Bitmap printing problems in Windows 98

[Sfor]

I do have a Polish language version of Windows 98 SE USP 2.1. Recently, I've noticed problems with printing certain bitmaps. The problem is visible in many applications (IE, Opera, Vallen JPegger,...). Others (Open Office, GIMP,... ) are printing fine. In most cases it is enough to change the color depth of a picture to be able to print it. Without such a trick an error message appears:

"There was an error writing to xxxxxxx for the printer (yyyyyyyy)

There was a problem printing to a printer due to an unknown system error.

Restart Windows, and then try printing again."

The same situation happens on multiple computers with different printers. I have no idea what could be causing such a phenomenon.

[Ed999]

It would be helpful to know whether the printer is connected by USB, USB 2.0, or Parallel port.

Also, could you please identify the make and model of the printer.

My standard troubleshooting procedure in similar cases is to re-install the driver software, from the original disks that came with the printer.

[Sfor]

Well, the problem is present on multiple computers with different printers. This should be enough to exclude a simple printer driver related problem.

The related printers I can remember at the moment are HP DeskJet 6122 on USB cable, and HP 2500C connected through LAN with JetDirect 400N.

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On the other hand, everything seems to be working fine, when printing to a file.

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I can add yet another printer to the list. With HP LaserJet 4100MFP there is no error message, but there is no printout, as well. This time it was printed through an other Windows 98 computer acting as print server. The printer was connected through an LPT port.

Edited July 12, 2010 by Sfor

[Mijzelf]

In most cases it is enough to change the color depth of a picture to be able to print it.

Do the problem images all have the same color depth? To print an image a conversion has to be done from RGB to CYMK. Maybe the conversion fails for one particular color depth.

If that is true, the reason that not all applications have this problem could be because some programs convert all images to the same color depth for internal use.

[Sfor]

The problematic images do have 24bit color depth.

But if it is a case with the color conversion problem, why the printouts are saved to files without reporting en error. Such a condition should be reported in both cases, as the conversion happens when saving to a file, as well.

[Multibooter]

The problem is visible in many applications (IE, Opera, Vallen JPegger,...). Others (Open Office, GIMP,... ) are printing fine... I have no idea what could be causing such a phenomenon.

This looks like one of those hard-to-solve problems. Do the images print Ok under Firefox? Open Office and GIMP work fine for you, the easiest approach would be to accept that some apps don't always print properly.

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/322/322680.html , although specific to Adobe Illustrator, might contain some ideas relevant to those applications which don't print properly.

In most cases it is enough to change the color depth of a picture to be able to print it.

Perhaps there is not enough memory in the printer?

Well, the problem is present on multiple computers with different printers. This should be enough to exclude a simple printer driver related problem.

Not sure, all your printers are by HP. Did you try a non-HP printer?

On my computers I have FinePrint v5.77 as default printer. This allows me to preview/edit the printout/remove pages on the screen before sending the print job to another virtual/physical printer. Maybe IE or Opera can print your images Ok from your problematic applications if you printed the images first to the FinePrint virtual printer, then inside the FinePrint program to your physical printer.

[Sfor]

Well. I think I do understand what is going on, now.

The error message comes from the Windows printout buffering routines. It appears only when the function of "starting the printing after the first page is ready" is selected. In case of a direct file print there is no buffering, so there is no error message.

As for the direct file printout. Depending on a printer driver the file does have just a few hundred bytes, or is not created, at all. So, the 24bit image conversion routines could be the problem, indeed.

I tried the Windows Epson Stylus Color ESC/P2 printer. The result is a file with just two bytes in size. So, the problem is not related to just HP printers.

[Sfor]

I did another experimet. Apparently a fresh installation of Windows 98 SE with just the USB drivers added and a Windows supplied Epson Stylus Color printer driver does have the mentioned problem.

A printout of the JPG file from IE does have just two bytes. So, the problem is clearly related to the OS.

Apparently, some applications do use own bitmap conversion routines. That's why those applications are printing correctly, while others do not.

Does anyone know a good Windows 98 compatible application with easy to use picture printing functions and not affected by the bitmap conversion problem?

[Multibooter]

.. a Windows supplied Epson Stylus Color printer driver does have the mentioned problem. A printout of the JPG file from IE does have just two bytes. So, the problem is clearly related to the OS... Does anyone know a good Windows 98 compatible application with easy to use picture printing functions and not affected by the bitmap conversion problem?

To print my photos under Win98SE I have been using Jasc Paint Shop Pro v6.02, with an HP Color LaserJet 2605dn (normal-size paper) and with an Epson Stylus Photos 1280 (occasional poster-size printing), without any problems.

The Win98SE USB printer-driver from the Epson CD was older and problematic; the USB printer-driver downloaded from the Epson website was newer and worked fine.

Getting the HP2605dn (color laser, printing on 2 sides, USB + Ethernet connectors) to work properly under Win98SE was a nightmare, I had to concoct my own installation procedure. The HP2605dn has been working fine for me for the past 2 years, once it was installed. I have actually bought 2 units of the HP2605dn because it had worked fine, the only gripes: the toner for color-printing is really expensive. The HP2605dn seems to come in 2 versions: one with older Win98-compatible firmware, the other with Vista-compatible firmware. I am using the one with the Win98-compatible firmware.

Edited July 17, 2010 by Multibooter

[Sfor]

According to wikipedia all Jasc Paint Shop versions newer than 4.12 are commercial software. The Windows 98 support ended at version 9.01. One month later the Jasc Software was acquired by Corel, and the Corel Paint Shop Pro 10 was not Windows 98 compatible.

It's a good hint, but I would like rather to find some free software.

[Multibooter]

Jasc Paint Shop versions newer than 4.12 are commercial software... but I would like rather to find some free software.

The expensive part of printing photos is your own time, toner and photo paper. Jasc Paint Shop v9.01, repackaged and apparently without a hard-copy user manual, goes for $20 + $7 S&H at ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/Jasc-Paint-Shop-Pro-9-01-Updated-Animation-Shop-3-11-/150332891372?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item230089e0ec

I use Paint Shop to cut out the best part of a photo, and then print 2 photos per page (or 3 if the resized photos are really tiny) with Paint Shop on my color laser printer, on letter-size 200g HP Color Laser Photo Paper. Paint Shop has a neat "Print multiple images" feature, which makes it very easy to print several photos per page. I then insert the letter-size photo printouts into acid-free/archival/"photo safe" letter-sized sheet protectors in a regular letter-size binder. This method of processing photos seems to be economical.

The Windows 98 support ended at version 9.01. One month later the Jasc Software was acquired by Corel, and the Corel Paint Shop Pro 10 was not Windows 98 compatible.

I am still using old v6.02 because I have a hard-copy manual plus third-party books for Jasc Paint Shop v6. This is a very complicated subject area, where I have only rudimentary knowledge. Having good hard-copy documentation is in the case of Paint Shop more important to me than having the last Win98-compatible version.

Jasc Paint Shop v9.0, including a hard-copy user manual, is offered for $99 http://cgi.ebay.com/JASC-Paint-Shop-Pro-9-w-Animation-Shop-3-NIB-/180534101373?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a08abc57d

BTW, I don't see any special reasons for running photo-printing software under Win98, it could be done just as well under WinXP. The only software which I prefer to run under Win98 is software which is used with the internet, for security/privacy reasons. Do you have the same printing problems when you use IE or Opera under WinXP?

Edited July 18, 2010 by Multibooter

[Sfor]

Investing in software working under Windows 98 is a nonsense. For the same amount of cash I can buy a whole computer with a Windows 2000 professional OEM sticker on it. The Paint Shop v9.0 price will give me almost two 2.4GHz second hands Compaq with Windows XP professional licenses. There are plenty of free software working correctly on Windows 2000 and XP.

I had a big problem with integrated accounting system on Windows 98. The printout background was missing, so there was just a text instead of a form. Luckily the background was kept in separate files, so I was able to replace them with a lower color depth bitmap. In the same time everything was working correclty on Windows 2000 and XP. Now I do understand it was the same issue I do have while trying to print high quality photos.

Keeping the Windows 98 usable requires more and more effort. At some point it is simpler and cheaper to replace the whole system. The only advantage of Windows 98 for me, is it's quick crash recovery ability. But, I'm closing to a point where I can do the almost the same with newer operating systems. What's more important, I can do it remotely, now.

[Multibooter]

Keeping the Windows 98 usable requires more and more effort. At some point it is simpler and cheaper to replace the whole system.

Using Win98 with good software and good hardware is a luxury.

Investing in software working under Windows 98 is a nonsense.

There are Win98 aficionados and other crazy people Migrating non-internet related applications definitely makes sense, although it's nice to have on the Win98 system internet applications plus other good working software, this makes it unnecessary to reboot from Win98 into another operating system.

Do you have the same printing problems when you use IE or Opera under WinXP?

In the same time everything was working correclty on Windows 2000 and XP. Now I do understand it was the same issue I do have while trying to print high quality photos.

I doubt that the underlying problem can be fixed. It looks like the easiest options are to migrate your printing of photos to Win2k/XP or to use another Win98 application to print your photos.

[Sfor]

If it would be me, I would not mind using any application for photo printing. But, I have a problem with a client computer. Everything was fine for many years. But, suddenly, he wants to print some photos. I tried many photo printing applications, and they had problems with printing some of the pictures. I took me a lot of trouble to fully understand what is going on.

For now, I have to consider, the Windows 98 is not a good enviroment for easy photo printing. Unless, I find a free application able to provide easy photo printing for dummies, I have to recommend migration to a newer system.

[Multibooter]

I tried many photo printing applications, and they had problems with printing some of the pictures.

Have you tried MS Photo Editor v3.01, which is part of MS Office 2000?