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Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!waikato.ac.nz!canterbury!phys169
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.apps,comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Re: printer initialisation problem
Message-ID: <1991Jun5.111026.950@csc.canterbury.ac.nz>
From: phys169@csc.canterbury.ac.nz
Date: 5 Jun 91 11:10:25 +1200
References: <6762@gara.une.oz.au>
Organization: University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
Lines: 22

In article <6762@gara.une.oz.au>, dwright@gara.une.oz.au (Denis Wright) writes:
> The problem is that, unless I boot up with the printer already on 
> (which is very rare for me), it won't initialise when I do switch it 
> on. The power light comes on, but that's all. 

It is possible the computer has the same stupid BIOS one of mine does: if the
printer is not ready when the PC starts up, the Power-On Self-Test routine
thinks there is no valid printer port there. It is possible, though, the
problem is with the printer, so test it by plugging it into some other PC's and
see if the problem remains. If it is the BIOS, either get a new BIOS, or have a
look at RAM locations 40:8h to 40:Fh and the equipment word returned by int 11h
after starting up with and without the printer ready; if they differ write a
wee program to put the correct values there, and call it from AUTOEXEC.BAT.
If the problem is with teh printer, well, I don't know what the answer would
be, but try some different printer cables - the Centronics interface has some
pins poorly defined - some printers need them earthed, some use it for
initiating a self-test - just possibly something is odd there. Beyond that,
there are many faint possibilities, such as junk being sent to the printer (but
that would normally be a problem if you powered up the other way round).

Good luck,
Mark Aitchison, Physics, University of Canterbury, New Zealand.