LPR Printing Device Reports an Error If Printer Not Available

After you install Service Pack 5 (SP5) for Windows NT version 3.51 or Service Pack 2 (SP2) or 3 (SP3) for Windows NT version 4.0, you may receive one of the following error messages:

• There was an error writing to the IP address.
  
  -or-
• Unexpected Network Error

This problem occurs when a line printer remote (LPR) printing device does not respond for 15 minutes. A debug timer is being set for 15 minutes of no connection to the printer.

An LPR printing device may stop responding if the printer is out of paper or if it is taken offline.

This error can also happen if the host name fails to resolve to an IP address. The fix referenced below does not take care of this issue. This issue can be worked around by providing a proper host name resolution method, such as DNS or HOSTS file.

For additional information, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

To work around this problem and resume printing, clear the dialog box at the server.

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition Service Pack 4.

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.51 SP5. A supported fix is now available, but has not been fully regression tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. Unless you are severely impacted by this specific problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Service Pack that contains this fix. Contact Microsoft Technical Support for more information.

Prior to installing one of the service packs listed above, Windows NT logs an event 2004 to the event log and continues retrying the print job until it is cancelled.