Why does my printer print endless sheets of ascii code instead of the file I want printed? -

Sometimes it messes up and it prints two or three lines on each page of ascii code. It continues on until it gets tired. If I unplug it it will still remember when I turn it back on. How do I stop it?

Exactly, sounds like a corrupt printer driver. Uninstall the printer, and reinstall the printer, you may want to check the manufacturer s website for updated drivers, and when reinstalling user the updated drivers.

You ll need to update your printer driver to fix such a problem.

Sounds like sometimes the data going to it gets corrupted (either in your PC s driver, down the communications line to the printer or in the printer itself) and isn t recognised as (probably) postscript... so what prints out is the (probably) postscript code on a printer that isn t interpreting it as postscript. So you re looking at an intermittent driver failure (programs don t do that... often) or you ve got multiple printer definitions some of which are wrong, or you ve got a dodgy printer lead or your printer has an intermittent fault. Some of those are easy to fix... some ar not. Start with the cheapest ones... is there any consistency in what prints or doesn t print right? Ie prints from one program work, prints from another don t. If there is, check your printer definitions. Check (and change if you can) the printer lead. Try a different printer if you have one. If you can. try a different computer and see if the problem stays with the printer or not. It s an intermittent problem so it s going to be tricky to fix. What printer model? Does it have Postscript? To be honest, if it s a cheap printer you may find the easiest fix is to go out and buy a new printer of a new model, with a new printer lead and new driver and install them all in your computer. Give the old printer to some deserving cause (like the kids, the wife, your parents, a charity).

Sounds lke the wrong driver or the driver is corrupt. Uninstall and reinstall the printer. During the reinstall if it asks if you want to keep the current driver, say no, reinstall it. If you need to stop the printer from printing several pages, you need to unplug it from the wall and the computer. Wait a minute or so, reboot the computer in the mean time then reconnect all. That should clear the buffer.