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General discussion

HP LaserJet 4P form feeds an extra blank page

Jan 6, 2008 5:29PM PST

Running XP SP2 on a desktop using a HP LaserJet 4P on my home network. Has been working fine for some time but for no apparent reason started printing a blank page after each print job. I deleated it to re-install with fresh driver but my flopies, that came with the printer, for Windows 3.1 did not want to work. No problem, just go to the HP website for the latest. Wrong! The only thing there is for post script. I tried it and it ran fine - no extra page after the print job - problem solved! Woops -- just one small detail, the page it sent through was blank. So it fixed the problem, now I only get the number of pages I wanted printed, no extras, just no printing either. I have tried driver, after driver, after driver, but all but the post script driver always follow the print job with a blank page. Oh, I do not have "Seperator Page" checked. Any ideas?

Discussion is locked

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Every time I see this.
Jan 6, 2008 10:15PM PST

The user is printing from word and there are 2 pages. These users thing the computer should not print the second blank page of the document.

How do we help them?

Bob

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The "user" said nothing about Word, Bob
Jan 7, 2008 12:16PM PST

You help by not answering everyone like they are dumb and R. Proffitt is the only thing on the internet with a brain. Did you see anything in my post about having the problem when printing from word? The "user" was using computers when your mother was changing your diaper and powered your face by mistake, thus dropping you on your head, causing your nasty attitude the rest of your life. But the "user" knows he does not know everything there is to know about computers and seeks out help from others. I tried to keep my post as brief as possible, yet give enough info so that if someone who "really wanted to help" and had the same experience with an HP LaserJet 4P, would spot the symptoms and tell me what they had done. Had you but asked, I would have told you that once the printer driver was installed and directed to print a test page, a blank page followed. "How do we help them?" Read your note at the bottom here Bob. I take that as a personal attack. . .I know my reply is! Thank goodness CNET isn't the only help forum. See ya' Bob. See ya' CNET. Don't bother, I'll let myself out!

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Re: printer problems
Jan 7, 2008 8:48PM PST

Given this additional information about the test page, I'm inclined to think it's a hardware issue. Most likely: the printer needs repair or replacement (given it's an old one already). Try it on another PC to be sure.

Kees

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Laserjet 4P driver
Jan 7, 2008 8:09PM PST

At least on my system, XP already has that one. It's a bit of an oldie. I'm not sure if it can be detected as plug and play, however. You said it's on your home network. Is it connected to a single PC and shared or do you have it connected to a print server. Of course if it's using the parallel port you'll need to check to be sure your BIOS setting is for extended mode for that port. I'd remove the printer and install the driver that comes with XP. Then try to print a one page document but go into print options and select pages 1 to 1 instead of all. See if it still gives the extra page. If not, try again and select all and see if it gives the extra page. If it does, I'd think that excuses the driver. Unfortunately these things can be trial and error. At least you can save the blank sheets. Good luck.

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An unlikely solution
Dec 28, 2012 4:44AM PST

I know this is an old thread, but I have the same problem every time I need to reinstall my trusty old HP LaserJet 4P. So for the benefit of anyone else in the same situation, the solution is to go into the printer properties, and under the "Ports" tab, de-select "Enable bidirectional support." This was never a problem for me when I used the old LPT serial printer port, but on the newer PCs that come with only USB ports, for some reason that I don't understand (and don't care to), the bidirectional support feature (enabled by default) creates the separator page problem.

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EUREKA!!! Problem solved!!!!
May 31, 2015 2:24AM PDT

Thanks GregColben!!! I have been searching for months for the solution to this problem on my old Laserjet 4 Plus. Sure enough it all started after I switched from using the LPT port to using a USB port (but I never made that mental connection). FINALLY no more blank pages! THANK-YOU!!!!!