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Bleep’n Printers #$%! Trouble Shoot Me!
Posted by Karen H
on
1:07 PM
Original Post July 16, 2009
It was one of those days they write songs about – Monday! I had planned
to go into my college to print all of the readings from EPSY457. Not
having any time to read my newspapers, I grab one to read on the
streetcar. I chuckle at a story on the front page that gives us all
permission to swear. Apparently, a study reported in the journal
Neuroreport explains that swearing ain’t all bad and in fact can relieve
pain. Interesting, but I’m not a big swearer and I’m pretty happy so
it’s just a silly diversion.
Here I am, at the school. Last time I was in, I noticed that the printer wasn’t working. But it’s over a week it must be fixed, I say to myself. As if?
I plug in my mac and have a look at the printer. It doesn’t look good. It’s jammed. It’s in the same state as it was a week ago. That printing idea is toast, or is it? I just lugged my mac in here, I’m not giving up.
I plug in my mac and have a look at the printer. It doesn’t look good. It’s jammed. It’s in the same state as it was a week ago. That printing idea is toast, or is it? I just lugged my mac in here, I’m not giving up.
There’s an office next to me with a printer, now if I can just find it on the network and send my job over there, I’m laughin. A little searching on the network, a little fiddling with settings and I think I may have located that printer. OK- send job! Maybe this isn’t going to be so bad. Off I run to the other office, to see what’s there. Success! One reading printed; can we try for two?
I repeat the same process and click print, run to the other office and what the heck- no print job?? I’ve had these issues before. I’m on a Mac; the school is mostly all PC. Our school website even says on it, “We don’t support Macintosh.” I’m an alien; I’m used to this stuff, and I’m not giving up.
There’s no sense asking anyone at the school for help. Our help desk is outsourced, so I’d be better off doing what I usually do if I think they could help, accidentally on purpose run into one of the IT guys and accidentally mention something. But the fact is they don’t know as much about macs as I do, so I’m on my own with this one.
After a little bit of back and forth between the offices and pressing print, I discover that if I close down the printer after each job, and then go through the process, it will let me print each job. But that’s not where the troubles end. The printer in the other office starts giving a message that says there isn’t enough paper, and it’s clearly lying.
I take out the paper and put it back in. No way I’m leaving here without everything being printed. There’s a fight going on between me and this printer. I’m not turning my back and if I’m attacked I’m fighting back! As I’m printing, I’m noticing some of this stuff is about troubleshooting! Egads!
Now I’m remembering the article in the paper and thinking what the Bleep’n #$%&!!!!! I’m by myself, no one would notice a few choice words, but it’s actually getting a bit funny.
It took me hours but I printed the @#$%!!!’n stuff…
Analysis
Description of the problem/context:
The printer in my office at school is jammed and not fixable. I need to print!
Possible causes: Too much use, too many people using one computer.
Possible Solutions: After making sure the jam is gone, look for another printer
Action Taken: Search the network for printer in another office; figure out the settings IP address; configure my Macintosh to this IP
Next problem: This printer won’t print consecutive jobs
Possible Solution: Close down printer software after each print job and re-enter
Next Problem: Printer says it is out of paper but it’s not.
Possible Solution: Take paper out and re-insert. Try to trick the printer.
Reflection: It might be better to just spend the money for ink cartridges and print in draft mode at home. I take care of my equipment, so there’s less of a chance for these repeated problems.
 |
| Swear Now! Pay Here! (cc flickr by danhodgett) |
Here I am, at the school. Last time I was in, I noticed that the printer wasn’t working. But it’s over a week it must be fixed, I say to myself. As if?
I plug in my mac and have a look at the printer. It doesn’t look good. It’s jammed. It’s in the same state as it was a week ago. That printing idea is toast, or is it? I just lugged my mac in here, I’m not giving up.
There’s an office next to me with a printer, now if I can just find it on the network and send my job over there, I’m laughin. A little searching on the network, a little fiddling with settings and I think I may have located that printer. OK- send job! Maybe this isn’t going to be so bad. Off I run to the other office, to see what’s there. Success! One reading printed; can we try for two?
I repeat the same process and click print, run to the other office and what the heck- no print job?? I’ve had these issues before. I’m on a Mac; the school is mostly all PC. Our school website even says on it, “We don’t support Macintosh.” I’m an alien; I’m used to this stuff, and I’m not giving up.
There’s no sense asking anyone at the school for help. Our help desk is outsourced, so I’d be better off doing what I usually do if I think they could help, accidentally on purpose run into one of the IT guys and accidentally mention something. But the fact is they don’t know as much about macs as I do, so I’m on my own with this one.
After a little bit of back and forth between the offices and pressing print, I discover that if I close down the printer after each job, and then go through the process, it will let me print each job. But that’s not where the troubles end. The printer in the other office starts giving a message that says there isn’t enough paper, and it’s clearly lying.
 |
| Be Large Shout! (cc flickr by akai) |
Now I’m remembering the article in the paper and thinking what the Bleep’n #$%&!!!!! I’m by myself, no one would notice a few choice words, but it’s actually getting a bit funny.
It took me hours but I printed the @#$%!!!’n stuff…
Analysis
Description of the problem/context:
The printer in my office at school is jammed and not fixable. I need to print!
Possible causes: Too much use, too many people using one computer.
Possible Solutions: After making sure the jam is gone, look for another printer
Action Taken: Search the network for printer in another office; figure out the settings IP address; configure my Macintosh to this IP
Next problem: This printer won’t print consecutive jobs
Possible Solution: Close down printer software after each print job and re-enter
Next Problem: Printer says it is out of paper but it’s not.
Possible Solution: Take paper out and re-insert. Try to trick the printer.
Reflection: It might be better to just spend the money for ink cartridges and print in draft mode at home. I take care of my equipment, so there’s less of a chance for these repeated problems.
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