I'd check the printer drivers very closely.  With most new HP printers, you
need to do the install from HP's install program rather than from the windows
add printer dialog.  Uninstall the printer, then add it back as the setup
guide suggests.  If  I forget to switch the physical a/b switch between my
DeskJet 500 and DeskJet 930C, I get exactly what you describe, with either
printer, a line of random-looking ascii characters, until the paper runs out.

I would also look into the scanner drivers, although it's surprising that the
USB interface doesn't work.  Uninstall the scanner drivers, and then put the
printer drivers on fresh.

Glen Sagers

Ronald G Jobe wrote:

> A friend of mine has a problem with printing.  The problem originally
> started as his Epson printer not feeding paper correctly.  He bought a
> new HP printer around Christmas (with both parallel and USB connections).
>  The HP prints a garbled mess, one or two lines per page, until the paper
> runs out.  We've tried the HP on both parallel and USB ports with the
> same results.  He's replaced the parallel cable with a new HP certified
> bi-directional cable.  Both printers work fine on his notebook computer,
> through either parallel or USB connections!  Where should we look to
> solve this problem?
>
> My first thought was to disable the onboard parallel connection and
> install a parallel port card.  But I think the problem is more involved
> than that because the USB printer connection doesn't work either.  He
> does have a parallel port scanner installed (Storm? brand).  The scanner
> isn't working either.  The printers have been tried with and without the
> scanner connected (but not removing the scanner software & drivers).

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