Q163241: LPR Printers Show Status Unknown
Article: Q163241
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): WinNT:3.5,3.51,4.0
Operating System(s):
Keyword(s): kbprint
Last Modified: 07-SEP-2001
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0
- Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry.
Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if
a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring
Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help
topic in Regedt32.exe.
SYMPTOMS
========
When you print to a printer through a line printer remote (LPR), the status of
the printer may show "Status Unknown" in Windows NT 3.51.
When the printer is opened from the Printers folder in Windows NT 4.0, the
printer may show <Failed to open, Retrying> and the Properties for that
printer may be unavailable.
If you attempt to add an LPR port, which does not appear in the list of ports but
actually exists in the registry, the follow error may occur:
The port already exists.
Additionally, all available LPR ports may not be listed from within Printer
Properties Details or Ports tabs.
CAUSE
=====
There are two known possible causes for these symptoms:
- An invalid LPR Port registry entry.
An invalid registry entry could be caused by manually adding an LPR port with
Registry Editor. If the manually added port is missing values, it can cause
the above error. It is recommended that an LPR port only be added through the
user interface through the Print Manager Printers folder.
- The "\" character was used in the LPD queue name.
If the "\" character is used anywhere in the line printer daemon (LPD) queue
name (name of printer on that machine providing LPD), an additional subkey is
added under the name of that port in the registry. This precludes Print
Manager or Printers folder from successfully parsing any ports listed below
the port with the invalid character in the name.
RESOLUTION
==========
To fix the problem, the invalid port must be removed from the registry. To do
this, use the following steps:
1. Click the Start button, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then
double-click the Services icon.
2. Select Spooler from the list of services, then click Stop.
WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may
require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that
problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use
Registry Editor at your own risk.
For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And
Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete
Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in
Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it.
1. Run Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe) and locate the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Monitors
\LPR Port\Ports
NOTE: The above registry key is one path; it has been wrapped for readability.
2. Locate any ports with a "\" character in the name or ports that are missing
entries. In the most obvious case, the IP port will not have any values or
will only have values that were added manually.
NOTE: Normally the LPR port will have a name that is either the IP address or
the DNS name of the destination host providing LPD service
3. With the invalid port selected, click the Edit menu, then click Delete.
4. Quit Registry Editor.
5. Click the Start button, point to settings, click Control Panel, and then
double-click the Services icon.
6. Select Spooler from the Services list, and then click Restart.
MORE INFORMATION
================
Windows NT supports TCP/IP printing as documented in RFC 1179. During the
creation of an LPR port, an IP address (name or address of host providing lpd:)
and LPD queue name (name of printer on that machine:) must be provided for the
print destination.
The following are examples of valid and invalid LPR Port entries:
Valid LPR Port:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Monitors
\LPR Port\Ports\157.61.221.159:Text1\Timeouts
Invalid LPR Port:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Monitors
\LPR Port\Ports\157.61.221.159\<additional_name>\Timeouts
STATUS
======
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.51 and 4.0.
We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.
Additional query words: PrintMan missing port
======================================================================
Keywords : kbprint
Technology : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT351search kbWinNT350search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTW350 kbWinNTW350search kbWinNTW351search kbWinNTW351 kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS350 kbWinNTS351search kbWinNTS350search
Version : WinNT:3.5,3.51,4.0
Issue type : kbbug
Solution Type : kbpending
=============================================================================
THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.
Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1986-2002.