If you do not have a printer directly connected to your computer, you may print using a shared printer through your co-worker’s computer. Recently, several people around LSUHSC have been experiencing what we have named “The Shared Printer Problem”. If you are encountering the Shared Printer Problem, the following will happen when you attempt to print:

• When you first turn on your computer, you may have no problems printing the first 1 to 3 times you try to print.
• Then, when you try to print, you receive the following error message: Unable to write to LPT1 (printer name) due to an unknown system error. The printer has been set to work offline and you must restart your computer.

If you call the Desktop Support Helpdesk (x5470 menu option 2) reporting the Shared Printer Problem, a member of our team will come to your office and perform the following steps on your computer as well as your co-worker’s computer, which you print through.

1. We will apply any Windows updates needed on the computers.
2. We will update the printer driver to the most current one available from the manufacturer.
3. We will verify that network settings are correct on the computers.
4. We will run standard diagnostics on the computers, which include updating antivirus software, deleting unneeded temporary files, and running scandisk and defrag.
5. We will make sure that each computer has plenty of hard drive space.
6. We will make sure that the printer cable is connected properly to the printer and the computer.

If the Shared Printer Problem persists after we have performed the steps listed above, we will pass your name and computer information on to the Network Administration group. This group is currently investigating the Shared Printer Problem and may be contacting you to come take a further look at the computers/printer.

All is not lost if you still have the Shared Printer Problem after a member of the Desktop Support team visits your computer. There are several things you can try after receiving the error message that may allow you to print again without restarting the computer.

1. Make sure that your co-worker’s computer is on and that she/he logged in when they turned their computer on. If their computer is not logged on, there is no way that you will be able to print to their printer.
2. Make sure that you are logged in to your computer. If you are not logged in, you will not be able to print to a shared printer. If you are not sure you are logged in, do the following (only if you normally enter a password when the computer first comes into windows):
1. Close any programs you have open (after saving everything). Click Start/Log Off… and then click Yes (see figure 1). If you do not see “Log Off” right above Shutdown on your start menu, click Start/Shutdown (see figure 2). When the Shutdown menu appears on your screen, choose the very last option “Close All Programs and Login as Another User” and then click Yes (see figure 3).

1.                                            2.

3.

2. When the password box appears, enter your current password in the Password field. Make sure the username is correct. If it says “Enter Network Password” on the title bar of this box, make sure the domain name is LSUMC-MASTER.
2. Make sure the printer is on. You may want to turn it off and wait a few seconds and then turn it back on.
3. Try turning the printer back to online in your printer settings. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Click Start/Settings/Printers (see figure 4).
   
   4.

2. When the Printers box appears, right-click once on the printer and left-click once on “Use Printer Offline” in the menu (see figure 5). The menu will then disappear.
3. Check to make sure the printer went back online. Right-click once on the printer again, if “Use Printer Offline” (see figure 5) is no longer checked, click away from the menu and close the printers box by clicking on the X in the upper right-hand corner of the box and try printing again. Skip step d. If “Use Printer Offline” (see figure 5) is still checked, left-click once on “Use Printer Offline” in the menu. The menu will then disappear. Proceed to step d.
4. Right-click once again on the printer. If “Use Printer Offline” is still checked (see figure 5), you should exit every program and restart your computer. If “Use Printer Offline” is not checked, click away from the menu and close the printers box by clicking on the X in the upper right-hand corner of the box and try printing again.

5.

If the steps in number 4 do not work, please be patient and be assured that the Network group in Computer Services is working diligently to solve the Shared Printer Problem.