Strange Printer Issue

Discussion in 'PC hardware help' started by KillerBug, Aug 1, 2009.

  1. KillerBug

    KillerBug Active member

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    I am working on a machine with a fully updated WinXP86 SP3. It has a Xerox Phaser 3124 laser printer attached by USB. For some reason, it must occasionaly be unplugged and switched to another USB port. Once this is done it works for about a day, then must be switched back to the first USB port. It does not disconnect, windows still sees it as "ready" and even tries to print a few KB of the first document in the que...but it won't print unless it is switched to another port. Any ideas?
     
  2. sammorris

    sammorris Senior member

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    tried any other USB cables?
     
  3. ddp

    ddp Moderator Staff Member

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    have you checked to see if there is an updated driver for the printer? did this happen with sp2?
     
  4. KillerBug

    KillerBug Active member

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    -Tried a new USB cable, did not help.
    -Has latest drivers from Xerox...but they are still rather old.
    -This system was downgraded from Vista, so it never had XP SP2.
    -This is a new problem, it was working fine for weeks before it started doing this. As far as I can tell, nothing was changed, automatic updates were even off (although I did the updates to see if that would help).
     
  5. jodav

    jodav Regular member

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    Probably a long shot but have you checked the power management on the port\s in device manager to se if allowing comp to switch off device has somehow became enabled.
     
  6. ddp

    ddp Moderator Staff Member

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    did this start all of a sudden or ever since upgraded to xp sp3? uninstall thru add/remove programs the printer driver, do a defrag of the drive then re-install the printer software. did that on a customer's pc with an all-in-1 printer, printer works but says no scanner detected. after doing that plus running ccleaner, the scanner now works.
     
  7. KillerBug

    KillerBug Active member

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    -No PWM set on it.
    -Did not have this issue with Vista, system has never had XP SP2 installed. Worked fine for seral weeks before the problem started, now the problem starts after less than a day every time.
     

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