A couple of hardware issues

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I upgraded a computer in a chemical lab yesterday. The problem I am describing has nothing to do with the upgrade. The lab techs mentioned it to me while I was there. Their HP laserjet 4 printer spits out a number of extra pages after printing. The pages are blank except for a small plus and minus sign located in one of the corners of each page. The printer seems fine otherwise. I printed off a test page from printer properties and it printed fine and without extra pages spewing out. I'm no printer expert here. Anyone know what this is about?

Also, when I was out there today to install some backed upfiles onto this computer, I checked the settings on the attached APC UPS and got a message saying that UPS service has stopped. The PC knows a UPS is attached but can't identify the maker or type. Power goes through the UPS to get to the monitor, PC, etc, but I can't figure out how to start the UPS service. I tried cycling the power on the UPS itself but it made no difference. The lab techs couldn't find the drivers or paperwork on this particular UPS (they found them for a similar device by APC, though...and it wasn't helpful). I went to APC's knowledge base but this issue wasn't covered. I sent an e-mail to tech support (my kingdom for a phone number) describing the problem and am (supposedly) going to receive a reply within 24 hours. Any ideas?

 

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Trip, as far as the printer is concerned (I am no printer expert either mind) check the printer settings in the software package that they are printing from when this problem occurres, try printing from other packages aswell see if it has the same results, could be that if the software was written for a specific purpose for the lab then it could be a programming issue, try updateing the driver to the latest version, there are 15 different versions of the laserjet 4 have a look here for the full list

http://productfinder.support.hp.com...&h_tool=software,prodhomes&h_query=laserjet+4

As for the UPS, if it still works when you turn the power off then dont worry about it, after all thats what it is there for. Was the massage that you recieved displayed on the ups itself or on the PC that is attatched to it.
I have never really had anything to do with UPS's but you could try and have a look under the power management settings in control panel, there is (or should be) a UPS tab.

HTH

 

I'd never have known an issue existed unless I had checked power management by right clicking the desktop, selecting screen saver, pressing the power button then selecting the ups tab. You can get to the same destination by selecting power management in control panel then selecting the ups tab. I just checked my lab computer at home that is running and doesn't have a ups attached and it gives me exactly the same reading. The only difference is that the "select" button under details isn't greyed out which, I suppose, would allow me to create a ups device if I wanted to attach one.

I'll check out the link when I get to work later today (it's still around 5:30 a.m. here). Thanks.

 

Just Checked the power management settings on the servers at work that are attatched to UPS devices, and they too say that the UPS service is stopped.

All this means is that windows does not control/communicate with the UPS, there may be some proprietory piece of software on your server in question that will contol/communicate instead of windows, dont worry about it, it's not unusual

 

I did a remote logon to two different servers here, both running Windows 2000 and didn't even find a power management icon in Control Panel. What am I missing?

 

As far as I am aware when you use Terminal Services to login to a server the power management option is not available, will have to double check this on our servers at work but i am just finishing now so i will check on monday morning

 

I've no assistance to offer on the UPS, I'm afraid, but re the printer issue - something at the back of my (hollow) mind has me thinking Separator Pages ?

Have you checked in the Printer's propeties if its set to use a sep page ?

Just a thought ...

 

Good one Jako, never thought of that.

Trip, I can confirm without a shadow of a doubt that when you remote login to a server using terminal services the power management option in the control panel is not available.

so there is you answer.

 

Yeah - isn't that something to do with Windows trying to prevent you from doing anything through Terminal Services that would remotely re-boot a Server ?

Might be wrong, but I've a feeling its along those lines... I'm starting to think I learned something after all from the 215 course :hhhmmm

 

Your right on that one jako...........well it's the only reason i can think of anyway.

 

I can access the computer and printer from my workstation and everything on the advanced tab where the separator pages would be configured is greyed out. I may have to access it from the local computer and see.

 

What software are they using to print? was it designed to run under an older OS?

I remember at work a good few years ago we had some old software that used to put some strange chars on the printouts. The problem there was the software - was designed for an older OS and the computers being upgraded did not help. Luckily they made a new system that was 250% better (eventually).

So... what Im trying to say it - could teh software itself be causing the problem, not the Printer or OS setup.

 

If it's a local printer you will have to log onto the computer as Administrator to change printer settings.

 

I ran a wizard to update the driver as admin for the local machine and printed a test page. Seems fine. I'll have to investigate further. Also, I followed the link to the HP drivers for this printer and there are two options: PCL5e Driver and PostScript Driver. A vague memory says the two don't live well together and I can't find a reference in the printer properties anywhere that says which one it is. I'll sign on again as the generic lab computer and try some print tests. Oh...no separator pages set.

 

If you have the original install discs then you could always just update the driver one t a time and see which one works the best, If niether of them do then you can use the original disk to at least put it back to the way it was

 

I tried a number of print tests under the lab computer's generic profile and they were all faultless. Seems that problem is solved. I did learn (too late to do anything about it today), that I could start the UPS service from Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Services -> under Services (local) extended tab, scroll down to UPS and select it ->? click the link to Start the Service. Bummer. I could have solved 100% of my technical issues today. Oh well...it'll give me something to do on Monday.

 

So 99% isn't good enough for you, Trip ???

You're really letting the side down you know :P

 

Gee fellas...I'm doing the best I can. If that's not good enough...

 

I just read this thread and had a thought, it may be way off, but I'll have a go.

Maybe it's the case that the UPS is showing stopped because power is not reliant on the UPS, as in power is being supplied through the main grid.

If there was a main power cut then the UPS would come into effect, therefore it would have "started" to be the source of power.

 

@Trip: Hope you got those tomatoes from my fruit van