We have a couple of Windows Server 2003 (with SP2 applied) that work as a
clustered print server. We have about 35 printers on each server. We use
primarily HP printers (especially 4250 systems).
A couple of times a day, we have a situation where a random set of printers
(about 20 total) will “stop†printing.
Here is what we see:
1. User submits print job
2. It successfully spools to the appropriate printer (we are monitoring the
print spooler pretty much in real time and we open the print queue) in the
spooler.
3. The printer queue status changes to from Spooling to Printing.
4. The job shows in the printer queue as printing for about 2 minutes
(nothing is happening on the printer) and then changes to Error – Printing.
5. The printer in the spooler changes from Ready to Error.
6. The printer display NEVER changes from its “Ready†status (never shows
processing job or other common messages).
The printers are set up:
- to be shared
- the “Enable printer pooling†is not checked
- the “Spool print documents so program finishes printing faster†radio
button is set as well as the Start printing immediately radio button.
- the Print spooled documents first and Enable advanced printing features
boxes are checked
We’ve verified the printer drivers. We’ve verified network connectivity by
pinging the printer IP address (actually the JetDirect card in the printer)
and even opened the printer’s web interface FROM the print server (so we know
that IP connectivity is good).
If the user waits about 20 minutes its “appears†that the Print Server (the
spooler?) tries again and the job goes through. This is the same scenario
regardless if both servers in the cluster are being used or we fail over to
one or the other servers.
The complaint is slow printing.
How can we find out what the “Error†status is when the spooler and the
printer queue show Error?
Is there a way to have the spooler try resubmitting the job on a faster clip.
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