Printer troubleshooting

P: Failure to communicate
A: If your document will not print or the printed page contains meaningless text, the problem may be that the PC and printer are not communicating efficiently or at all. First be sure that your printer is turned on and connected to your computer. Check the lights and display to see if it's online (connected and ready). Check your printer documentation to see how your printer signals you a problem. May be a paper jam, out-of-paper or low-ink. If nothing like this appears on it's display turn it off and then back on. If you are printing from a removable media (cd, dvd, usb drive) try to copy the file to your hard drive.
If your printer works through a specialized connector, such as a USB hub, disconnect the printer and connect it directly. If this works you may need to replace the hub or your printer may not be able to operate through one.
Check your printer status via Start-Printers and faxes. Locate your printer icon and open it. In print queue window look for your document. If there are other printing jobs ahead that document cancel all of them and try printing again. Make sure the status is not paused or stopped. If so, click resume. While doing all that watch your printer for status changes (message displays or led flashing).
Test page. Try printing a test page. Right click your printer's icon, select Properties and click Print test page (General tab). If the test page won't print, your pc and printer are not communicating. Check your printer documentation for printing a self-test page. If this is not working, your problem is about the printer. If the self page prints, you have a problem with your computer or connections. Try changing ports. To do that go to Printer and faxes, right click your printer, hit Properties and go to Ports tab.
Also try reinstalling the software for your printer. Check for updated drivers on your printer manufacturer's website. Hewlett packard, Samsung, Brother and other popular brands have a good support site, sere you can easily download your drivers. Go to printer properties like before, Advanced tab and click New driver.
If this doesn't work, your port may be corrupt. Return to the Ports tab and delete the one that is used by your printer. Restart windows and the system should detect and reinstall the port. If not, your pc may be damaged.
If your test pages print, but your documents don't the problem may be the program you are using or the document itself. Try printing another document and use another program to open and print it. Make sure the Print to file option is not selected.
P: Error messages.
A: There are two types of printing error: windows errors and manufacturer errors. If you dont see your error message listed down you have to check your printer documentation.
"Device is not ready". Windows does not recognize the printer as being ready to print. Check power and network, if you use your printer on a network.
"Incompatible Print Driver". Update your driver. This is caused by an operating system upgrade.
"Out of resources". This means that you have low resources to print. Insufficient memory or hard drive space can be solved by closing some programs and free drive space.
If everything I said until now didn't work for you, try using another PC. If it's still a fail contact the printer manufacturers or buy a new one. If this works, try reinstalling windows.