What does PRINTER OFFLINE in STATUS mean?

Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

"news.rcn.com" <news.rnc.com> wrote in message
news:hcKdnazCBd-8Gg7fRVn-uA@rcn.net...
>I have a feeling this is a very basic question which has been answered
> hundreds of timed before but does anyone know what PRINTER OFFLINE means
> under STATUS on my LaserJet working under XP on LPT1?
>
> The print jobs show as being offline although there is nothing in the
> settings which mandates this: The USE PRINTER OFFLINE line in FILE shows
> no
> check mark and putting one in and the removing it doesn't make the job
> print
> or make the printer do anything. Print jobs just stack up in the printer's
> box and nothing prints. pressing the print button just makes it print a
> test
> page and still nothing prints thereafter. Needless to say, restarting the
> computer does nothing and nor does deleting all jobs and reprinting nor
> pressing RESUME nor turning off the printer and turning it on again. And
> this problem has only started in the last few weeks so it cant be anything
> to do with it not being the default printer (which might also do this now
> that I come to think of it). I originally thought that this was something
> to
> do with windows having detected that the printer was out of paper but this
> doesn't apply either. I did find that the memory was mysteriously set at
> 767
> kb when there is about 4 meg of RAM in the printer but correcting this
> didn't fix the problem either
>
>
Is there a light on the printer which indicates if it is online or not?
Usually steady=online, blinking=offline.
When you say "pressing the print button just makes a test print...." do you
mean pressing a button on the printer itself? Can you print a test page
from the printer configuration under Windows? Do you get any error
messages? I'm not sure if this will help, but just for the sake of it you
could try replacing the cable or trying unistalling and reinstalling the
printer.

Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

Baffling one, possibly caused by the LPT1 plug becoming disconnected?

Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (More info?)

news.rcn.com wrote:
> I have a feeling this is a very basic question which has been answered
> hundreds of timed before but does anyone know what PRINTER OFFLINE
> means under STATUS on my LaserJet working under XP on LPT1?
>
8<

Hello,
Have you gone into your Printers & Faxes section in the Start Menu, and
right-clicked on your printer name in the list, and selected 'Use Printer
Online'?
It can still be the Default Printer (always is, if it's the only one
installed) without necessarily being 'Online'. But it HAS to be set to
Online, if Windows is to spool the print job to it.

hth

--
Nigel_H

I have windows 7 home premium and a HP6480 all in one printer. I also have a wireless set up. The PRINTER OFF LINE suddenly appeared and I was not able to print. The solution was:

1. Have available a usb cable to connect to your printer.

2. Go to HP support and drivers. Select the full download driver for the HP6480.

3. Follow instructions.

If you have a different system and printer, try the same. It may work.

This is how to fix it in XP. The option will be something similar in 7, I guess.

1. Go to printers and faxes under control panel
2. Find your printer of interest. It should be showing Offline under the Status column.
3. Right click on the Offline word (not on the printer name, but on the Offline word). There would be a popup menu, which will have the option of Refresh. Select Refresh.

That should get the printer back to Ready status.

I had this problem and it was the McAfee Firewall that was the problem. I don't know when the properties changed - but I had to give "FULL" permission to "Spooler Subsystem App" in "Program Permissions". All is well again.

This topic has been closed by Buwish