Error writing to LPT1 NO PAPER? Paper is there!

[mia158]

Win 98, printer is Dot Matrix Panasonic KX P1624. After installing the printer I tried to print a test page from the printer properties page, and I get an error writing to lpt1, there is no paper, add paper then retry.

There is paper in the printer. I've recycled power on the printer, tried a different cable, removed the paper, reinserted it, printed a test page from the printer, brought the printer off line, then back online.

From the win 98 machine I've removed the printer and the port, then reinstalled both. I've tried to print from a dos prompt, that was also unsuccessful.

Any suggestions?

 

[paulwood]

If it's a dot matrix, it may have a tractor feed and cut sheet option (and maybe others). Make sure the printer driver has the right one selected.

Hope this helps

 

[mia158]

The tractor option is selected. The other options were manual or auto. I tried all of them. Any other suggestions?

 

[edfair]

If 98 has a generic text printer try it while you are getting the printer to work.
Think the panasonic has switches that allow you to redefine some signal lines. You may want to verify that the switches don't reconfigure the printer in some way.
If I recall correctly, I had te same sort of problems with one in 95 that had been used as slave on a wyse terminal. Ed Fair
efair@atlnet.com

Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply.

Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[SimonDavis]

I see you've set all the feed options for the paper - have you specified the paper size? I can imagine if it's set to a4 or something, that might cause a problem.

 

[hchman]

Do dot matrix printers support bi-directional cables? I do not know. Sometimes you will get bogus errors if you do not use the proper cable.

 

[paulwood]

That particular printer has two emulation modes, Epson LQ-2500 and IBM Proprinter X24. You could try either of those two drivers to see whether an emulation has been selected. If these don't work, try

copy autoexec.bat prn:

at the c: prompt in a dos box, assuming there is an autoexec.bat file, but any small text file will do. If that doesn't work, and you have an older AT style case, check the internal cable connecting the port to the motherboard is connected correctly.

You could install another printer and see if that works.

If you don't have the manual, then try

http://www.panasonic.co.uk/nw/technicalDocs/pubDocs.asp

it's a little slow, and the d/l is 4.3Mb, so be warned!