New printer takes a "long time" to start printing

Howdy,

I recently purchased an Epson Workforce 500 after our HP OfficeJet 6210 apparently lost the ability to scan.

I performed the installation procedure to the letter up to the point (surprise surprise) where I was supposed to connect the printer cable (USB). When I did this the installation software never detected the printer. The new hardware wizard popped up and I would just cancel it. I believe at this point I ran the uninstall for the printer & scanner, deleted the printer from Printers & Faxes, rebooted, ran CCleaner to scan for registry issues, rebooted again, and reinstalled the printer software.

This time around it recognized the connection at the same stage as before, and I was presented with an opportunity to print a test page.

The page printed after a few minutes of being listed in the printer queue. I attempted printing a one word "test" txt file with the same delay.

I'm sure I've messed something up wonderfully, I just can't figure what it is. Perhaps I need help fully removing ALL Epson printer data and attempting to reinstall?

There is a tray icon for the printer that, when opened up, should display a status monitor and estimated ink levels. At a glance this window says "Check all connections and make sure all devices are on. If the power was turned off during printing, cancel the print job. If the error does not clear, see your printer documentation."

But when I wait long enough for a document to print, the status monitor displays all the information I would expect it to were it functioning properly (ink levels, etc.). Once the print job is done it goes back to saying "Check all connections..."

I have tried a few things to test my situation. I purchased a new USB cable with no change in the results. I even ran the USB cable another path to the printer thinking some sort of interference may be happening.

I also installed the printer on my wife's computer with no issues and it printed several times with no issues, small text files as well as color test pages. Works fine on hers.

I also, thinking some old HP printers I have had in the past may be causing issues with remnant files, ran a "level 4" uninstall using the HP all-in-one uninstall tool ("gr_uninst.exe"). No change.

I am running Windows XP, SP2.

Any thoughts? Please let me know if more info is required.

Thanks,

BR

 

You mentioned uninstalling the Epson software to try a 2nd time.... but what about the software for the original HP OfficeJet printer? Was that software fully uninstalled?

Another thing to look at would be to hook up the Epson to your wife's laptop (where it runs OK) and look at ALL the printer settings. I don't have a printer installed on the PC I'm currently using so I can't tell you exactly where to look, but look at every possible setting you can find, including print order, collation, qeueing, page setup, EVERYTHING. Take screen shots of these settings on your wife's PC if it will help you remember the configuration. Then hook up the Epson to the 'slow' PC and check the same settings. I have a strong feeling that you'll find something on the 'slow' PC is very different from the laptop.

Good luck!

:-D

EDIT- I just re-read your post and saw the part about the 'level 4 uninstall' with the HP software..... sorry, I missed it the first time 'round....

 

Yeah, I checked the settings/etc. and they all seem to be identical.

On a hunch I reinstalled my HP OfficeJet 6210 drivers & software to see if I would still have issues after the full reinstall. Everything installed smoothly (keep in mind this is NOT the new printer I purchased, but the old one) and the test page printed. But, when I tried to scan using the HP Director it STILL gave the same error as before.

So, for now we're going to leave it hooked up to my wife's computer as it appears to be working fine there.

The issue now will be figuring out why my computer has had issues with two printers from two separate manufacturers and why my wife's computer has been fine with both. That and now I can return the Epson to Best Buy rolleyes

 

I wish I could be of more help, but some problems are difficult to figure out without being able to actually sit down and use this PC. Hopefully someone else (who has a printer) will come by with something a bit more helpful.
Good luck!

 

boom929:

I drop kicked my HP 6310 about 210 miles out to sea and bought an Epson Workforce 500 and found out I had a whole new set of problems.

Not one single thing I did got rid of the HP software and most of what I did created bizarre problems I had to fuss with for days - then I got a hot flash.

What I did was, go on line, download the HP software and re-installed it up to a point. When it gave me the chance to by-pass installing the hardware and continue on completing the software installation, I did just that. Now I have HP software on my computer but no HP Printer. It's as if it isn't there.

Then I installed my Epson - and, like yours, it is slow to start but it does do the job. It seems like it has to think about it for about 5 seconds.

My complaint about the Epson is the cost of the ink. And I thought HP was expensive!!

What is the best and cheapest way to buy inks? Got any ideas?

Jack

 

OK, OK. I know when I'm licked.

That Epson I bought? Well, the ink is so costly it would not be very long before I could have bought a whole new printer. And it sounds like it is cheaply made.

So, here's what I did. I took it back to Sam's where I bought it. They put me back to an HP - (Ugh) - but not without a selling point. I upgraded (?) to an HP Photosmart C5500. It does not have the fax feature, but I never used it anyway except to have a place to hook in an extra phone by my computer desk. I recaptured that feature by using a longer phone line and hooked directly to the wall outlet.

But what sold me was the low (?) cost of operation. Of course, the printer comes with a supply of freebie(?) ink. After that runs out, here's where the savings kick in. Instead of replacing the cartridge as supplied, use 74XL and 75XL. The cost will gag you. But the advertised page output makes it up as follows for the black ink:

74 = 200 pages per cartridge
74XL = 750 pages per cartridge.

You can find similar numbers for color printing but the per cartridge output really depends on what you print. Your cartridge is no good if you run out of just one of the three ink colors. With the Epson, you can just replace that one color. With HP, you have to replace the whole thing.

So, is the HP XL's a good deal? Of course not.


It is a whole lot more costly than gas. But when the industry has a gun to your head, what are you going to do? There is no industry standard for design practices. But it's not as bad as buying Frontline flea and tick medicine for your cat at close to $40 for a few drops.

Down the road apiece when I have to replace the XL's I will probably go to Walgreen's Drug Store. They refill your black cartridge for $10.00 regardless of who makes them. I don't know what they charge for color refills.

I am not suggesting that you do what I did. In fact, you probably shouldn't. Likely, there are better solutions - I just don't know what they are. But I do know one thing for sure - you aren't gong to beat them.

PhoenixJack

 

Hi All,

Not sure this will help anyone but, somewhere in the printer set up is usually an item to use or not use the SPOOLER. It let's you go ahead with other things while the printer is printing. Another item is something like "Start printing before or after'" the job is spooled. Take a look. It does take a while to convert the data and get it ready to print. Maybe?

Good Luck, Jim