# Another nagging computer question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 4, 2002, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-nagging-computer-question/117399 "2002-07-04T19:49:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CnoteChris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/278dde/32.png) [@CnoteChris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CnoteChris)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2002, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-nagging-computer-question/117399/1 "2002-07-04T19:49:42Z")
Is that ever! ---
**Author:** ![Kwyjibo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/59ef9b/32.png) [@Kwyjibo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kwyjibo)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2002, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-nagging-computer-question/117399/2 "2002-07-04T19:52:23Z")
LOL! ---
**Author:** ![Dandmb50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba9def/32.png) [@Dandmb50](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandmb50)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2002, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-nagging-computer-question/117399/3 "2002-07-04T19:59:16Z")
For computer questions go to a Canadian site which is really excellent and is free of course. [www.thecomputermechanics.com](http://www.thecomputermechanics.com) I use it all the time and get answers almost as fast as I get them on here… ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2002, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-nagging-computer-question/117399/4 "2002-07-04T20:04:27Z")
nagging? Are you sure it’s not your wife? ---
**Author:** ![Cruktar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d9b06d/32.png) [@Cruktar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cruktar)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2002, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-nagging-computer-question/117399/5 "2002-07-04T20:19:43Z")
Argh. The SDMB hamsters seem to have nibbled away my OP. It went something like this: A few of you may remember a thread I started a month or so about a display problem I was having regarding an older laptop of mine. Well, it’s developed another charming quirk that I’m having trouble with. The computer is a Compaq Presario laptop running Windows 98. I have a Lexmark X73 printer attached via USB cable. Whenever I try to print a job, it feeds the paper in, then I get an error message saying “Printer is off-line” followed by “Problem communicating with the printer.” It works perfectly when attached to my other laptop (Compaq Presario, several years newer, running Win ME). I went through the Lexmark site technical support, which said that there is a bug in Win 98 SE that prevents some USB devices from working correctly. I downloaded and installed the fix from Microsoft, but it didn’t have any effect. Next, I emailed a Lexmark tech support staffmember, who suggested that it might be a software conflict, and had me disable the startup group, which also had no effect. I’ve played around with the spool settings, deleted and reinstalled the drivers, and even formatted the computer and reinstalled Windows. All of these did the same thing - jack shit. Any suggestions or helpful hints would be _greatly_ appreciated. I would have done this earlier, but was a bit reluctant to post another computer question, but since I got such well thought-out, prompt responses last time it seemed worth it. Thanks in advance, Kody ---
**Author:** ![Cruktar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d9b06d/32.png) [@Cruktar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cruktar)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2002, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-nagging-computer-question/117399/6 "2002-07-04T20:22:40Z")
Thanks, **Dandmb50**. I’m heading there right now. ---
**Author:** ![CnoteChris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/278dde/32.png) [@CnoteChris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CnoteChris)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2002, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-nagging-computer-question/117399/7 "2002-07-04T21:38:22Z")
The [computermechanics.com](http://computermechanics.com) site looks like that’d be cool, but there’s no way in hell I’m going to give them my main e-mail address to either read or submit a post (They don’t allow Yahoo account or others for registration purposes, which I use for sites like that). Too bad. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2002, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-nagging-computer-question/117399/8 "2002-07-04T21:52:54Z")
Upgrade the 98 unit to to ME. It handles USB more gracefully. ---
**Author:** ![Cruktar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d9b06d/32.png) [@Cruktar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cruktar)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2002, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-nagging-computer-question/117399/9 "2002-07-05T05:15:15Z")
**astro,** I tried, but unfortunately the tired old computer doesn’t have enough RAM to run ME. Its entire purpose in life is to run the printer, and it’s failing miserably. -K ---
**Author:** ![Racer1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee59a6/32.png) [@Racer1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Racer1)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2002, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-nagging-computer-question/117399/10 "2002-07-05T07:40:06Z")
Hmm, you’ve actually reinstalled Win98 from scratch you say? If it used to work fine, do you think it could be a hardware problem? Perhaps there is something wrong with your USB port on the laptop. If I were you I would try installing the printer via a parallel port before doing anything else. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2002, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-nagging-computer-question/117399/11 "2002-07-05T15:12:55Z")
Some boards use a Via chipset (Or other kind) these need the board bios update to work properly with USB… Far easier to get a parl printer, though. ---
**Author:** ![Cruktar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d9b06d/32.png) [@Cruktar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cruktar)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2002, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-nagging-computer-question/117399/12 "2002-07-06T04:51:26Z")
\*\*Racer1{/b]- It’s actually never worked properly, heh. I suppose it could be a hardware problem, but other USB devices work alright. Could it be something printer-specific? I’ll try and find a parallel cable ad hook it up that way. Again, thanks for the continuing help, all. -Kody ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2002, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-nagging-computer-question/117399/13 "2002-07-06T15:20:47Z")
I found USB to be pretty picky but you can get a PCI USB card, this gives you another USB bios that might work better. I bought a USB 2.0 PCI card from amazon for $10 after rebate, now it they would just send it… ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2002, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-nagging-computer-question/117399/14 "2002-07-06T17:17:19Z")
It sounds like a handshaking problem between your printer and your computer. The first thing I would check is the cable, then make sure all the connections are snug. ---
**Author:** ![Cruktar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d9b06d/32.png) [@Cruktar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cruktar)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2002, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-nagging-computer-question/117399/15 "2002-07-07T05:44:27Z")
The cable isn’t a problem, as it worked with another computer. Tomorrow I’ll be digging around for a parallel cable, and will update the kind folks at the SDMB on whether or not I have any luck. -Kody ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2002, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-nagging-computer-question/117399/16 "2002-07-07T07:58:44Z")
Printers suck. I’ve never dealt with a printer that has run smoothly. Ever. Even the latest greatest fancy shmancy ones. Might be easier to just use the computer it does work on, and accept that this one ain’t gonna go anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2002, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-nagging-computer-question/117399/17 "2002-07-07T08:00:39Z")
The best way to check the cable is to find another one, and test your printer with that.