220-1101 Question 92
Single answerPrint serversA small office uses a Windows print server to share a high-volume network laser printer. Users report that print jobs are reaching the printer, but documents from one accounting workstation contain random characters and unreadable symbols. Other users can print normally to the same shared printer. The technician confirms the network connection is stable and the printer hardware is functioning correctly. Which of the following is the MOST likely fix?
- A
Clear the print queue on the print server and restart the Print Spooler service
- B
Replace the printer's toner cartridge because low toner can corrupt print data
- C
Install the correct printer driver on the accounting workstation or reconnect it to the shared printer using the proper driver
- D
Assign the printer a new IP address so the print server can rebuild the printer mapping
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
When a printer connected through a print server works for most users but one workstation prints unreadable characters, the issue is usually with that workstation's printer driver, print processor configuration, or how the printer was installed. In Windows environments, using the wrong driver type, such as a mismatched PCL/PostScript driver, can cause garbled output even when the printer and print server are otherwise healthy. Best practice is to remove the affected printer connection, reconnect to the shared printer from the print server, and ensure the proper manufacturer-supported driver is in use. Microsoft print troubleshooting guidance and common enterprise print management practices both emphasize isolating whether an issue affects one user, multiple users, or the entire queue to determine whether the root cause is client-side, server-side, or hardware-related.
- A. Incorrect.
This is not the most likely fix. Clearing the queue and restarting the Print Spooler can help when jobs are stuck, delayed, or not processing, but in this scenario jobs are successfully reaching the printer and only one workstation produces garbled output. That points away from a server-side queue issue and toward a client-specific driver or print processor mismatch.
- B. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. Low toner affects print quality, such as faded text or streaks, but it does not typically cause random characters or unreadable symbols in print jobs. Choosing this option reflects a common misconception of confusing output quality problems with data interpretation or driver problems.
- C. Correct.
This is correct. Garbled text from only one workstation, while other users print normally through the same print server and printer, strongly suggests the affected computer is using an incorrect or incompatible printer driver. Reinstalling the proper driver or removing and re-adding the shared printer connection so the workstation uses the correct shared printer driver is the most likely solution.
- D. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. Changing the printer's IP address would not address a problem isolated to a single workstation when the printer is already reachable and functioning for other users. In a print server environment, the server manages the printer share, and an IP change could create additional connectivity issues rather than solving a client-specific output corruption problem.