Status Update - "Out of Paper" - HELP!

[bazooka-joe]

Background:
I've got 6 Windows 2000 (sp4) print servers here. Four of them are
officially "Highly-Reliable". We only use PostScript and UNIDRV-based
drivers, only version 3 "User Mode" drivers, only Standard TCP/IP ports
and no odd-ball printers (i.e. no inkjets, plotters, multi-function
devices, label writers, etc). In short, these four print servers are
hosting a couple hundred HP LaserJets and Xerox Phasers apiece. For
the most part these four run flawlessly and have for about 3 and a half
years now. The other two we call "legacy" print servers and they house
all the monolithic driver engines (like PCL, HPD, etc), version 2
kernel mode (NT4) drivers, LPR and other non-standard ports/port
monitors; and all the 'odd-ball' printers I mentioned before. We also
stick problematic drivers known to have incompatibilities or problems
here.

My Issue:
All six of these print servers from time to time will experience a
hiccup of sorts. When a printer runs out of paper or perhaps, suffers
a paper jam, the print server will update the status on the queue
without a problem. And you can see right there in the spooler the
printer is listed as "Out of Paper" in the status column. Usually when
the printer is back online the status goes back to "Ready". But every
once in awhile, it doesn't. It stays "Out of Paper" or "Paper Jam" or
or maybe just "Offline". When that happens the print server will not
send jobs to the printer. They just build up in the queue.

Bounce the spooler service and the status updates fine. Then you can
print.

Why? And how can I fix it?

 

[bazooka-joe]

Background:
I've got 6 Windows 2000 (sp4) print servers here. Four of them are
officially "Highly-Reliable". We only use PostScript and UNIDRV-based
drivers, only version 3 "User Mode" drivers, only Standard TCP/IP ports
and no odd-ball printers (i.e. no inkjets, plotters, multi-function
devices, label writers, etc). In short, these four print servers are
hosting a couple hundred HP LaserJets and Xerox Phasers apiece. For
the most part these four run flawlessly and have for about 3 and a half
years now. The other two we call "legacy" print servers and they house
all the monolithic driver engines (like PCL, HPD, etc), version 2
kernel mode (NT4) drivers, LPR and other non-standard ports/port
monitors; and all the 'odd-ball' printers I mentioned before. We also
stick problematic drivers known to have incompatibilities or problems
here.

My Issue:
All six of these print servers from time to time will experience a
hiccup of sorts. When a printer runs out of paper or perhaps, suffers
a paper jam, the print server will update the status on the queue
without a problem. And you can see right there in the spooler the
printer is listed as "Out of Paper" in the status column. Usually when
the printer is back online the status goes back to "Ready". But every
once in awhile, it doesn't. It stays "Out of Paper" or "Paper Jam" or
or maybe just "Offline". When that happens the print server will not
send jobs to the printer. They just build up in the queue.

Bounce the spooler service and the status updates fine. Then you can
print.

Why? And how can I fix it?

I may have found an answer:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;835933

Haven't tried it yet. Looks like there's a hotfix for Windows 2003,
while Windows 2000 servers are stuck needing to perform the
'workaround'.

:Bazooka-Joe

 

[Alan Morris [MSFT]]

that's most likely the issue. Make sure that you delete any unused Standard
Tcpip ports on the server. Particularly those ports for printers that do
not exist any longer. Standard TCP Port polls each port for status. When
it gets to a port that is not on the network it will wait for the SNMP
timeout. I believe this is 30 seconds. Add 10 ports and you have just
added 300 seconds to the polling delay as Standard Port marches through the
port list.

Delete the unused ports first, it helps.

--
Alan Morris
Windows Printing Team
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[Guest]

Hello Alan,

I have the same problem, the printer spooler is Windows 2000 server
after 30 minutes, the spooler runs again corretly. I have maximun 10 unused
tcpip ports.
is it possible to change SNMP timeout?

regards

that's most likely the issue. Make sure that you delete any unused Standard
Tcpip ports on the server. Particularly those ports for printers that do
not exist any longer. Standard TCP Port polls each port for status. When
it gets to a port that is not on the network it will wait for the SNMP
timeout. I believe this is 30 seconds. Add 10 ports and you have just
added 300 seconds to the polling delay as Standard Port marches through the
port list.

Delete the unused ports first, it helps.

--
Alan Morris
Windows Printing Team
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

I may have found an answer:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;835933

Haven't tried it yet. Looks like there's a hotfix for Windows 2003,
while Windows 2000 servers are stuck needing to perform the
'workaround'.

:Bazooka-Joe

 

[Alan Morris [MSFT]]

I think you need to change a TCP/IP timeout so the monitor does not spend so
much time attempting to communicate with the devices that are not on the
network. You'd need to talk to someone know about the network stuff.

Standard TCP/IP will not poll SNMP disabled ports.


--
Alan Morris
Windows Printing Team
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Hello Alan,

I have the same problem, the printer spooler is Windows 2000 server
after 30 minutes, the spooler runs again corretly. I have maximun 10
unused
tcpip ports.
is it possible to change SNMP timeout?

regards

that's most likely the issue. Make sure that you delete any unused
Standard
Tcpip ports on the server. Particularly those ports for printers that do
not exist any longer. Standard TCP Port polls each port for status.
When
it gets to a port that is not on the network it will wait for the SNMP
timeout. I believe this is 30 seconds. Add 10 ports and you have just
added 300 seconds to the polling delay as Standard Port marches through
the
port list.

Delete the unused ports first, it helps.

--
Alan Morris
Windows Printing Team
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.

(e-mail address removed) wrote:
Background:
I've got 6 Windows 2000 (sp4) print servers here. Four of them are
officially "Highly-Reliable". We only use PostScript and UNIDRV-based
drivers, only version 3 "User Mode" drivers, only Standard TCP/IP
ports
and no odd-ball printers (i.e. no inkjets, plotters, multi-function
devices, label writers, etc). In short, these four print servers are
hosting a couple hundred HP LaserJets and Xerox Phasers apiece. For
the most part these four run flawlessly and have for about 3 and a
half
years now. The other two we call "legacy" print servers and they
house
all the monolithic driver engines (like PCL, HPD, etc), version 2
kernel mode (NT4) drivers, LPR and other non-standard ports/port
monitors; and all the 'odd-ball' printers I mentioned before. We also
stick problematic drivers known to have incompatibilities or problems
here.

My Issue:
All six of these print servers from time to time will experience a
hiccup of sorts. When a printer runs out of paper or perhaps, suffers
a paper jam, the print server will update the status on the queue
without a problem. And you can see right there in the spooler the
printer is listed as "Out of Paper" in the status column. Usually
when
the printer is back online the status goes back to "Ready". But every
once in awhile, it doesn't. It stays "Out of Paper" or "Paper Jam" or
or maybe just "Offline". When that happens the print server will not
send jobs to the printer. They just build up in the queue.

Bounce the spooler service and the status updates fine. Then you can
print.

Why? And how can I fix it?


I may have found an answer:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;835933

Haven't tried it yet. Looks like there's a hotfix for Windows 2003,
while Windows 2000 servers are stuck needing to perform the
'workaround'.

:Bazooka-Joe