Using Ws7 under XP, only about one page will print out

[Morris]

Thanks to all of you who have given me useful hints on my previous thread ("Printers that will print with WS for DOS") - I've just got hold of a Brother HL2070N and will shortly also have a go with the HP printer that was recommended.

However, a different problem has now arisen, and I'd be very grateful for any advice anybody can give on how to solve this:

I've recently changed to a computer using Windows XP Prof (whereas my previous one, that I was using when I started the other thread) used W98. I switched my printer (an Epson C80) over from the old to the new computer.

And the problem is this: now when I try to print from WS7 (or indeed from any of the other DOS programs I'm using on the new machine), the printer only outputs about one page worth of print, then simply stops. No fault message appears. It's just as though only about a page's worth of data is getting through to the printer - the rest of the data simply having "disappeared" somewhere inside the DOS subsystem in XP.

I'm pretty sure the problem must lie in the use of XP rather than in the printer, since it's the same printer which worked fine under W98. Also, the printer will print files of any size when I'm printing from Word under XP using the new computer. It only seems to "lose" the data when I'm printing from anything that uses DOS.

I've tested out disabling spooling within the Preferences dialog for the C80 printer, but that makes no difference.

I've also tried printing to a file, then using DOS commands like "copy [filename] lpt1:" - and exactly the same thing happens. About a page worth of the file prints out, then the printer just stops.

I've said "about a page". I don't think the problem is connected with changes in page  (e.g. something to do with XP and form feeds), since the file sometimes stops printing just after a new A4 page has started going through the printer; other times the data stop coming just before the first physical page gets covered.

So is there, maybe, some kind of print store memory limitation that comes into play within the DOS subsystem in XP?

Anyway, whatever the reason may be, I'd be most grateful if anybody tell can me what I need to do so that the printer prints out the whole of files using DOS, rather than stopping part-way.

Looking forward to your advice,

Yours,

Morris

[Morris]

This is from Morris again. Sorry, guys, scrub my query above, because I've now found the answer to it.

I've now tried out my new Brother HL2070N with my Windows XP computer, printed out some files from WS7 and two other DOS programs, and they all printed out just fine.

So, despite what I thought, the problem must have lain somewhere in the interaction between the Epson C80 printer and the DOS subsystem in Windows XP.

Anyway, thanks again for introducing me to the magic HL2070N.

Mike, I still use Word a lot for when I send documents to non-DOS-using colleagues, and am continuing to find your Wordstar add-in invaluable.

Yours,

Morris

[Forum Admin]

Thanks Morris,

If you still have the driver installed for the other printer, compare the settings for them both, including settings such as the print processor.

Regards
Mike