Article ID: 186478
Article Last Modified on 11/1/2006
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition
This article was previously published under Q186478
SYMPTOMS
When you try to print to a local printer attached to the parallel port, the
following STOP blue screen error message is reported by the Win32 spooler:
Error Writing to LPT1: for document <application name>
<path \ file name>: the system cannot find the file specified.
For example, if you try to print the file, Probrep.txt, from Notepad,
following blue screen STOP error message appears:
Error Writing to LPT1: for document notepad
C:\winnt35\system32\probrep.txt: the system cannot find the file
specified.
NOTE: The address above is one path; it has been wrapped for readability.
This error is generated any time the Parallel.sys driver is not started.
This can happen if NTDETECT does not find a valid parallel port on your
computer, or if the parallel device is disabled or stopped with the Devices
tool in Control Panel.
Furthermore, if the parallel device driver is not started, and you attempt
to start it manually, error 20 (hardware not detected) appears.
RESOLUTION
Newer motherboards have the capability to support enhanced parallel port
(EPP), enhanced communication port (ECP), and standard parallel port
settings. This is usually a jumper on the motherboard or a system BIOS
option.
Windows NT versions 4.0 and earlier do not support EPP or ECP bi-
directional communication ports, and will cause the parallel port detection
to fail if set to use either one of these standards.
Use the jumper on the motherboard or modify the BIOS settings to use the
standard parallel port to ensure Windows NT can detect the parallel port
for printing.
Keywords: kbprb KB186478