Word Quits When Trying To Print

[TimBeka]

Howdy,

I've got a PowerBook G4 (15") with all the updates for Mac OS X and MS
Office for OS X as well as the most recent printer drivers for my
laser and inkjet printers.

This problem has occurred in the past and I have previously solved it
by uninstalling MS Office completely off my hard drive and
re-installing, but I'd like to see if any of you have found a less
drastic solution...

When I go to print a document from Word in MS Office, it unexpectantly
quits. It happens with old files, new ones I create....anything. It
happens on all three of my printers (two at work via USB and one at
home via Airport Network), and it only happens in Word...Excel,
Entourage, PowerPoint are all OK to print.

I have tried disabling the startup items in my login section of system
preferences. I have trashed preference files. I have done everything
I can think of short of reinstalling the whole program (and this only
worked last time after I completely trash the original program off my
hard drive...simply reinstalling didn't help). I'm at a loss.
Microsoft suggests it's a problem with my printers, but it isn't, and
their "support" documents stop "helping" if it isn't fixed by blaming
the third-party printers.

If anyone has a suggestion other than "Try reinstalling" or "Run
SystemWorks" or "Defragment your hard drive", I'd love to hear
them...especially if you have had a similar problem and have solved it
by tweaking something I don't know about.

Thanks for your help!

Tim Johnson

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Hi Tim,

If anyone has a suggestion other than "Try reinstalling" or "Run
SystemWorks" or "Defragment your hard drive", I'd love to hear
them...especially if you have had a similar problem and have solved it
by tweaking something I don't know about.

Well I would have said "check your hard drive for damage and repair
permissions on the boot volume"...

Anyway, I've read many times that people had issues with HP drivers. It
could be worth trying to print with the GimpPrint drivers if ever they
are available for your printers or use generic PPD files instead for the
ones offered for your printers (you didn't say what model it was).
This should tell you wether it is a printer driver issue or not.

http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net/MacOSX.php3


Corentin

 

[Ron Wegner]

I have also had many problems with Word quitting, or being "out of
memory" when I try to print.

I have Office 98 with OS 9.0 but my issue appears to be very similar to
the one you are talking about.

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Hi Ron,

I have also had many problems with Word quitting, or being "out of
memory" when I try to print.

I have Office 98 with OS 9.0 but my issue appears to be very similar to
the one you are talking about.

Well considering how MacOS X deals with memory, it shouldn't be the
case. I doubt it is the same problem under MacOS 9. Office 98 could tend
to be unstable when it is running short of RAM. I'd suggest activating
virtual RAM on the Mac and making sure WOrd has enough RAM allocated.
Some printer drivers require a lot more RAM in MacOS 9. Especially for
printing in color.


Corentin

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Corentin,

Hi Ron,

Thanks for responding!

I'm afraid I tried all the things you are recommending.
:-(

Virtual memory is on and is set at 641M additional memory (640M is
installed).

Sounds good,

Word memory is set at: 9,000K suggested, 15,000K minimum, 20,000K preferred

Considering how much RAM you have, you could give the app a little more
memory.

The printer driver (EPSON Monitor 3) memory is set at: 2,128 suggested,
15,000K minimum, 23,000 preferred.

I see... I've had nothing but trouble with the Epson drivers under MacOS
9 (Epson under MacOS 9 and HP under X :-< )... It could well be it...

Corentin