Troubleshooting Tips for Printers

Reboot your computer. This generally solves most printing problems.

If it's not printing, or you're getting a message about the Fax printer, change your default
printer: Click on Start -> Devices and Printers, right-click the printer, and then select (left-click)
Set as Default Printer.
Check and make sure all connections going to and coming from the printer are firmly in place.
Check that the printer is on-line:
Print a test page. If that prints and the application you are using doesn't, you probably will
need to contact the application's vendor for support.
Turn off your printer for 10 seconds and turn it back on. Make a note of any error messages or
flashing lights when the printer is turned back on.
If your printer is connected directly to another computer, try rebooting that computer.
You may try to uninstall and then re-install your network printer.
Uninstalling and Re-installing a network printer:
To uninstall:
 1. Click on Start -> Devices and Printers -> right-click the network printer that you would
like to uninstall.
 2. Then click on Remove Device.
To re-install:
 1. Click on Start -> All Programs -> NUSNET -> NUSNET Network Printer Selection.
 2. Select the network printer, then click on Connect.
 3. Print a test page to verify.

Basic Printer Display Errors

Most networked printers will have a display that will tell you its status.

No Display
Turn the printer on.

Offline
Press the Go or Online button. If this does not change the printer display to Online: Power the
printer off for 1 minute and then turn it back on.

Paper Jam
Open the doors and remove any paper, being careful not to tear it and lose pieces inside.
Paper may also be lodged under the toner cartridge so you may have to pull it out. If you
believe you have removed the paper but the display still says Paper Jam, power the printer off
for 1 minute and turn it back on.
If the jam is severe, contact the printer vendor for their expertise to rectify the problem.

Processing Job
If the printer displays Processing Job but nothing is printing the job may just be really large and
taking a while to print.
If it has not printed after 5 minutes, press the Cancel Job button on the printer. If the job will
not cancel, power the printer off for 1 minute and turn it back on.

IO or Other Error
Most IO errors will be cleared by powering the printer off for 1 minute and turning it back on.
You may also need to check to make sure the network cable on the printer is plugged securely
into the printer and into the network jack on the wall.

Tray Empty
Add paper to the appropriate tray.

Flashing Lights
Some printers will have flashing light codes to tell you what is wrong. These differ from
manufacturer to manufacturer and also from model to model. Consult your manual or
manufacturer's web site.

No Error on the Printer Display
If the printer display says Ready or Power Save but you are still unable to print, there are
other troubleshooting steps.

Work Offline/Pause Printing
Click on Start -> Devices and Printers, double-click the printer. Make sure Use Printer Offline
or Pause Printing are NOT selected. If either is checked, click it to remove the check. If the
print job does not print, reboot your PC. When you log back in, try to print again.

Cable Connections
Check to make sure all cables are connected securely. This includes the power cable,
connections from your PC to the printer (for a local printer) and connections from the printer
to the network jack in the wall (network printers.) Sometimes they look like they're plugged
in all the way when they're not. To be safe, unplug the cable and plug it back in, especially
the network cable.

Printer Drivers
In the case of local printers, sometimes a driver can become corrupted. Please try
downloading the newest driver from your manufacturer's web site and reinstall the printer.

Software vs. Document/File Problems
Sometimes, the problem printing is related to one particular software package or a certain file.
Try printing from another application such as Word, Outlook, Excel, etc. If you can't print from
any other applications, reboot your PC and check the printer for any error messages. If you
can print from another application, it could be a problem with the application itself or there
could be something wrong with the file you are working on.
Try opening a new, blank document, typing in a few words and try to print the new document.
If it prints, there is something wrong with your file. If it doesn't print, reboot your PC and try
printing again. If it still doesn't print, try reinstalling the application.

Deleting Stuck Print Jobs
Sometimes print jobs may get stuck in the queue and will need to be deleted before
anyone else can print.
To delete a print job, press the Cancel button on the printer.
You can also delete your own jobs by clicking Click on Start -> Devices and Printers, doubleclicking
the printer and deleting the job from the list.
If you are having a problem deleting a print job, please contact NUS IT Care. The printer may
need to be powered off for 1 minute to clear out its internal memory.

The browser’s homepage suddenly changed

This is a common symptom that a virus or browser hijacker may have infected the computer.
 Try re-setting the home page to the default:
o In Internet Explorer:
 On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
 Click the General tab.
 In the Address box, type the Web address you want for your home page.
 Click OK.
o In Mozilla Foxfire:
 Open the web site you want to set as your home page.
 Click the icon to the left of the web address and drag it to the Home button.
 Click Yes.
 If the home page still reverts back to the “new” page, do an Internet search using keywords that include the name of the “new” homepage and the word “virus.” If there is a virus, this search may reveal more information on the virus and how it can be safely removed.
 Run a virus scan