Microsoft KB Archive/110202

GP Fault or Hourglass (Computer Hangs) Printing Help Topic

PSS ID Number: Q110202 Article last modified on 09-10-1996

6.00

WINDOWS

= SYMPTOMS =

With Windows Printing System as the Default Printer
If you choose the Print button in a Help procedure (How To) window in Word for Windows online Help to print the current Help topic, a general protection (GP) fault may occur when Windows Printing System (WPS) is the default printer.

After you exit the GP Fault dialog box, the Help session closes. If you restart Help, you can choose the Close, Print, Index, and On Top buttons in the How To window, but nothing happens. You must quit and restart Windows to regain the functionality of these buttons.

With Generic/Text Only Printer Driver (Version 3.1) as the Default Printer
If you choose the Print button in a How To window in Word for Windows online Help to print the current Help topic, an hourglass pointer appears and your computer hangs (stops responding) when the Generic/Text Only printer driver is the default printer.

You must quit and restart Windows (you may need to restart [reboot] your computer by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL) to regain any Windows functionality.

With HP DeskJet Printer Driver Version 4.0, or 4.1 as the Default Printer
A GP fault occurs when you attempt to print from a How To box in Help, if you are using the Hewlett-Packard DeskJet printer driver version 4.0 or 4.1. The GP fault occurs in the video driver module.

= CAUSE =

When either printer driver is the current default printer, the GP fault or hanging problem occurs if the Help topic contains a graphic image or bitmap, regardless of whether the graphic is a hot spot or not (a hot spot is a region that activates another Help topic or action when you click it with the mouse). The problems do not occur if the Help topic contains no graphics or bitmaps.

NOTE: This problem is actually larger in scope; it occurs in any secondary windows (Help procedure windows are secondary windows) that contain bitmaps or graphic images when you print using either of these two printer drivers.

= STATUS =

We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

= WORKAROUNDS =

If you are using the Deskjet printer driver 4.5 or earlier, upgrade to a later version, 5.0 or 6.1.

Method 1: When you want to print a Help topic that appears in a How To window, switch to a different default printer driver before you print.

Method 2: Copy the material from the How To window and paste it in a Word document, then print the material from Word. There is no Copy button or Menu item in the How to window. To copy the contents of the How to window to the Clipboard, press CTRL+INS while the How to window is active.

NOTE: Pressing CTRL+C will not work. = REFERENCES =

“Microsoft Word User’s Guide,” version 6.0, pages 16-21

KBCategory: kbprint KBSubCategory: Additional reference words: word6 6.00 w4wprint wps win31 1.00 cbt hlp hang winword hung crash crashed locks locked frozen freezes crashing quit quits stopped crashes gpg word6

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================================================================ Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1996.