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Windows
Usually, the %WINSYSDIR% variable (you can show it by typing set at a command prompt) is C:\WINDOWS, but it could be something else, such as C:\win95. Similarly, under NT, %SYSTEMROOT% is typically WINNT, but it might be something else, such as WTSRV for Windows Terminal Server 4.0. jobnum is a system-assigned number, and it could be anythingyoull want to troubleshoot on a fairly quiet system so that you dont have to wade through thousands of spool files trying to find yours. NetWare Each queue needs a place to store its files; NWAdmin will let you choose a place, such as SPACEMONKEY_SYS. QueueVol is usually one of the SYS: volumes on one of your servers, but you should check NWAdmin details of the queue for where it really lives. Each queue in NetWare also has a unique 8-digit hexadecimal value thats also listed in the properties in NWAdmin. Just fill in the hex number in place of QUEUENUM. For example, my queue might live in SPACEMONKEY_SYS:\system\f00d160d.qdr. UNIX Most SVR4 UNIX flavors keep their spool files here, but some keep them somewhere else. Youll want to check your vendor-supplied documentation. |
Once you find the file, what do you do with it? First off, you can always look at it with a regular text file editor. It will probably look like vomit if youre dealing with a laser or inkjet printer. In this case, you might want to temporarily change the driver at the workstation to Generic/Text Only, unless you speak laser printer fluently. This way, you can read the spool file once you find it.
In addition to reading the spool file on the server end and seeing that it does not contain Paul is dead over and over againor some other such gibberish that might be caused by network communication problemsyoull also want to check the size of the file against the source. Just perform a DIR on the filename and compare it to the file on the workstation. (To capture this on the workstation, just set the printer to work offline before printing.)
In some cases, a slight difference in size between the file on the workstation and the file on the server is okay. For example, the Novell UNIX-to-NetWare gateway print filter adds a carriage return to the linefeed at the end of each line (something that DOS-style printers need that UNIX printers dont). This means that the file at the server end will be slightly larger due to the addition of those characters. However, in most cases, a differing spool file size is a bad thing.
Step 5: Check the Printer
The last step between your server and your output is the link between the server and the printer. In most cases, if this link is having problems, everybody is going to be having problems printing. Its very rare that this is a user- or workstation-associated problem. (Ive been burned enough that I never say never, particularly when strange print problems are involved.)
So, lets assume that Penelope the Bug is sharing her PCs printer with Space Monkeys entire office. Space Monkey cant print, and neither can Quincy. First, you should determine whether Penelope can print. It turns out that she cant.
Shes connected to her printer directly via her parallel port and a parallel cable. The cable to her printer is good (you determine this by swapping it out with someone elses printer).
Next, try to print directly to the printer, avoiding Windows entirely, by getting to a command prompt and typing this:
dir > lpt1:
This doesnt work, either, even after you reset her computer. Youre pretty sure that her LPT1 port has been fried. Penelope is sad. Fortunately, you brought a spare parallel card. You swap it in, and this solves the problem. Penelope is happy.
There is one special-case server-to-printer linkthat of the dedicated network print server. Some of them are configured to be servers (UNIX print servers are usually configured this way) and are therefore contacted directly by client workstations. Others are configured to be subordinate to the server and are therefore contacted by the server after the workstation transfers the queue file (Novell network print servers are generally configured this way). Youll have to check your dedicated print server documentation and configuration to be sure which one you have.
Even though you cannot perform a dir > lpt1: command on a dedicated print server to rule out its link to the printer, some have a button on them (which can be hard to find) that makes them print a test page. Beware of telling a print server over the network to print a test pageyoure not testing its local print capability in this case.
File problems can be classified into several categories:
Several techniques can be used to name your pain for these troubles; because theres more than one problem, theres more than one shooting iron you can use.
Denied!
A file access problem usually manifests itself in a user saying that he cant write or read a file. Alternatively, a user might see the following message:
This file is already open, and can only be opened read-only
This can be caused by a few things:
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