Common Printing Problems

Follow these instructions, with screenshots, to see how to let your print job "continue" if it is held by the printer. The screenshots are from the Ptolemy printer, but the same instructions work for escher.

Printer has run out of paper

Paper rolls are 100 feet long. That is enough for 15 to 20 posters. If the printer runs out of paper, you can put in a new roll yourself! These detailed instructions describe how to change the paper roll on either Ptolemy or Escher2 - they both work the same way.

If the printer runs out of paper while printing your poster, it should automatically reprint once you load a new roll. In that case, you don't have to do anything (except wait for the reprint).  The Escher2 printer has two rolls so it should switch to the other roll if it runs out of paper for the other roll.

Printer says that one or more ink cartridges are "very low"

Ignore this message and keep printing. This is just a reminder to order more ink. We monitor the printers and order extra ink long before the cartridges get low.

When the printer actually runs out of ink, it will stop printing and ask you on the control panel to replace the empty ink cartridge. Then it will keep going and finish your poster.

Find new ink cartridges in the small wooden file cabinet near the entrance of the lab. Make sure you take the correct type and color of ink cartridge!  Each printer model uses different type ink cartridges.

The printer stopped with a system error code displayed on the control panel.

First try power-cycling the printer. If it comes back up and says it is "Ready", try sending your poster again. Be sure to place a service request to the G.R.I.D. Lab management.

If the printer first says that it is receiving data, and then crashes with a "79:04" error displayed on the printer control panel, this is a possible symptom of a poster that is too complex for the printer to handle. Try converting the poster to an image file before printing.

If the printer keeps stopping, try the other printer! Please report the problem to the G.R.I.D. Lab management so we can get the printer fixed.