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Q172797: Windows NT Printing is Slower than OS/2

Article: Q172797
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): WinNT:4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbprint
Last Modified: 07-SEP-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you compare Windows NT printing performance to OS/2 printing performance,
using printer command language (PCL) on Windows NT and Hewlett- Packard graphics
language on OS/2, slower printing performance has been observed on the
Hewlett-Packard (HP) LaserJet 5Si, 4Si, and IIISi printers. When you run tests
using a multidocument spreadsheet, the following was observed:

When you print using OS2, the first document passes from the printer and all
subsequent pages follow without delay. When you use Windows NT, the first page
passes from the printer, but subsequent pages do not follow immediately. This
can be overcome on the HP 5si by turning off Enhanced MetaFile spooling, and
using the option to "Print text as graphics". Also, adding additional memory
improved the printing times. Upgrading to the latest HP driver for the 5si
printer also improved printer throughput. Only increasing the amount of memory
made a difference for the HP 4si and HP IIISi printers, (although not as much as
the HP 5si printer); it still had significant pauses between printed pages.

Observed Printing Time Examples
-------------------------------

HP 4Si printer with 22 MB of memory:
44 seconds until 1st page is completely out of printer, each page thereafter
takes 11 seconds until it is in the bin.

5Si with 12 MB of memory:
8 seconds for 1st page is completely out of printer, rest of the pages
immediately follow.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT 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: prodnt os2 slower
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Keywords          : kbprint 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400
Version           : WinNT:4.0
Issue type        : kbprb

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