Printer Problem - Directory Services Unavailable

[Rich Phillips 1]

I have a Dell Inspiron 8500 with XP Pro that I am trying to connect to an HP
Laserjet 4P. The 4P tests OK on a W-98 machine, so I know it and the cable
are not the problem.

When I try to print, I get no output, and a message that the document failed
to print. I've tried Word, Notepad, and DOS, and no results. When I
interrogate the printer from the print dialog box, it tells me that the
Services Directory is unavailable. Tried uninstalling and reinstalling the
printer, and re-booting. The computer prints normally to an HP 3100 laserjet
and a newer HP injet printer as well.

I can't seem to find anything in the Help and Knowledgebase to tell me where
to go. I did try following instructions to investigate the "printer
permissions", but stalled out when I right-clicked on the printer and there
was no "Security" tab anywhere in the dialog box as described.

Any help would be appreciated.

Rich Phillips

 

[Rich Phillips 1]

Apologize for the double post. Thought I lost the draft, when I evidently
sent it. Insufficient bandwidth between brain cells and fingers.....

Rich

 

[Guest]

Updated drivers may work.
Hewlett Packard (HP) HP LaserJet 4p printer driver
http://www.printer-drivers.com/drivers/195/195753.htm

 

[Rich Phillips 1]

Thanks for the suggestion, but the new driver made no difference. Funny
thing is, I can carry this printer into the next room, hook it up to my
wife's Dell desktop with XP Home, and it works instantly.

It seems like somewhere in my machine there is a setting that is saying that
this printer is not allowed to talk to this computer, but I'm not smart
enough to figure out how to do it. My instincts tell me the "Directory
Services are Unavailable" message is somehow the key, but the Help and
Knowledgebase are of no help at al to someone at my level of computer
expertise.

Any additional help would be appreciated.

Rich Phillips

 

[Guest]

The problem may be the spooler.
Start Printer Spooler
http://www.coribright.com/windows/Article Nine.htm

 

[Rich Phillips 1]

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried the spooler command, and it told me that
the spooler was already on.

Any ideas on where to research this "Directory Services not available"
message? The fact I can print with some printers but not others is the real
puzzle. No matter what I unload and re-load, turn on and turn off, plug and
umplug, the darned thing just won't respond to the HPLJ4P or the IJ320
Portable printers.

Thanks.

Rich Phillips