Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!snorkelwacker!think!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!ucsd!ucbvax!ARIZVM1.BITNET!ROEDERT
From: ROEDERT@ARIZVM1.BITNET (Timothy Roeder)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Printer Problems
Message-ID: <9001130806.AA27598@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Date: 10 Jan 90 18:10:21 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 40

In article <900109.20154976.014763@CU.CP6> FRAJKOR/ATARISTUFF, etc. writes:

>[stuff deleted]
>     One day, my 1040ST started printing nothing but garbage
>when hooked up to EITHER of my two printers, Canon PW1156
>and HP DEskjet.  Through EITHER of two buffers.
>
>[stuff deleted]
>
>     I took it to the dealers.  It printed fine.  Must be the
>software. [stuff deleted] It printed fine. <etc.>
>
>     Is it possible that the level of AC current in my home is
>at fault, and one bit in one chip somewhere is so weak it does not
>flip?

I don't think that this is too likely, though I suppose it is possible.

>     Is it possible that electrical interference somewhere in
>my home can do this?

This, I think, is the more likely culprit.  I remember reading an article in
BYTE magazine some years ago where Jerry Pournelle was having similar problems.
After going through serious contortions (much the same as you have) he decided
to try shielding his parallel printer cable(s).  After he had taken such steps
to minimize electrical interference, the problems that he had simply vanished
as mysteriously as they had begun.

>     There is nothing in my manuals about how to deal with demonic
>possession.

If THIS is the problem, as I can suggest is that you get your system blessed
by a Priest! ;-)

I hope this info will be of some use to you.

Timothy Roeder

Internet: troeder@mis.arizona.edu -- Bitnet: roedert@arizvm1.bitnet
"Gorge, guzzle, and wench, for tomorrow we get gutted!"