A+ Guide to Managing and
Maintaining your PC, 6e
Chapter 21
Supporting Printers and Scanners
Objectives
• Learn how printers and scanners work
• Learn how to install printers and scanners and how
to share a printer over a local area network
• Learn about routine maintenance tasks necessary to
support printers and scanners
• Learn how to troubleshoot printer and scanner
problems
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Introduction
• General topics
– The most popular types of printers
– How printers work
– How to support printers and scanners
• Specific skills to acquire
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Installing a printer and scanner
Sharing a printer with others on a network
Maintaining printers and scanners
Troubleshooting printer and scanner problems
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How Printers and Scanners Work
• Multiple ways to connect printer/scanners to a PC
– Examples: parallel port, serial port, wireless connection
• Printers can be combined with other devices; e.g., fax
• Metrics used to rate a printer:
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Warm-up time (time to print the first page)
The resolution (measured in dpi or dots per inch)
Maximum duty cycle (monthly quota set by warranty)
Printing speed (measured in PPM or pages per minute)
Technology for formatting a page; e.g., PostScript
• Types: impact (e.g., dot matrix), nonimpact (e.g., laser)
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Laser Printers
• Overview of how electrophotography works
– Toner is placed on an electrically charged rotating drum
– Toner is deposited on paper moving at the drum speed
• Six steps of laser printing
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Cleaning: drum cleaned of residual toner and charge
Conditioning: drum surface is charged to -600 V
Writing: laser beam writes -100 V image to drum surface
Developing: toner is applied to -100 V areas of the drum
Transferring: toner drawn off drum and onto the paper
Fusing: heat and pressure used to fuser toner to paper
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Figure 21-2 The six progressive steps of laser printing
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Inkjet Printers
• Overview of inkjet printer technology:
– The print head moves across the paper
• One line of text is created with each pass
– Ink is applied to paper using a matrix of small dots
• Plates with magnetic charge direct path to the page
• Comparison to laser printers
– Resolution tends to be lower
– Images tend to smudge on inexpensive paper
– Usually less expensive
• Advice: buy printer with color and black ink cartridges
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Figure 21-7 The ink cartridges of an inkjet printer
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Dot Matrix Printers
• Overview of dot matrix printer technology:
– A print head moves across the width of the paper
– Pins are used to print a matrix of dots on the page
• Pins shoot against a cloth ribbon
• Ribbon impacts the paper, depositing the ink
• Dot matrix printer technology is obsolescent
• Guidelines for maintaining print heads
– Keep the printer in a cool, well-ventilated area
– Do not print over 50 to 75 pages without a cool down
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Figure 21-8 Keep the print head of a dot matrix printer as
cool as possible so that it will last longer
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Thermal Printers and Solid Ink Printers
• Nonimpact printers that use heat to produce output
• Overview of thermal printer technology
– Wax-based ink is heated by heat pins
– Heat pins melt the ink onto paper
• Overview of dye-sublimation printer technology
– Print head passes over and heats each color film
– Heated film causes dye to vaporize onto glossy paper
• Overview of solid ink printer technology
– Ink in solid blocks (color sticks) is melted into print head
– Head jets ink onto paper as it passes by on a drum
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Introducing Scanners
• Scanner: converts an image into a digital file
• Types: flat-bed, sheet-fed, and portable (handheld)
• Other features used to select scanners:
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Scanning speed: especially important for high volume
Scanner resolution: at least 400 dpi (dots per inch)
Scanning mode: color, black and white, grayscale
Preview mode: for previewing and editing input page
Bundled software: may include image-editing program
Maximum document size: might be 81/2 x 11 or larger
File formats: might be JPEG, TIFF, PDF, GIF, HTML
Connection to PC: might be USB, FireWire, or SCSI
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Figure 21-10 The HP Scanjet 3970 is a type of flat-bed scanner
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Introducing Scanners (continued)
• Overview of scanner technology:
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A motor moves scanning head across paper on glass
Fluorescent lamp under glass shines light onto paper
Reflected light is diverted by set of mirrors into a lens
Lens focuses light onto a series of diodes
Diodes convert the light into electrical current
Varying amounts of current are digitized and sent to PC
PC converts digital signals into a graphics (or text) file
• OCR (optical character recognition) software
– Interprets written text for storage in text files
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Figure 21-13 How a flat-bed scanner works
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Installing and Sharing a Printer
• Two ways a printer is connected to the network
– By way of connection to a computer (indirect)
– By way of an Ethernet port on the printer (direct)
• PCs on a network need drivers to use the printer
• Topics covered in this section
– How to install a local printer
– How to share that printer with others on the network
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Installing a Local Printer
• Steps taken when a hot-pluggable port is used:
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Log onto the system as an administrator
Launch the CD setup program
Follow installation instructions from setup program
Connect the printer to the port (USB)
The setup program detects the printer and tells you
Test the printer from the Printers window
Show user how to use the printer and any add-ons
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Figure 21-14 The printer setup program installs the drivers
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Installing a Local Printer (continued)
• Steps taken when an older port is used:
– Plug in the printer to the port and turn on the printer
– Launch setup program from manufacturer’s CD
• Alternative: use the Windows installation process
– Follow directions onscreen to install printer
– Test the printer in the Printers window
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Sharing a Printer with Others in a
Workgroup
• File and Printer Sharing
– Must be installed to share a local printer using Windows
• Client for Microsoft Networks
– Must be installed to use shared printer on a remote PC
• Overview of how to share a local printer
– Open printer’s Properties dialog box and select Sharing
– Select share this printer and enter a name for the printer
– Make drivers available in Additional Drivers window
• Remote PC must have network printer drivers
– Can be installed from setup CD or from host PC
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Figure 21-21 Sharing a printer on a Windows XP PC
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Sharing a Printer with Others in a
Workgroup (continued)
• Critical steps when installing printer driver from CD
– Indicate that you want to use a network printer
– Enter the host computer name and printer name
• Using My Network Places to find a network printer
– Right-click printer in My Network Places
– Select Connect from the shortcut menu
• Drivers from the host may be installed
• Network Neighborhood
– Used in Windows 9x/Me to locate a network printer
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Figure 21-23 To use a network printer under Windows XP, enter the host
computer name followed by the printer name, or have Windows XP browse
the network for shared printers
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Figure 21-25 Install a shared printer in Windows XP using My Network Places
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Sharing a Printer with Others in a
Workgroup (continued)
• Three ways to make a printer available on a network:
– Attach a regular printer to a PC that is part of network
– Connect a network printer directly to the network
– Use a print server to manage requests from client PCs
• Sources of drivers: Manufacturer’s CD or Web site
• Critical steps for the last two methods
– Configure local printer to use a standard TCP/IP port
– Identify printer name or IP address of network printer
– Select the correct driver to be installed
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Figure 21-27 Enter the printer name or IP address to identify the
printer on the network
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Maintaining Printers and Scanners
• How to extend working life of printers and scanners
– Follow the manufacturer’s directions for device use
– Perform the necessary routine maintenance
• Maintenance topics:
– Communication protocols used by printers
– Managing printers
– Installing and supporting a scanner
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Printer Languages
• Communication methods
– Printer uses PostScript commands to build the page
– Printer uses PCL commands to build the page
• PCL: Printer Control Language
– Windows GDI builds page, then sends it to the printer
• GDI: Graphics Device Interface
– Raw data is printed with little-to-no formatting
• Spooling (simultaneous peripheral operations online)
– Process of queuing print requests from application
• Bidirectional communication: printer and OS can talk
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Using Windows to Manage Printing
• Some tasks performed from Printers and Faxes
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Delete printers
Change the Windows default printer
Purge print jobs to troubleshoot failed printing
Manage printer settings and options
• How to adding new equipment to a printer
– Install physical device; e.g., stapler and stacker unit
– Enable new equipment in Properties window of printer
• Some printers allow you to install extra memory
• Obtain driver upgrades to add new functionality
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Figure 21-29 Manage print jobs using the printer window
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Figure 21-32 Optional printer equipment has been installed by Windows
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Routine Printer Maintenance
• Sources of specific maintenance procedures
– Printer documentation
– The manufacturer’s Web site
• Printer consumables
– Examples: paper, toner cartridges, ink cartridges
– Advice: keep a full supply of consumables on hand
• Printer maintenance kit
– Specific printer components
– Step-by-step instructions for performing maintenance
– Special tools or equipment
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Routine Printer Maintenance
(continued)
• Cleaning a printer
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Clean the outside of the printer with a damp cloth
Do not use ammonia-based cleaners
Clean the inside of the printer with a dry cloth
Do not blow out toner with compressed air
Two safe tools
• Toner-certified vacuum cleaner
• Extension magnet brush
– Uses of software: clean inkjet nozzles, align cartridges
– Cartridge nozzles may have to be manually cleaned
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Figure 21-38 Use the Services tab in the Printing Preferences
window to service this inkjet printer
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Figure 21-39 Clean the area around the nozzle plate with a damp cotton swab
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Routine Printer Maintenance
(continued)
• Some of many resources at OEM’s Web site
– Online documentation, drivers, replacement parts
• Manual shows how to access firmware utility
• Updating firmware (for HP 8100 DN network printer)
– Enter printer’s IP address in browser address box
• The opening window of the utility appears
– Click Administration and then the Support tab
– Connect to the HP Web site
– Search for updates and the download the software
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Figure 21-40 The network printer firmware is accessed on
the network using a browser
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Figure 21-42 Locate any firmware updates for the printer on the HP Web site
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Supporting Scanners
• Overview of how to install a USB scanner
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Launch the setup CD before connecting the scanner
Follow onscreen software installation instructions
Connect the scanner, plug it in, and turn it on
Test the scanner by scanning and saving an image
• Scanner routine maintenance
– Read scanner documentation
– Use utility software to adjust settings; e.g., resolution
– Clean glass with soft dry cloth or mild glass cleaner
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Figure 21-45 Make adjustments before the final scan is made
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Figure 21-47 Setting preferences for a scanner
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Troubleshooting Printers and
Scanners
• Section topics
– General printer troubleshooting
– Troubleshooting problems specific to each printer type
• General tasks performed during troubleshooting
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Interview the user
Find out what works and does not work
Make an initial determination of the problem
If problem is solved, check with the client
Document problem symptoms and solutions
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Printer Does Not Print
• Organize diagnostic questions in a flowchart
• Some questions to ask for problems with the printer
– Does the printer have paper?
– Is the paper installed correctly?
– Is the paper damp or wrinkled?
• Some tasks for fixing a problem with a cable or port
– Check that the cable is firmly connected at both ends
– Try a different cable, use a shorter cable
– Enter CMOS setup and check the port configuration
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Figure 21-49 How to isolate a printer problem
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Printer Does Not Print (continued)
• Some tasks for troubleshooting network connection
– Turn the printer off and back on or reboot the PC
– Verify that the correct default printer is selected
– Try installing a second supported network protocol
• A few ways to fix problems from Windows printing
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Delete all print jobs in the printer’s queue
Check the Event Viewer for printer issues
Verify printer properties; e.g., lower resolution
Uncheck “Enable bidirectional support for printer”
Disable printer spooling
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Figure 21-52 Disable printer spooling
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Printer Does Not Print (continued)
• A few ways to troubleshoot application problems
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Verify that the correct printer is selected
Try printing from a different application file
Delete any files in the print spool
Reboot the PC
Try printing from another application
Close any applications that are not being used
Add more memory to the printer
Remove and reinstall the printer drivers
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Problems with Laser Printers
• Poor print quality or toner low message displayed
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Unplug a heated printer and allow it to cool
Replace the toner cartridge
Try a different brand of paper
Clean the inside of the printer
• Printer stays in warm-up mode
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Turn off the printer and disconnect the cable to PC
Verify that the cable is connected to the correct port
Verify that data is being sent to the correct port
Try printing from another PC
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Problems with Laser Printers
(continued)
• A paper jam occurs or paper out message appears
– Check for jammed paper in input tray and output bin
– Damp paper can cause paper jams
• One or more white streaks appear in the print
– Remove the toner cartridge, shake it, and reinstall
– Remove and clean the developer unit
• Print appears speckled
– Try replacing the cartridge
– Replace the laser drum
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Problems with Laser Printers
(continued)
• Printed images are distorted
– Check for debris interfering with the printer operation
– Inspect photoreceptor drum for wear
• Printing is slow
– Clean up the drive, install a new drive if necessary
– Add more memory to the printer
• A portion of the page does not print
– Add more memory
– Print only simple pages with few graphics
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Problems with Inkjet Printers
• Print quality is poor
– Remove and reinstall the cartridge
• Printing is intermittent or absent
– Make sure the correct printer driver is installed
• Lines or dots are missing from the printed page
– Clean the inkjet nozzles
• Ink streaks appear on the printed page
– Clean the inkjet nozzles
• Paper is jammed: open back door, remove paper
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Figure 21-53 Open the door on the back of an inkjet printer to
remove jammed paper
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Problems with Dot Matrix Printers
• Print quality is poor
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Replace the ribbon, if it is not advancing normally
Check the printer’s advance mechanism
Adjust the print head spacing
Check the print head for dirt
• Print head moves back and forth but nothing prints
– Check the ribbon installation
– Replace a dried out ribbon
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Troubleshooting Scanners
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Turn off scanner, unplug it, re-plug it, turn it back on
Disconnect and reconnect the USB cable
Try rebooting your computer
Clean up the hard drive
Use troubleshooting software
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Summary
• Printer metrics: warm-up time, resolution, maximum
duty cycle, printing speed, page formatting
• Impact printers: dot matrix
• Nonimpact printers: laser, inkjet, solid ink, thermal
dye-sublimation, printers
• Six steps in laser printing: cleaning, conditioning,
writing, developing, transferring, and fusing
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Summary (continued)
• Scanner: converts an image into a digital file
• Three types of scanners are flat-bed, sheet-fed, and
portable scanners
• Printer communication protocols: PostScript, PCL,
Windows GDI
• A printer is configured in Printers and Faxes
(Windows XP) or Printers windows (Windows 2000)
• Routine maintenance extends the working life of
printers and scanners
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