[Misc] Unable to print to Aficio MP C2500 document server anymore

[bazookaman]

I usually print large commonly used documents straight to the document server on our Aficio MP C2500. The files are pretty big (50 to 100mb each) so they take FOREVER to print normally. Printing to the doc server for on-demand printing speeds that up incredibly. I guess b/c they don't have to spool.

At any rate, I seem to have lost the ability to print to the doc server now. I've tried this on 2 separate computers with the same results. The Print Queue gets up to anywhere between 128k and 900k of 28mb (or whatever the total) before it errors out. I've tried several documents with the same effect. I can still do a straight print just fine. Just takes forever. Not really feasible to make multiple copies that way.

I have several docs on the document server now but the admin utility shows that there is still 87% free.

Edit: I should also mention that even though the job errors out in the print queue, it will NOT go away from the printer. In other words, the Data In light is flashing as if it's receiving data but it never does anything and cannot be reset. Resetting or canceling the job from the printer does nothing. You have to manually turn the printer off and on again to clear out the job.

[Jomama46]

Re: Unable to print to Aficio MP C2500 document server anymore

Are these PDFs you are printing, if so, a PS chip will be of significant help and may even solve your problem

[bazookaman]

Re: Unable to print to Aficio MP C2500 document server anymore

Yep. They are all PDFs. While I design everything on my Mac in the Adobe CS5 Suite, I ultimately export everything to PDF. Then print them from a Windows virtual machine. Since the printer doesn't have the PS chip, I've had to adapt. Open source printer drivers let me print from the Mac side in a pinch. But most of my docs take WAY too long from the Mac side. I would guess b/c of the lack of PS support on the printer. But printing those same PDFs from my Windows machine is quite speedy and only mildly inconvenient. Until now.

I've been doing this for over a year and half with no real issue. Now, suddenly, I can no longer send files to the document server. This was the ONLY way to print these large files. Perhaps I could convince the boss to drop the cash on a PS chip that MIGHT help, but i doubt it.

But since I've been doing it this way for so long, something must have happened in the printer. Although I have no idea what. Like I said, I tried from a couple PCs and got the same error.

[Jomama46]

Re: Unable to print to Aficio MP C2500 document server anymore

You could try a different driver but I cant imagine anything in the printer causing it. As I say, the chip will definitely help and MAY solve.

[bazookaman]

Re: Unable to print to Aficio MP C2500 document server anymore

Not trying to be difficult but you're saying it's more likely something wrong with a number of different PCs vs something wrong with the singular printer? As I said, I've been doing this for a year and a half with no issue. And now all of a sudden our PCs just stop working?

[Jomama46]

Re: Unable to print to Aficio MP C2500 document server anymore

Call your local tech and see what he has to say

[bazookaman]

Re: Unable to print to Aficio MP C2500 document server anymore

It's in the works now. I was just hoping it might be an easy fix w/o having to call support. But we're there.

[Jomama46]

Re: Unable to print to Aficio MP C2500 document server anymore

Roger, that. Good luck.

[zed255]

Re: Unable to print to Aficio MP C2500 document server anymore

From the MPC2500's Product Support Guide...

Document Server

HDD Capacity
40GB (Shared with other functions)

HDD capacity for Document Server
16.8 GB

Maximum stored documents
1,000 documents

Maximum pages per documents
2,000 page

Maximum pages of all stored documents
2,000 sheets

---

Even thought here is space left could you have reached one of these limits?

[femaster]

Re: Unable to print to Aficio MP C2500 document server anymore

I'd also consider that a recent Mac and/or Windows update could have broken something. It's definitely not unheard of.

I know Microsoft has recently pushed out a couple out-of-cycle updates (within the last week) for their .NET framework crap... Could be something there screwing with things if those have been installed.

[teebee1234]

Re: Unable to print to Aficio MP C2500 document server anymore

From the MPC2500's Product Support Guide... Document Server HDD Capacity 40GB (Shared with other functions) HDD capacity for Document Server 16.8 GB Maximum stored documents 1,000 documents Maximum pages per documents 2,000 page Maximum pages of all stored documents 2,000 sheets --- Even thought here is space left could you have reached one of these limits?

• Have you addressed Zed's post as a possible issue?
• Also, are you flattening the layers before you export it to reduce the file size? What you are stating as some being 50-100mb files is ridiculously large.
• Make sure you have Vector printing selected in the driver preferences.
• What driver are you using and have you tried switching to a different one? When printing PS files without a postscript option, I find the RPCS driver seems to work better.
• To eliminate any network issues, connect a laptop/desktop directly to the device and print one of those large files and see if you get the same results. That is one of the first things a tech would (or should) do when diagnoses it. Always try and break down the problem area in chunks.

[bazookaman]

Re: Unable to print to Aficio MP C2500 document server anymore

• Have you addressed Zed's post as a possible issue?
• Also, are you flattening the layers before you export it to reduce the file size? What you are stating as some being 50-100mb files is ridiculously large.
• Make sure you have Vector printing selected in the driver preferences.
• What driver are you using and have you tried switching to a different one? When printing PS files without a postscript option, I find the RPCS driver seems to work better.
• To eliminate any network issues, connect a laptop/desktop directly to the device and print one of those large files and see if you get the same results. That is one of the first things a tech would (or should) do when diagnoses it. Always try and break down the problem area in chunks.

• I've got no more than a dozen various PDFs that I've printed to the doc server over the last 1.5 years. The largest page count is probably around 60 pages. Most are 2-3 pages. The largest document is around 15mb. Most are under 10mb.
• All the files are Exported directly from InDesign CS5 using the Press Quality setting which uses Acrobat 5 (PDF 1.4) settings. I was mistaken on the file sizes. See above for more reasonable sizes.
• I toyed with sending the files as graphics at the beginning but decided against it pretty quick. So they files are sent as vectors if at all possible.
• The driver I'm not sure. I am printing from a virtual machine on my Mac so Windows is using whatever the default for the printer is. We ARE using the Ricoh drivers on another PC I tested though. A real PC. Not a VM.
• Going to try connecting directly to printer this AM.

[bazookaman]

Re: Unable to print to Aficio MP C2500 document server anymore

I'd also consider that a recent Mac and/or Windows update could have broken something. It's definitely not unheard of.

I know Microsoft has recently pushed out a couple out-of-cycle updates (within the last week) for their .NET framework crap... Could be something there screwing with things if those have been installed.

I haven't updated either OS since this started. As a matter of fact it started RIGHT before the holidays and i figured I'd mess with it when I returned. So everything got shut down for a bit. Now I'm back and wishing i'd dealt with it before.

[bazookaman]

Re: Unable to print to Aficio MP C2500 document server anymore

I connected the computer to the printer via USB to remove the network from the equation. I get the same print failure error.

[Ollie1981]

Re: Unable to print to Aficio MP C2500 document server anymore

One possible issue is the machine's internal hard-drive, I have had "infinite spool" and "Please Wait" printing errors before now that have been resolved by either reformatting or sometimes replacing the HDD. Has the machine ever displayed SC860/865/870 either in a red box on the LCD, or down in the bottom left corner? If so then your HDD is probably the culprit.