Win2k Prints Slow or not at all through NT4 print server, 98 Printed Just fine

[dp]

I have a user whos computer was running Windows 98 and now we have
reinstalled the computer with 2000. My user typically runs Access, and the
Solomon Accounting system. Things are much more stable now that we've
upgraded the machine to Windows 2000, however now we have introduced
printing problems from the workstation.

Access Reports that used to print fine when the machine when it was
installed with 98 print very slowly in win 2000, it prints a page, wait a
minute, another page, then more than likely the printer gives up the message
"Memory Overflow." at which time we have to re-set the printer, cancel the
printjob, and try again.

The reports she prints out of Solomon, some of them seem to print more
slowly than they did on 98 as well. I believe Solomon uses Crystal Reports
as it's report writer, if that means anything. The problem seems unique to
2000, regardless of the application.

It seems to be a driver issue of some sort, I wonder this because if you
look at the properties of the printer on the NT4 server, it lists the
drivers for Win311, and WinNT, but doesn't mention 2K, ME, 98, etc.

Anyone have a clue what could be going on here? I've tried uninstalling,
and reinstalling the printer on both the server, and on the workstation.

Help!

-BrianDP

 

[dp]

It seems that going into
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\WOW\LPT_timeout
and changing the value from 15 to 3 makes the Win2000 machine print just
fine. Another other article I read said INCREASE the time!

Solving printer problems as fast I can create them,
-BrianDP

 

[C Fuller]

Yes! (Solving printer problems as fast I can create them!)
And not only are you solving your own problems, you've
just solved mine!
THANKS!!!!

 

[dp]

Yeah, well the lowering of
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\WOW\LPT\LPT_timeout to 3
worked on my workstation installation of 2k, but not on my other user's 2k
workstation. I'm thinking of breaking down and physically installing a
printer on her LPT: port. It's awful to give in to technology. Someone
must know about this subject and can enlighten us as to the nuances of
printing from Win2K computers through a Win NT Server. Is this the kind of
stuff they teach you how to diagnose if you get those Microsoft
certifications?

One person told me, "Your printer is too old! It's a laserjet 4 something
or other, those had lots of problems." That doesn't seem right to me, the
printer has been flawless in the past. Besides, all the other computers
running 98 can print to this printer just fine.

This is why I think it's a driver issue- the same exact report prints
through the NT print queue from win98 just fine. When you print it from 2K
it's slow and sometimes just crashes the printer with "Memory Overflow".
Win98 seems to use it's own driver, then send the job off to NT land, where
it's processed, and everything comes out fine. When a printer is installed
on Win2K the OS seems to demand that it's drivers come from the print
server. Is there some other way I can set this up?

On the printer frontier...
-BrianDP