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davidanders
04-29-2009, 05:43 PM
Hi all,
I can only imagine that many of you have run into a client who has a legacy app they refuse to surrender. In my case, I have a client who wants to print from an ancient DOS application to her bizhub 200. We've set it up with the parallel port addition (as the program can only print to LPT1) and a generic HP laserjet 4 driver on the driver side.

The problem I'm encountering is extremely slow response time for prints. She'll send a print and it can take anywhere up to 10 minutes for the copier to print. A couple things I've noticed - occasionally, everything will behave perfectly - she'll send a print and seconds later it will pop out of the machine. Secondly, when the machine is taking a very long time the memory usage meter in the bottom right hand corner of the LCD panel indicated 99% and has an icon that looks like a small box with an exclamation mark.

Has anyone come up with a solution to a similar problem? Many thanks in advance,
-David

Specilist KVN
04-29-2009, 09:17 PM
Hi all,
I can only imagine that many of you have run into a client who has a legacy app they refuse to surrender. In my case, I have a client who wants to print from an ancient DOS application to her bizhub 200. We've set it up with the parallel port addition (as the program can only print to LPT1) and a generic HP laserjet 4 driver on the driver side.

The problem I'm encountering is extremely slow response time for prints. She'll send a print and it can take anywhere up to 10 minutes for the copier to print. A couple things I've noticed - occasionally, everything will behave perfectly - she'll send a print and seconds later it will pop out of the machine. Secondly, when the machine is taking a very long time the memory usage meter in the bottom right hand corner of the LCD panel indicated 99% and has an icon that looks like a small box with an exclamation mark.

Has anyone come up with a solution to a similar problem? Many thanks in advance,
-David

Does it print the SAME document at different speeds?
If not, then it is file specific and probably not the Bizhub.

Have you tried using the linux driver?
The HP should work but you are "faking it" and that could also be the root of your problem.

The exclamation point is just a warning icon, the fact it does not fail means the device is functioning properly but more so that the file size being sent is large. This would account for the slowing down in print as it has to "manage the memory" to keep printing.

buster68
04-29-2009, 09:18 PM
The first thing I would try is set the copier as a Print Priority(utility, user settings, page 6/6). Look thru network settings and make sure that openAPI is enable. The icon with the exclamation mark is showing that its processing the print job. I think the priority setting will help a lot though.
When this machine is set to Copy priority and you print to it...it prints the job when it feels like it, I've seen one take up to 15 minutes just to print a windows test page.

pepper38_cnd
04-30-2009, 02:10 AM
I would try an HP 5 or 5si driver if available, and follow Buster68 instructions.

KonicaNet
05-17-2009, 02:28 AM
Yes, I would agree with both repsonses. I will add that this family of copiers has special "line processing" routines that look for and enhance "lines" on the print outs. So, if you are printing something that has lines on it, the more lines, the slower it will take. i.e. it might take 20 minutes to print 1 page from autocad, but the same page prints instantly on any other printer or copier. Same for excel files where the grid lines are printed.

because you are using LPT and the parallel option on the copier, you may have to check the computer's bios settings and ensure EPP or whatever you want is selected. You may also check the System tab-->Device Manager-->LPT1 and check the settings (if any).

Is it the SAME EXACT print job that prints at different speeds? You may also want to change the Parallel Port timeout on the copier to a lower (or higher) setting than the default 60? seconds.

How does the slow job normally print on an HP or other device? Has it always taken this long and they not tell you?

*I use to use the LJ III driver, but now always use the 5si driver for everything. I do not use it for DOS printing. We tell customers that our devices do not support it, and we do not get involved. There's only 1 IT guy in our entire county that even attempts it and it just doesn't work for all DOS based apps. He also does it with a network mapping LPT1 so that it prints to the devices over the network and he says the computer doesn't know the difference, so the computer thinks it is still printing to an LPT port.

*Do you have other printers installed on LPT1? They could be interefering, even if they are not used.

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