Can't print PDF files Officejet on Server 2003

[GoldenWonder]

I've just installed a networked Hp Officejet Pro 8000 printer onto a Windows 2003 server, and installed the shared printer onto a few PCs.

 

This works fine, except they can't print any PDF documents at all. The printer makes a noise like its about to print, then thats it! Everything else (Word, IE, other apps etc) all print fine. I've tried Adobe Reader 5,6,7,8 and 9 and they all fail, and on all of the PCs, using one of any of a dozen PDFs.

 

I've used the driver from the CD, and also from HPs website and it makes no difference.

 

I tried printing from one of the the PCs directly via USB and it works OK.

 

As per usual HP are no help, their FAQs list some simplistic things to try.

 

I'm stumped! Printer is ready to get ditched if I can't sort this. Pathetic that a modern printer can't cope with PDF files!

[K.C.Leblanc]

PDFs tend to break host based printers.

 

Two things to try,

 

Print direct to the I.P. address.

 

You could try using foxit reader.

[GoldenWonder]

We've got at least 40 networked printers and they all work with PDF files though! Surely a brand new HP would work?

 

Even our crummy old laserjets will print a pdf file (memory permitting!)

[dwhyte85]

We had a similar issue... turned out we had the wrong driver CD! I updated from the web and it was fine.

 

The other option is to print as bitmap which should work either way (not really a fix but a workaround).

[smadison]

Had it before, outdated disk supplied and after downloading the latest post script driver and changing the driver all things started to work.

[GoldenWonder]

I tried the original driver on the disk, and also the one downloaded from HP (slightly more recent) and it made no difference.

 

I may as well try a 'similar' driver (has worked before)

[mac_shinobi]

Disable bi directional support think its on the ports tab and you could possibly try and temporarily disable advanced features under advanced tab ?

 

Using latest printer driver for that model of printer from hp's website and latest version of adobe reader from there website and also changing the truetype font from truetype to bit image or the likes

[GoldenWonder]

:mad:I think I've tried everything now - even asking HP for support (ha ha! waste of breath)

 

Managed to fool it into working by using the deskjet 694C driver on the server. Not at all impressed with HP releasing an untested driver - last deskjet I buy from them

[localzuk]

We had the same issue with a similar model, and have not found a fix as yet. Haven't tried using a different PDF program though - have you tried something like Foxit PDF reader?

[GoldenWonder]

Haven't tried a different reader to be honest, but Adobe reader is installed (and update) across the network.

 

Mind you, since about version 5 Adobe PDF reader has been a right pain in the !