Question:

How to troubleshoot a printing issue caused by a new print server?

We recently installed a new 2022 Print Server and since then, some of our machines have been experiencing a printing issue. The issue is that when a user tries to print from any application, the application freezes and becomes unresponsive. The only way to unfreeze the application is to restart the print spooler service, but the issue persists if the user tries to print again. The issue does not affect all machines, and it seems to be random. We have tried updating the machines, uninstalling the antivirus software, and removing the shared printers and drivers, but nothing has worked.

We also noticed that the issue occurs only when the machines are connected to the network. When we disconnect the machines from the network, or disable and re-enable the network interface card (NIC), the issue goes away. We have created a workaround by running a batch file that disables and re-enables the NIC on user login, but this is not a permanent solution. We suspect that there is something running at startup that is interfering with the new print server, but we don’t know what it is or how to fix it.

We are looking for some guidance on how to troubleshoot this issue and find the root cause. Has anyone encountered a similar issue before? If so, how did you resolve it?

Answer:

Printing issues are common in any network environment, but they can be especially frustrating when they are caused by a new print server. In this article, we will discuss a printing issue that some of our machines have been facing after installing a new 2022 Print Server. We will also share some tips on how to troubleshoot and resolve this issue.

The printing issue

The printing issue that we are dealing with is that when a user tries to print from any application, the application freezes and becomes unresponsive. The only way to unfreeze the application is to restart the print spooler service, but the issue persists if the user tries to print again. The issue does not affect all machines, and it seems to be random. We have tried updating the machines, uninstalling the antivirus software, and removing the shared printers and drivers, but nothing has worked.

We also noticed that the issue occurs only when the machines are connected to the network. When we disconnect the machines from the network, or disable and re-enable the network interface card (NIC), the issue goes away. We have created a workaround by running a batch file that disables and re-enables the NIC on user login, but this is not a permanent solution. We suspect that there is something running at startup that is interfering with the new print server, but we don’t know what it is or how to fix it.

The troubleshooting steps

To troubleshoot this issue, we need to identify the root cause and eliminate the possible factors that could be causing it. Here are some steps that we can follow:

• Check the print server settings: The first thing to do is to check the print server settings and make sure that they are configured correctly. For example, we can check the IP address, the port number, the printer name, the driver version, the security settings, and the firewall rules. We can also check the print server logs and see if there are any errors or warnings that could indicate a problem.
• Check the network settings: The next thing to do is to check the network settings and make sure that they are not causing any conflicts or delays. For example, we can check the DNS settings, the DHCP settings, the subnet mask, the gateway, and the ping response. We can also check the network cables and switches and see if they are working properly.
• Check the printer settings: The third thing to do is to check the printer settings and make sure that they are compatible with the print server and the network. For example, we can check the printer model, the firmware version, the paper size, the print quality, and the duplex mode. We can also check the printer status and see if there are any errors or warnings that could indicate a problem.
• Check the application settings: The fourth thing to do is to check the application settings and make sure that they are not causing any incompatibility or corruption. For example, we can check the application version, the file format, the print preferences, and the print preview. We can also check the application logs and see if there are any errors or warnings that could indicate a problem.
• Check the machine settings: The fifth thing to do is to check the machine settings and make sure that they are not causing any performance or stability issues. For example, we can check the operating system version, the memory usage, the disk space, the CPU usage, and the antivirus software. We can also check the machine logs and see if there are any errors or warnings that could indicate a problem.

The resolution steps

After following the troubleshooting steps, we should be able to narrow down the root cause and find the solution. Here are some possible resolution steps that we can try:

• Update the print server: If the print server settings are the cause of the issue, we can try to update the print server and see if that fixes the issue. We can download the latest version of the print server software from the manufacturer’s website and install it on the print server. We can also update the print server firmware and see if that improves the performance and stability.
• Update the network: If the network settings are the cause of the issue, we can try to update the network and see if that fixes the issue. We can update the DNS server, the DHCP server, the router, and the switch with the latest firmware and configuration. We can also update the network drivers and see if that enhances the connectivity and speed.
• Update the printer: If the printer settings are the cause of the issue, we can try to update the printer and see if that fixes the issue. We can download the latest version of the printer driver from the manufacturer’s website and install it on the machines. We can also update the printer firmware and see if that resolves the errors and warnings.
• Update the application: If the application settings are the cause of the issue, we can try to update the application and see if that fixes the issue. We can download the latest version of the application software from the developer’s website and install it on the machines. We can also update the file format and see if that eliminates the incompatibility and corruption.
• Update the machine: If the machine settings are the cause of the issue, we can try to update the machine and see if that fixes the issue. We can update the operating system, the memory, the disk, the CPU, and the antivirus software with the latest patches and updates. We can also update the machine logs and see if that clears the errors and warnings.

The conclusion

In

this article, we have discussed a printing issue that some of our machines have been facing after installing a new 2022 Print Server. We have also shared some tips on how to troubleshoot and resolve this issue. We hope that this article has been helpful and informative. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to contact us. Thank you for reading.