# Strange printer problem **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 22, 2001, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-printer-problem/77542 "2001-08-22T14:27:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-printer-problem/77542/1 "2001-08-22T14:27:09Z")
Whenever I print out more than 3 or so web pages in a row the “response time” for the printer slows drastically. Sometimes after 6 or so projects the printer freezes up entirely. Is there any way to fix this? I have Windows ME and a HP Deskjet 970Cse. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-printer-problem/77542/2 "2001-08-22T14:38:56Z")
How much time are you leaving between printers? Do you close the browser in between? ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-printer-problem/77542/3 "2001-08-22T14:43:38Z")
I usually print as soon as the printer “resets” itself. I print one thing after another without closing the browser inbetween. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-printer-problem/77542/4 "2001-08-22T14:48:43Z")
Non-tech here. My input would be to say that the buffer that your printer uses to store what it’s going to print gets full, and it can’t take any more, so it locks up until it’s finished printing (digesting) what you already gave it. So it can hold about 3 pages worth. Are you printing out a lot of graphics? Have you got a “print text-only” format? Also, can you adjust how big the print buffer is, how much space it takes up on your hard drive? Is there an option for this somewhere, maybe on the Printer Setup or Options menu? ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-printer-problem/77542/5 "2001-08-22T15:07:20Z")
Under print properties you should check your spool settings. try it with spool to disk first or the other way, which would be send directly to printer. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-printer-problem/77542/6 "2001-08-22T19:32:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose \* > \*\*So it can hold about 3 pages worth. Are you printing out a lot of graphics? Have you got a “print text-only” format? Also, can you adjust how big the print buffer is, how much space it takes up on your hard drive? Is there an option for this somewhere, maybe on the Printer Setup or Options menu? \*\* Sorry, I meant three seperate projects in a row not three pages. Usually no graphics at all. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-printer-problem/77542/7 "2001-08-22T19:35:55Z")
Each project usually consists of a story 10 to 30 pages long.