Hello NeXT Community: I replaced the intake roller , everything work great multiple pages printed fine. The printer is going to be used as part of a working government museum exhibit. I had a second printer that still had Top Secret Stickers on it. All I did was swap the exterior case and lid, now it still prints but only 1 page. usr diectory it looks like a file says lock , if the page deleted in print manager this file goes away . I have the printer I removed shell from and looked for anything like a toggle switch that would do this at first I thought ws an issue with scs2sd tried 5.2 and 6 both hang. did fresh install on a 3gb hard drive . I'll add more dtails as it is leaving me in pickle on Friday afternoon , trying openstep 4.2 upgrade of the 3.3 , also will try a new printer cable and see if i can get a second printer going so I can figure isf it is the software or the hardware . I've never had it happen always something new, peace Rob
A complete guess, but is it possible its trying to do duplex printing (double sided) but there's no duplexer on the next printer?
I need to clarify I'm just launching the NeXT printmanager.app and NeXT automatically adds the NeXT 400 dpi printer when you attach one. It powers up on boot all normal , when I click test print multiple times, the print jobs appear in the cue. It prints the first one then hangs. If I try to print a multiple page document , it only prints the first page and it is attached to a Mono Turbo NeXTSTATION. I'll look in Print Manager settings to see if there is a duplexing setting :)
So this is interesting if this happens to you, I would just reinstall the operating system . I went a step further and upgraded NeXTSTEP 3.3 to Openstep 4.2 and now it works so it was a software issue.
It possibly may have been a software error caused by the Y2k patch install for NeXTSTEP 3.3 .
Interesting that upgrading solved the issue. My (black slab) NeXTstep 3.3 system was fully loaded and had all patches including Y2k patch applied, but never had any such issues when printing. I used my NeXT printer more or less daily until about 2005.
Hello Russ: Agreed , even this printer worked with 3.3 and all I did was swap covers on the printer. It only would print one page lol so what ever corrupt or missing code that was causing the issue seemed to be overwritten or replaced with the upgrade. For me on to the next project it works.
Of course it doesn't work on last test , I had replies below to myself as I'm lost on NeXT printer Island and I nrrowed I've narrowed it down.
The key to this was trying to determine if it was mechanical , software or the cartridge.
I lucked into the answer fortunately I have a stack of Laser cartridges in various states.
Mechanical
So my intake roller replacement and case and cover transfer are all good and it is not the cause of any errors or hangs.
Software
The NeXT printmanager.app software and drivers and sensors all appear to work. This is huge .....
Cartridge
The break through came when one of my ink cartridges printed nothing but would take page after page.
The other ink cartridges initially print a single all black or zebra stripe page , and would then hang with additional prints in the cue.
So I was shutting down completely , power off power back up , printer heats up and prints a single page but the print starts to improve less Zebra lines in print. Print one page then hangs
if the paper jams midway through a new one for me , it is because the felt strip
Continue in a few minutes shipping.....
And then I thought what actually is going on here so , when the ink cartridge is exposed to light , it prints a page that looks like Zebra Stripes or it can even be all black. It then does not appear to send more print jobs through until you actuall power off the NeXT computer and reboot from scratch, I found if I do this a few times it gets better . After the 3rd or 4th shut down and reboot a clean print goes through and once this happens it will print multiple pages.
The type of paper you use makes all the difference thin paper jams , I think back on all the paper jams on NeXT printers that may have been thin paper . So buy the thicker laser printer paper, the heavier the stock the better. My new intake roller seems to have resolved the initial stall and paper jam issue as I have printed around 100 test copies. It only jmmed when the paper in the intake tray became misaligned or was the thin type . I also microwave the paper for 20 seconds to draw the moisture out 1/4" stack.
Their must be a sensor it is the best I can do at this point as I'm not a printer tech by trade just a guy with a manual and a philips screw driver lol and replacement parts.
I find if the printer lights up when it powers on you can see it through a slit in the case ... exit tray , if it glows orange that is a good sign.
I'm ready to ship. As far as doing more of these printers , I tested four that were in the original box this one is the only one I was able to get to work. My skill set is limited , I know someone had figured out further steps in another thread :on this forum ) .
Hello NeXT Community: Well I have everything working now , the new toner cartridge makes all the difference in the world ! The customer will be very happy I made a video .....
https://youtu.be/yx1SPIPVf0U