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We are having some issue with printers on our network.

We have 3 floors, 2 printers per floor (A3 & A4) all connected to the same Print Server.

The issue is that the same printer may not behave the same on two different, seemingly identical desktops. The commonest place this is seen on our bulk print script in AutoCAD - occasionally drawings may print Landscape on Portrait paper, despite drawings always being Landscape...

Does any one have any suggestions on what we can check / try?

The current line of attack is to setup a new Print Server, with the HP universal print driver rather than the device specific drivers, and replace printers using exactly the same method on all desktops. Sound good?

Dan Kelly
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2 Answers2

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Are the print drivers coming from the print server or installed on the local workstation and added via the server? I've seen drivers change the way the printer works, same print server or no. Sometimes different print drivers on the client can cause issues too.

I'd see using the logs who just printed previously, then the system that "misprinted", and check what their printer driver settings appear as and their print driver settings. I might even delete the printer and re-add it from a common point to make sure they're all the same version with the same driver settings.

Also check the printers, if they have consoles or web interfaces, to make sure something isn't set there and being overridden (or not being overridden by certain printer drivers).

Bart Silverstrim
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  • One of the issues we suspect is that there were a number of Drivers were originally installed on the local client, but we should no longer have any machines in circulation where that is an issue. The 2 ways now are probably Add Printer > Find, and Drag / Drop... will these make a difference? We've always had problems deleting Printers completly - any tips? – Dan Kelly May 05 '10 at 16:14
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As @Bart Silverman says, there can be a number of places where this happens. One additional is the actual Print Processor on the client. On an HP Laser, you would open printer properties on a client, click the advanced Tab and then Print Processor.

I have seen cases where a factory supplied Print Processor provides unusual results and a switch to the basic WinPrint processor solves the issue.

Dave M
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  • That's why I love these places... not tried that one, will report back – Dan Kelly May 05 '10 at 16:17
  • Have a had a look at our setup and we certainly have difference of Print processors - just waiting for someone to report the problem and will try! – Dan Kelly May 06 '10 at 12:31