[Error Code] CLJ 4700 Firmware errors

[rthonpm]

Everyone:

I've got a CLJ 4700 that keeps giving 49.4C02 errors when printing large PDFs. It looks like this is a known issue and firmware can fix it. However, every time I try updating the firmware, whether via LAN or USB, I get a different error: 49.4CF2. I've re-seated the formatter, cleaned and re-seated the RAM DIMM, and tried pretty much everything I can think of short of a new formatter.

Current firmware in the device is: 20051204 (version 46.029.3)

[Brett207]

Re: CLJ 4700 Firmware errors

Gidday,

Are you using the 'Easy firmware upgrade' method, or the traditional FTP / Web admin method?

We have not had a problem with the 'Easy' method. Yet......

[rthonpm]

Re: CLJ 4700 Firmware errors

Using the easy firmware method. The network the machine is on blocks TelNet.

[Brett207]

Re: CLJ 4700 Firmware errors

OK,

As a work around, try installing the PostScript (PS) driver onto the PC and print your PDF files using this PostScript driver. This will help avoid 49 errors caused by PCL trying to rip PS.

Use PS driver for PDF and other Adobe formats. Use PCL driver for everything else.

Hope this helps.

[Brett207]

Re: CLJ 4700 Firmware errors

And by the way, if this does not help, check if there any user password stored in the printer disabling the operator panel settings.

Try a factory reset of the printer, then use a USB cable to upgrade the firmware.
First install the windows printer driver on your computer & be sure you can print a document using that driver & the USB cable.

Then download the printer "easy firmware update utility" for windows, and execute it. Should work fine.

[blackcat4866]

Re: CLJ 4700 Firmware errors

Whenever I've seen 49.4C02 codes, it was corrupt print data that caused it. Either from a corrupt document sent to print, or a corrupt driver garbling the print data.

In the cases when it was a corrupt document, only one single document when printed pulled this code. The code kept re-occurring until the print job was canceled from the queue and the printer was power cycled to clear the code.

In cases where the driver caused it I also changed print driver emulation, like Brett suggested.

I know that 49.xxxx codes are technically firmware errors, but I've only once had to change a formatter to resolve this error. Updating firmware has never helped. All other times it was caused by corrupt print data. =^..^=

[yourownfree]

Re: CLJ 4700 Firmware errors

slide in a jet direct card 620. Forget the embedded network. The older jet direct cards cant handle the new data so use jet direct card 620 or bigger.

[rthonpm]

Re: CLJ 4700 Firmware errors

The shared driver on the server is PostScript so it's not as if it's a PDL issue. Trying a local install of PCL 5 and XL gives the same error. The firmware history for the machine mentions that the 4C02 error specifically with PDF printing for the 2008 revision. I tried swapping the NIC with another one and the issue still comes up. Even rebuilding the files that cause the issue through saving as PostScript and recompiling does nothing.

The customer is ordering a new 32MB flash card (I'm looking at the machine as a favour), so hopefully loading new firmware on a clean card will do the trick.

[Brett207]

Re: CLJ 4700 Firmware errors

Wow....

Tricky one. Don't you love them?

Keeps the job interesting I suppose. I look forward to seeing the resolution to the problem.

[yourownfree]

Re: CLJ 4700 Firmware errors

boot up without the nic card there should be no error proving a communication failure between the card and formatter or a misunderstanding of data sent to it. If this is the case,maybe it's a font issue as said. In which case use the fonts on the computer instead. Or maybe download the fonts to the machine. Which jet direct card did you try? Some newer data will not work with 610-615 cards. I have also found with older software being sent that a 620 card wouldn't work but a 615 would. Oh I remember now. I had a 5500 doing the same thing. It turns out I tried to push it too hard. I installed a 512 memory in it. It worked but booting was hit and miss. The error would come up 49.xxxx. As it was looking at the service manual it stated the biggest memory that could be installed was either 128 Mb or 256. cant recall now without looking. So yes I take back what I said but you can still try it. The memory of the proper size, for me the biggest that the machine can take according the the service manual. I don't have that manual on this computer I am using at the moment, but I have every possible manual. If you need to know what that size is I can tell you once I get back on my other computer. Just found a manual on this one too. here is the scoop:
128 MB of DDR SDRAM, plus 32MB of memory on the formatter board. For the 4700 and the 4700n,Toatal of (160MB.)For the 4700dn and 4700 dtn its 256 MB plus the 32 MB on the formatter for a total of (288MB). And for the 4700ph+ its 512 MB plus the 32Mb on the formatter total of (544MB).To allow for memory expansion a 200 pin SODIMM slot will accept up to 256 MB. According the manual you can have up to 512 MB using SODIMMs plus the 32 MB that comes standard on the formatter board is 544MB. I would use at least 256 MB SODIMM. I think you are thinking of the formatter 32 MB. Cant change that. The DDR memory part number is for 256 MB is Q2631-67951. The 128 MB is Q2630-67951. The manual explains it a little more in detail. Which is your machine model? 4700, 4700n,4700dn, 4700dtn,or 4700ph+....? It says a hard drive to store the fonts and maccros is standard on the 4700ph+. Maybe an additional hard drive would help with the situation. I would start with the appropriate memory for your model. Like the problem I had the memory size was not correct for the model.

[rthonpm]

Re: CLJ 4700 Firmware errors

An update on this one: I finally found a way to update the firmware without making the machine crap out. I had to do the upgrade incrementally, installing one update on top of the next. In case anyone needs it, you can find older HP firmware here:

ftp://www.hp.com/pub/networking/software/pfirmware/

Hopefully it will help others out. Also, don't follow HP's useless FTP instructions for Windows. Just map the device as an FTP link and drag and drop the files: so much easier than trying to do it through command line, but then HP has to make it seem harder than it really is don't they???

[prntrfxr]

Re: CLJ 4700 Firmware errors

Glad you got it fixed. Thanks for telling us what fixed it. I agree with Blackcat, though. Most of the time 49 errors don't have anything to do with firmware. Usually, it is a corrupted file. Sometimes it is fixed by updating the driver, updating client's software (like updates and patches for word or acrobat, etc...), and sometimes it is a defective communication cable. It's always a good idea to update firmware.

[stoatwblr]

Re: CLJ 4700 Firmware errors (49.4C02 errors on PS jobs)

Everyone:

I've got a CLJ 4700 that keeps giving 49.4C02 errors when printing large PDFs. It looks like this is a known issue and firmware can fix it. However, every time I try updating the firmware, whether via LAN or USB, I get a different error: 49.4CF2. I've re-seated the formatter, cleaned and re-seated the RAM DIMM, and tried pretty much everything I can think of short of a new formatter.

Current firmware in the device is: 20051204 (version 46.029.3)

49.4C02 is "bad postscript headers" - and it's a problem that's been around on HPs PS emulation since the year dot

In a nutshell: Postscript headers can be up to 4096 characters. HP's emulation only allows 1024 characters. If the headers are longer, you'll get this error.

I flagged this with HP in 2003 on LJ 4000s when I found and got a prmise it'd be fixed in future firmware versions on new printers (but would never be fixed in existing ones). It never has been fixed.

We used to see it in our HP printers about twice a day and only got around the problem by forcing everything through a CUPS print server with a ps2ps filter that shortened the headers.


This needs to be a FAQ - and people using Postcript should vote with their wallets.