Windows NT Printing is Slower than OS/2 (172797)
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0
- Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
This article was previously published under Q172797 SYMPTOMS
When you compare Windows NT printing performance to OS/2 printing
performance, using printer command language (PCL) on Windows NT and Hewlett-
Packard graphics language on OS/2, slower printing performance has been
observed on the Hewlett-Packard (HP) LaserJet 5Si, 4Si, and IIISi printers.
When you run tests using a multidocument spreadsheet, the following was
observed:
When you print using OS2, the first document passes from the printer and
all subsequent pages follow without delay. When you use Windows NT, the
first page passes from the printer, but subsequent pages do not
follow immediately. This can be overcome on the HP 5si by turning off
Enhanced MetaFile spooling, and using the option to "Print text as
graphics". Also, adding additional memory improved the printing times.
Upgrading to the latest HP driver for the 5si printer also improved printer
throughput. Only increasing the amount of memory made a difference for the
HP 4si and HP IIISi printers, (although not as much as the HP 5si printer);
it still had significant pauses between printed pages.
Observed Printing Time Examples
HP 4Si printer with 22 MB of memory:
44 seconds until 1st page is completely out of printer, each page
thereafter takes 11 seconds until it is in the bin.
5Si with 12 MB of memory:
8 seconds for 1st page is completely out of printer, rest of the pages
immediately follow.
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT 4.0. We are
researching this problem and will post new information here in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.
| Modification Type: | Major | Last Reviewed: | 9/7/2001 |
|---|
| Keywords: | kbprb kbprint KB172797 |
|---|
|