this lesson, you will be able to

• Describe how to troubleshoot some common printing problems
• Describe the features included in Windows XP Professional to make it easier to resolve common printing problems

Estimated lesson time: 10 minutes

Examining the Problem

When you detect a printing problem, always verify that the printer is plugged in, turned on, and connected to the print server. For a network interface print device, verify that there is a network connection between the printer and the print server.

To determine the cause of a problem, first try printing from a different program to verify that the problem is with the printer and not with the program. If the problem is with the printer, ask the following questions:

• Can other users print normally? If so, the problem is most likely caused by insufficient permissions, no network connection, or client computer problems.
• Does the print server use the correct printer driver for the printer?
• Is the print server operational and is there enough disk space for spooling?
• Does the client computer have the correct printer driver?

Reviewing Common Printing Problems

There are some printing problems that are common to most network printing environments. Table 7.6 describes some of these common printing problems, as well as some possible causes and solutions.

Table 7.6??Common Printing Problems, Causes, and Solutions

Windows XP Professional Printing Troubleshooter

Windows XP Professional has a built-in troubleshooter to help you resolve your printing problems. For example, in the Printers And Faxes window, you can click Troubleshoot Printing (see Figure 7.10).

Figure 7.10??Printers And Faxes window built-in troubleshooter

When you click Troubleshoot Printing, Windows XP Professional presents you with a series of potential printing problems. After you make a selection from the list of potential problems and click Next, the troubleshooter takes you through a series of suggestions and questions to help you resolve the problem. You can also perform a search to help resolve your problem or you can select the I Want The Troubleshooter To Investigate Settings On This Computer option.

Additional Troubleshooting Options

If you experience a problem with your computer, Windows XP Professional provides a number of ways to help you resolve your problem. On the Start menu you can click Help And Support. If it is a printing problem, click Printing And Faxing (see Figure 7.11).

Figure 7.11??The Fixing A Printer Problem option in the Help And Support Center window

The Help and Support Center also allows you to use Remote Assistance to invite another person to help over the Internet. The expert can accept this invitation, chat with you, and view your desktop. He or she can also transfer any files required to fix the issue or perform any complex procedures that need to be performed. You can also visit the Windows XP newsgroups or try Microsoft Assisted Support.

Lesson Review

The following questions will help you determine whether you have learned enough to move on to the next lesson. If you have difficulty answering these questions, review the material in this lesson before beginning the next chapter. The answers for these questions are in Appendix A, "Questions and Answers."

1. When you detect a printing problem, what three things should you always check before you start troubleshooting the problem?
2. If a user reports to you that he or she cannot print, what are some of the areas you should check?
3. The __________________________________________ feature included in Windows XP Professional allows you to invite an expert to take full control of your computer over the Internet to resolve printing problems on your computer.

Lesson Summary

• When you detect a printing problem, always verify that the printer is plugged in, turned on, and connected to the print server.
• For a network interface print device, verify that there is a network connection between the printer and the print server.
• You can access the Windows XP Professional built-in Printing Troubleshooter from the Printers And Faxes window by clicking Troubleshoot Printing.
• You can use Remote Assistance to invite another person to help over the Internet. This expert can chat with you and view your desktop. With your permission, the expert can get full control of your computer to help resolve problems.