Resolve Error: Unsupported Protocol 1200 Series on Home Network

[mmp238]

1. HP 1200 Laserjet

2. Windows 8 64 bit

3. Error Message:  PCL XL error

                                   Subsystem - Kernel

                                   Error - Unsupported Protocol

                                   Operator - 0x0

                                   Position - 0

4. No changes to Printer network

Had previously installed a printer device for a laptop that connected to a shared printer on desk top.  Installed the HP Universal Printing PCL 6 (v 5.6.0). Also have a wireless all-in-one inkjet printer that works successfully from the laptop.

Worked successfully for approximately one month. Then suddenly would not print, though continued to communicate with the Printer through the desktop. Wireless printing still works okay.

Printing Path

Laptop to Router to Desktop to 1200 Printer

Laptop Port Configuration

Port: \\DesktopName\hplaserj

Port Description: Local

Printer: HP Universal PCL 6(v 5.6.0)

To date:

1. Have removed the PCL 6 printer device from the laptop, reinstalled.

2. Removed the PCL 6 traces from the registry; re-installed the printer device, deleted the old port and created a new port.

3. Still did not print, same error message.

4. repeated step 2, but installed the HP Universal PCL 6 driver. Same result and same error message.

Can anyone suggest something else to try or point me in the right direction?

[ShlomiL]

Hi,

Try following the steps below and check if that may help:

1. Open Devices and Printers, right click the Universal Print Driver PCL 6 icon and select Printing Preferences.
2. Open the Advanced tab and under the Printer Features section set Send TruType as Bitmap as Enabled.
3. Click OK and try printing. If the same persists comtimue following the next steps.
4. Enter Printing Preferences again, select the Advanced tab.
5. Under the Document Options section try changing the Print Optimizations value. confirm and try printing again.
6. If there is still no difference try using a PostScript driver and check if that may make any difference:
   http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=18...
   
   

If any of the steps above does not make any difference, try directly plugging the printer with a USB, then right click the PCL 6 icon, select Printer Properties, open the Ports tab and select the USB port. try printing and check for any difference to isolate the problem.

Shlomi

[mmp238 · Accepted solution]

Shlomi basically suggested a solution that worked. Thanks.

This is what I actually did.

For Windows 7 & 8, HP apparently developed  universal print drivers (UPD) for the old PCL 5 and PCL 6. Had previously downloaded the 64 bit version of UPD PCL 6. Re-downloaded and re-installed UPD PC5 and PCL 6 64bit versions. This was not the problem.

Then I followed the suggestion to connect directly to the 1200 printer via the USB cable.

1. First  deleted all references to the PCL 5 and PCL 6 printers from the registry,

2. Then restarted the print spooler (computer -> manage -> services)

3. Added a printer in Devices and Printers, this time using the DOT4 port.

4. Bingo, could print a test page.

5. From print properties, change the local port to \\computer name\hplaserj, the shared printer for the wireless network.

7. Bingo again. Was able to print a test page and have been able to print additional documents.

Still don't understand what the problem was, or what caused it to suddenly appear, but it now works.