"Access Code" Error Message Printing to Networked Printer

View products that this article applies to.

This article was previously published under Q260737

If this article does not describe your hardware-related issue, please see the following Microsoft Web site to view more articles about hardware:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/w98?sid=460 (http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=http%3a%2f%2fsupport.microsoft.com%2fdefault.aspx%2fw98%3fsid%3d460)

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256986/EN-US/ ) Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

Expand all | Collapse all

SYMPTOMS

When you try to print to a network printer that is connected to a Hewlett-Packard (HP) JetDirect interface, you may receive the following error message:

There was an error writing to \\Servername\Printername for printer Printer Model: the access code is invalid. This printer will be set to work offline. To save your printer job in the local printer queue, click OK.

This problem does not occur if you print a test job from the printer, or from a Microsoft Windows NT-based computer.

Back to the top

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if the JetDirect printer is configured incorrectly, or if the printer spooler has become corrupted.

Back to the top

RESOLUTION

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To resolve the problem, delete the printer, remove the printer entries from the registry, and then re-create the printer:

On the computer that is running Windows 95/Windows 98, click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers. Click the printer with which the issue is occurring, and then click Delete on the File menu. Confirm the deletion by clicking Yes.
On the Windows NT-based computer, click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers. Click the printer with which the issue is occurring, and then click Delete on the File menu. Confirm the deletion by clicking Yes.
Delete the printer from the following registry location:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\system\CurrentControlSet\control\print\environments\winnt\Windows NT x86\drivers\version-2
NOTE: If Windows NT is running on a RISC processor, the location of the printer is:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\system\CurrentControlSet\control\print\environments\winnt\Windows NT Alpha_AXP\drivers\version-2
On the Windows NT-based computer, delete the printer drivers located in the Winnt\System32\Spool\Drivers\W32x86\2 folder.
Reinstall the printer in Windows NT printer by using the Microsoft-supplied or HP-supplied supplied drivers.
Re-create the printer on the computer running Windows Me/98/95.