HP DesignJet 230 plot problems

Using ADT 2004, Windows XP Pro OS.

I added the printer with the drivers that came with Windows XP
(Version 5.00, if the Printer Test page is to be believed).

After sending a 24x36 drawing to the office HP DesignJet 230 plotter, I find
that the plot is missing part of the title block border, and other portions
of whole sections of the drawing have been shifted vertically, seemingly at
random. After plotting, there is a small Error light that is flashing on
the control panel.

This plotter is shared with the office LAN via another (Win98 OS) computer
through its LPT1 port.

I know full well that this is a very old plotter. And I would love to be
using something newer - but at the moment, I have no choice in the matter.
I suspect that it may not have enought RAM to handle the plots I am sending
to it - but I don't know enough about this plotter to know for sure, nor if
there may be other system settings or workarounds I might at least try. I
do not know where the documentation is for this plotter, either - so I'm
quite in the dark here.

Any suggestions would be most welcome.

Thanks,
David Kozina

 

Definitely get the very latest drivers from HP.

Under configuration opt to have the plot file spooled in the computer,
not the plotter. For me, this works faster than sending the whole file
to the plotter, since you are limited to a parallel connection.

If you don't, do preview the plot, just to be sure.

good luck!

rs

 

Just a follow-up with regards to the difficulties we were having with this
old plotter, for any who may have experienced similar problems...

We were able to locate a user manual, which gave us some insight as to how
to configure the thing. And finally, last week, it was decided to see what
would happen if we increased its onboard RAM from the default 4MB with an
additional 32MB card.

Still slow as molasses, but so far it has been plotting fine now.