A+ Guide to Hardware:

Managing, Maintaining, and

Troubleshooting, 5e

Chapter 12
Supporting Printers
 Objectives

• Learn about printer types and features

• Learn how to install printers and how to share a
printer over a local area network
• Learn how to manage print jobs in Windows and
how to install printer consumables
• Learn about routine maintenance tasks necessary to
support printers
• Learn how to troubleshoot printer problems

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 Printer Types and Features

• Configure, repair, maintain printers

– Requires knowledge of printer types and features
• Understanding how a printer works
– Helps in fixing printer problems

A+ Guide to Hardware 3
 Types of Printers

• Major categories:
– Laser, inkjet (ink dispersion), solid ink, dye
sublimation, thermal printers, and impact printers
• Laser printer: electrophotographic printer
– Uses mechanical, electrical, and optical technologies

Figure 12-1 Okidata C3200n color laser printer

Courtesy: Course Technology/Cengage Learning
A+ Guide to Hardware 4
 Types of Printers (cont’d.)

• Electrophotography overview
– Toner placed on electrically charged rotating drum
– Toner deposited on paper moving at drum speed
• Six steps in laser printing:
– Cleaning: drum cleaned of residual toner and charge
– Conditioning: drum surface charged to -600 V
– Writing: laser beam writes -100 V image to drum surface
– Developing: toner applied to -100 V areas of the drum
– Transferring: toner drawn off drum and onto paper
– Fusing: heat and pressure fuse toner to paper
A+ Guide to Hardware 5
 Figure 12-2 The six progressive steps of laser printing
Courtesy: Course Technology/Cengage Learning

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 Types of Printers (cont’d.)

• First four laser printing steps undergo the most wear

– Reduce costs by performing steps in removable
cartridges
• Color laser printing
– Writing process repeated four times
• Overview of inkjet printer technology
– Print head moves across paper
• One line of text created with each pass
– Ink applied to paper using matrix of small dots
• Plates with magnetic charge direct path to the page

A+ Guide to Hardware 7
 Types of Printers (cont’d.)

• Comparing inkjet to laser printers:

– Lower resolution
– Images smudge on inexpensive paper
– Usually cost less
• Inkjet printer buying advice:
– Printer using two or four separate cartridges

Figure 12-4 The ink cartridges

of an inkjet printer
Courtesy: Course
Technology/Cengage Learning

A+ Guide to Hardware 8
 Types of Printers (cont’d.)

• Overview of impact printer technology

– Dot matrix printer
– A print head moves across width of the paper
– Pins is used to print matrix of dots on the page
• Pins shoot against a cloth ribbon
• Ribbon impacts paper and deposits ink
• Dot matrix printer technology advantages:
– Continuous tractor feed allows event and data logging
– Can use carbon paper: print multiple copies
– Extremely durable
A+ Guide to Hardware 9
 Types of Printers (cont’d.)

• Guidelines for maintaining print heads:

– Keep the printer in a cool, well-ventilated area
– Do not print over 50 to 75 pages without a cool down

Figure 12-5 Keep the print

head of a dot matrix printer as
cool as possible so that it will
last longer
Courtesy: Course
Technology/Cengage Learning

A+ Guide to Hardware 10
 Types of Printers (cont’d.)

• Overview of thermal printer technology

– Use heat to produce output
– Wax-based ink heated by heat pins
– Heat pins melt ink onto paper
• Overview of dye-sublimation printer technology
– Print head passes over and heats each color film
– Heated film causes dye to vaporize onto glossy paper
• Overview of solid ink printer technology
– Ink in solid blocks (color sticks) melted into print head
– Head jets ink onto paper as it passes by on a drum
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 Printer Features

• Printer options
– Extra paper trays, special paper feeders or
transparency feeders, staplers, collators, sorters
– Duplexing: printing on both sides
• Printer rating characteristics
– Warm-up time (time to print first page)
– Resolution (measured in dpi or dots per inch)
– Maximum duty cycle (monthly quota set by warranty)
– Printing speed (measured in pages per minute)
– Technology for formatting a page
A+ Guide to Hardware 12
 Printer Features (cont’d.)

• Combination fax machines, copiers, and scanners

• Powering a printer
– AC power, AC adapter converting power to DC, or
battery
• Local printer: connects directly to a computer
– USB port, parallel port, serial port, wireless
connection, IEEE 1394 port, SCSI port, PC Card,
ExpressCard connection
• Network printer: uses Ethernet port
– Connects using switch, hub, router port, or Wi-Fi

A+ Guide to Hardware 13
 Installing and Sharing Printers

• Installing a printer
– Local printer attached to a PC using a port
– Network printer connects directly with its NIC
– Print server controls several network printers
• OS compatible print drivers required
– CD bundled with the printer
– Manufacturer’s website
– Windows Vista and XP

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 Figure 12-8 A shared local printer and a network printer
Courtesy: Course Technology/Cengage Learning

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 How to Install a Printer Using Vista

• Ways to install a local USB printer

– Plug in USB printer: Vista installs printer automatically
– Launch the installation program
• Installing a non-USB local printer or network printer
– Verify printer on and available
– Open the Printers window
– Click Add a printer and select the type of printer
– Vista searches printers
• Select from list or point to the port or IP address
– Change the name of the printer and test
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 How to Install a Local Printer Using
Windows XP
• Installation begins differently depending on port
– FireWire, USB, PC Card, ExpressCard, wireless
• Software installation or printer connection order vary
• Review printer documentation
• Generals steps
– Run setup program as an administrator
– Connect the printer to the port when instructed
– Close New Hardware Found Wizard
– Make selection for default printer
– Test the printer
A+ Guide to Hardware 17
 How to Install a Local Printer Using
Windows XP (cont’d.)
• Installing a local printer using an older port
– SCSI, serial, parallel port: not hot-pluggable
• Generals steps
– Plug printer into the port, turn on the printer
– If installing drivers from manufacturer’s program:
• Launch printer setup program, followed directions
– If using the Windows installation process:
• Open Printers and Faxes window, click Add a printer
• Follow Add Printer Wizard directions
• Print a test page

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 Figure 12-15 Use the Add Printer Wizard to install a printer
Courtesy: Course Technology/Cengage Learning

A+ Guide to Hardware 19
 Steps To Install a Network Printer
Using Windows XP
• Follow manufacturer directions
• General steps
– Open XP Printers and Faxes window
• Start the wizard to add a new printer
• Select option to install a local printer
• Do not ask Windows to automatically detect printer
– Choose Create a new port
• Select Standard TCP/IP Port, Click Next twice
– Identify the printer on the network
– Click Have Disk

A+ Guide to Hardware 20
Figure 12-16 Configure a local printer to Figure 12-17 Enter the printer name or IP
use a standard TCP/IP port. Courtesy: address to identify the printer
Course Technology/Cengage Learning on the network. Courtesy: Course
Technology/Cengage Learning

A+ Guide to Hardware 21
 Figure 12-18 Select printer drivers
Courtesy: Course Technology/Cengage Learning

A+ Guide to Hardware 22
 Manage Printer Features and Settings

• Printer Properties box

– Configure add-on devices and set printer preferences
– Useful option: print a test page

Figure 12-19 Use the printer

Properties box to manage a
printer. Courtesy: Course
Technology/Cengage Learning

A+ Guide to Hardware 23
 Manage Printer Features and Settings
(cont’d.)
• Manage printer features and hardware devices
– Click the Device Settings tab
• Manage duplex printing and paper sizes
• Install physical device
– Examples: input trays and feeders, staplers, sorters,
stackers, binders, output trays to sort output by user
– Enable new equipment
– Users need to know how to use new features

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 Share an Installed Printer

• Vista: Printer sharing must be turned on

• XP: File and Printer Sharing must be installed
• Remote PC requires Client for Microsoft Networks
– Verify computer set to wake on LAN
• General steps for Vista or XP
– Open Properties dialog box, select Sharing
– Select share this printer, enter name for the printer
– Make drivers available in Additional Drivers window
• 32-bit operating systems: select x86
• 64-bit operating systems: select x64
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 How to Use a Shared Printer

• Remote PC must have network printer drivers

– Can be installed from setup CD, windows, host PC
• Installing a shared printer on a remote computer
– Use Vista Printer window or XP Printers and Faxes
window
– Use Network or My Network Places window

Figure 12-29 Install a shared

printer using the Network window
Courtesy: Course
Technology/Cengage Learning

A+ Guide to Hardware 26
 Supporting Printers

• Extending printer working life

– Follow manufacturer’s directions for device use
– Perform necessary routine maintenance
• Maintenance topics:
– Communication protocols used by printers
– Managing printers
– Perform routine tasks needed to maintain a printer

A+ Guide to Hardware 27
 Printer Languages

• Communication methods between OS and printer

– Printer uses PostScript commands to build the page
– Printer uses PCL commands to build the page
• PCL: Printer Control Language
– Windows GDI builds page, then sends it to the printer
• GDI: Graphics Device Interface
– Windows Vista uses XML Paper Specification (XPS)
to build the page, then sends it to the printer
• XPS (XML Paper Specification)
– Raw data printed with little-to-no formatting

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 Using Windows to Manage Printers

• Spooling (simultaneous peripheral operations

online)
– Process of queuing print requests from application
– Print spool: print queue
• Use Vista Printers window or XP Printers and Faxes
window
– Delete printers, change Windows default printer,
empty printer queue, perform printer maintenance
• At printer installation
– Default settings for user accounts applied

A+ Guide to Hardware 29
 Figure 12-30 Clean
the printer’s queue
Courtesy: Course
Technology/Cengage
Learning

Figure 12-31 Change the default

permissions for a printer
Courtesy: Course
Technology/Cengage Learning
A+ Guide to Hardware 30
 Printer Consumables
• Printer manufacturers user manual
– Defines consumables and exchange procedures
• Protection when working inside a printer
– Turn printer off, unplug it, wait about 30 minutes
– Never look at laser beam
– Use an antistatic ground bracelet
– Have help nearby
• Keep full supply on hand: paper, ink ribbons, color
sticks, toner cartridges, ink cartridges
– Know how to exchange and how to recognize when
they need exchanging
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 Figure 12-32 Symbols imprinted on a device that indicate danger
Courtesy: Course Technology/Cengage Learning

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 Figure 12-34 Use the protective
Figure 12-33 Installing an ink cradle to keep an ink cartridge
cartridge in an inkjet printer from drying out
Courtesy: Course when it is not installed in a printer
Technology/Cengage Learning Courtesy: Course
Technology/Cengage Learning

A+ Guide to Hardware 33
 Maintaining Printers

• Printer maintenance procedures

– Vary widely from manufacturer to manufacturer
• Sources of specific maintenance procedures
– Printer documentation
– Manufacturer’s Web site

A+ Guide to Hardware 34
 Printer Maintenance Kits

• Printer maintenance kit

– Specific printer components
– Step-by-step instructions for performing maintenance
– Special tools or equipment: utilities and printer
buttons
• Examples of replacing printer consumables
– Replacing a toner cartridge
– Replacing an image drum
– Replacing a fuser

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 Figure 12-35 Use buttons on the front of the printer to
display information, including the page count
Courtesy: Course Technology/Cengage Learning

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 Upgrade the Printer Memory or Hard
Drive
• Internal hard drives hold print jobs and fonts
• Extra memory speeds up memory performance,
reduces print errors, prevents Out of Memory errors
• Installation:
– Use a screwdriver to remove printer cover plate
– Remove thumb screws on the back of the printer, pull
out the formatter board
• Memory modules and hard installed on this board
• Hard drive embedded on proprietary board that fits in
the bay
• Enable and configure using printer properties window

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 Figure 12-46 Memory is installed on the formatter board
Courtesy: Course Technology/Cengage Learning

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 Cleaning a Printer
• Routine printer maintenance
– Clean outside of the printer with a damp cloth
– Do not use ammonia-based cleaners
– Clean the inside of the printer with a dry cloth
– Do not blow out toner with compressed air
– Two safe tools:
• Toner-certified vacuum cleaner
• Extension magnet brush
– Software may be used to clean inkjet nozzles and
align cartridges
• Cartridge nozzles may have to be manually cleaned

A+ Guide to Hardware 39
Figure 12-48 Use the Services tab in the Figure 12-49 Clean the area
Printing Preferences box to service this around the nozzle plate with a
inkjet printer damp cotton swab
Courtesy: Course Technology/Cengage Courtesy: Course
Learning Technology/Cengage Learning

A+ Guide to Hardware 40
 Online Support for Printers

• Printer manufacturer’s Web site

– Online documentation
– Knowledge base of common problems
• Explanation of what to do about them
– Updated device drivers
– Catalog of options and upgrades for purchase
– Replacement parts
– Printer maintenance kits
– Additional software
– Firmware updates
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 Updating Printer Firmware

• Replace printer’s DIMM containing the firmware

– Download the update from manufacturer’s Web site
• Updating firmware (HP 8100 DN network printer)
– Manual shows how to access firmware utility
• Enter printer’s IP address in browser address box
– Click Administration, then click Configuration tab
– Check for firmware upgrades
• Click the Support tab
• Connect to the HP Web site
• Search for updates and the download the software

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 Troubleshooting Printers

• Section topics:
– General printer troubleshooting
– Troubleshooting specific problems
• General tasks performed during troubleshooting
– Interview the user
– Find out what works and does not work
– Make an initial determination of the problem
– When the problem is solved, check with the client
– Document problem symptoms and solutions

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 Printer Does Not Print

• Organize diagnostic questions in a flowchart

• Isolate problem to one of the following areas:
– The printer itself
– Connectivity between the PC and its local printer
– Connectivity between the PC and a network printer
– OS and printer drivers
– Application attempting to use the printer

A+ Guide to Hardware 44
 Figure 12-53 How to
isolate a printer problem.
Courtesy: Course
Technology/Cengage
Learning

A+ Guide to Hardware 45
 Printer Does Not Print (cont’d.)

• Problems with the printer itself

– Verify that the printer is on
• Print a self-test page
• Review test page for clues
– Test page not printing
• Troubleshoot the printer until it prints correctly: paper
issues, cover issues, cartridges installed, power source
issues, reset the printer, check documentation
– Test page will not print at all
• Take printer to a certified repair shop

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 Printer Does Not Print (cont’d.)

• Some tasks for fixing a problem with a cable or port

– Verify cable firmly connected at both ends
– Try a different cable, use a shorter cable
– Use same cable with different PC
– Use Device Manager, BIOS setup, port tester

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 Printer Does Not Print (cont’d.)

• Problems with connectivity for a network printer

– Verify printer is online, power cycle printer, reboot PC
– Verify correct default printer selected
– Delete and reinstall printer
– Verify configuration, ping the printer, run diagnostics
– Research error codes, flash firmware

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 Printer Does Not Print (cont’d.)

• Problems with connectivity for a shared printer

– Print a test page from local computer
– Verify correct default printer selected and online
– At remote computer, verify access to the computer to
which printer attached
– Delete printer and reinstall
– Print to another shared printer
– Verify hard drive space

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 Printer Does Not Print (cont’d.)

• Problems printing from Windows

– Delete all print jobs in the printer’s queue
– Verify correct default printer selected and online
• Verify printer properties; e.g., lower resolution
• Reboot the PC, verify cable connections
• Delete printer and reinstall, look for updated driver
– Check Event Viewer for recorded events
– Verify printer properties, try lower resolution
– Disable print spooling, verify disk space, check for
errors
– Print from Safe Mode
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 Printer Does Not Print (cont’d.)

• Problems printing from applications

– Verify correct printer
– Printing different file within same application
– Delete spool files, cancel print jobs using controls at
the printer, power cycle printer
– Print text from Notepad
– Reopen application, create new data file, print
– Print from another application
– Add more memory to printer
– Reinstall printer drivers

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 Problems with Laser Printers

• Poor print quality or toner low message displayed

– Unplug a heated printer, allow it to cool
– Rock or replace toner cartridge
– Verify EconoMode is off, check paper
– Clean the printer
• Printer stays in warm-up mode
– Turn off printer, disconnect cable, turn on printer
– Verify cable is connected to correct port
– Verify data id being sent to the correct port
– Reboot PC, print from another PC, check the network
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 Problems with Laser Printers (cont’d.)

• A paper jam occurs or paper out message appears

– Check for jammed paper in input tray and output bin
– Check tray for problems
– Check dampness of paper
• One or more white streaks appear in the print
– Remove toner cartridge, shake it, reinstall
– Remove and clean the developer unit
• Print appears speckled
– Replace the cartridge
– Replace the laser drum
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 Problems with Laser Printers (cont’d.)

• Printed images are distorted

– Check for debris, inspect drum for wear
• Ghosted images print
– Check image drum or toner cartridge
– Clean the drum with a utility if possible
– Replace the less expensive toner cartridge
• Garbage printouts
– Try using binary (bitmap) printing

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 Problems with Laser Printers (cont’d.)

• A portion of the page does not print

– Add more memory
– Print only simple pages with few graphics
• Printing is slow
– Clean up the drive, install new drive, lower the
resolution, add more printer or CPU memory

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 Problems with Laser Printers (cont’d.)

• Printer makes a strange noise

– Verify printer sitting level or stable
– Check for loose or broken parts and that the cover is
fully closed
• Error codes appear in printer control panel window
– Read documentation to resolve problem

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 Problems with Inkjet Printers

• Print quality is poor

– Reinstall cartridge, check ink, clean nozzles
• Printing is intermittent or absent
– Verify driver, ink supply, nozzles, cartridges
• Lines or dots are missing from the printed page
– Clean the inkjet nozzles
• Ink streaks appear on the printed page
– Clean the inkjet nozzles
• Paper jammed
– Open back door, remove paper
A+ Guide to Hardware 57
 Figure 12-60 Open the door on the back of an inkjet
printer to remove jammed paper. Courtesy: Course
Technology/Cengage Learning

A+ Guide to Hardware 58
 Problems with Impact Printers

• Print quality is poor

– Check ribbon advancement
– Adjust the print head spacing
– Check the print head for dirt
• Print head moves back and forth but nothing prints
– Check ribbon installation
– Check ribbon advancement
• Jammed, dried out

A+ Guide to Hardware 59
 Summary

• Printer types include:

– Laser, inkjet, impact, solid ink, thermal, dye-
sublimation
• Six steps in laser printing:
– Cleaning, conditioning, writing, developing,
transferring, and fusing
• Printer metrics:
– Warm-up time, resolution, maximum duty cycle,
printing speed, page formatting

A+ Guide to Hardware 60
 Summary (cont’d.)

• Printer communication protocols:

– PostScript, PCL, Windows GDI, XPS
• Windows printer configuration:
– Vista Printers window
– XP Printers and Faxes window
• Routine maintenance:
– Extends working life of printers

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