Microsoft KB Archive/318273

= 100 Percent CPU Usage Occurs When You Print on an LPT Printer Port =

Article ID: 318273

Article Last Modified on 2/1/2007

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional
 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional
 * Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
 * Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 1
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 2
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 3

-



This article was previously published under Q318273



SYMPTOMS
When you print on an LPT printer port, 100 percent CPU usage occurs until the print job is completed. This slows down other programs until the print job is completed. In some case, other programs may slow down enough that they seem completely unresponsive. This behavior affects all power users who have many programs running at one time.



CAUSE
This behavior occurs because Windows does not have interrupt support for LPT printers.



WORKAROUND
To work around this behavior, print to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) printer port. If the printer does not have this capability, use a parallel-USB cable.



STATUS
This behavior is by design.

Keywords: kbprint kbprb KB318273

-

[mailto:TECHNET@MICROSOFT.COM Send feedback to Microsoft]

© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.