Network printing error message

Today I've had a problem with my networked printer. On trying to print from
my wireless connected laptop I'm getting this message
Can someone please tell me what this means and what I can do to rectify it?

pmj...

It means that the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Server is Unavailable.
:-)

TIA

pmj...

Well, it depends on *why* the RPC Server was Unavailable & what was
trying to Access it & then found it was Unavailable.

Was it Notepad that you were Using to (attempt to) Print from?

Aries...

yep

pmj...

It seems that it was, cos the Error Message Box in that Pic has
"Notepad" in the TitleBar.

pmj...

& now, (as you say below) you've tried Printing from some other
things (on the Laptop) as well & they *also* have probs?

Aries...

This was before I tried printing from notepad not afterwards - I only tried
notepad as a tester.

So...

Try Printing from something else? - Such as WordPad, or M$ Word,
or the windoze Picture & Fax Viewer thingy, or IrfanView, or PaintShop
Pro or anything else which has Printing facilities.

Aries...

I have tried printing from other things and it still refuses to print from

pmj...

OK, but is that only when Printing from the Laptop, over the Network?
Or also when Printing directly to a Printer attached to the Laptop?

Aries...

I haven't yet tried printing from the printer actually connected to the
lappy.

the laptop :(

If you still get that same Error Message, then have a look (in the
Services Control Panel Applet, in the Administrative Tools Section)
& see if the RPC Service *is* actually Running.

Aries...

directions please

pmj...

The Services Control Panel Applet is in the Control Panel.
In the "Administrative Tools" Section.

Aries...

I knew myself how to get to Services, in fact I have a link to it on my
quick launch bar, but I always think of others reading posts like this who
may not know the what, where or how :)

You can get to it (the Control Panel) from the Start Menu, or from
a PopUp Menu on the TaskBar, if you have the PopUp Menu for the
Control Panel on your TaskBar.

& you can have the "Administrative Tools" Section of The Control
Panel (as well as the main Control Panel) directly on the Start Menu,
if you Set those Options in the Start Menu Properties.

RightClick Start Menu>Properties>Start Menu Tab
(/) Start Menu [Customise...]>Advanced
Start Menu Items:
Control Panel
(/) Display as a Link
( ) Display as a Menu
( ) Don't Display this Item

... (Scroll down) ...

System Administrative Tools
( ) Sisplay on the All Programs Menu
(/) Display on the All Programs Menu & the Start Menu
( ) Don't Display this Item
[OK]
[OK]

& you can get to the Services Applet, by using "Computer Management"
Again, that's on the Start Menu, if you have that Option Set
Or by using RightClick My Computer>Manage

& you can get to the Services Applet directly, by using...

Start>Run services.msc

However you choose to get there, look down the List for the RPC
(Remote Procedure Call) Service & also the RPC Locator Service
& Read the bit in my other PReply about them, so you know what's
needed & why).

Aries...

Both set on automatic and I also clicked on the restart link just to
perhaps jolt it.

Make sure that they are both "Started" (in the "Status" Column)
The RPC Service should be Set to "Automatic" in the "Startup Type"
Column & the RPC Locator Service is normally Set to "Manual" in the
"Startup Type" Column, so that it Starts when its needed.

If the RPC Service isn't Started, then your PC shouldn't be working,
basically(!) - cos *loads* of other Services Depend on it (which you
can see from the "Dependencies" Tab, of the Properties of it)

But if the RPC Locator Service isn't actually Started, try Starting it.

& then see if you can Print OK

Aries...

nope :(

If it is already Started, (&/or if you still can't Print) Post back.

It needs to be Running first, for it to be available.
& if it *is* Running (which it almost certainly is, cos it's an
Essential windoze Service), then you need to start looking to see
why it's "Unavailable".

Can you Print OK directly from any Application (such as Notepad,
WordPad etc,) Running on the Laptop, to a Printer directly Connected
to the Laptop?

Aries...

nope - can't print from the laptop period! But I get different messages

pmj...

Oh dear!!!
:-(

when I try printing from another source

pmj...

Ah...
So that *may* (or it may not be!) associated with the prob.

It might be an idea to *first* of all get it Printing OK, to a
Printer Connected directly to it?
& then, when that's all OK, see if it Prints to the Network OK
& if not we can then sort that out...

Have you tried what it says in that Message?

& if so, what happens, for each stage/step?

windoze cannot Print due to a problem with the current Printer Setup
Check the Printer by Printing a test Page from windoze
Make sure the Printer is (Plugged in!), Turned on & Online
ReInstall the Printer Driver

Post back with the results of each of those Steps, when you have
done them.
& Post back if you need any more Info about how to do any of them.

So is the Error only when you try to Print from the Laptop over
the Network?

Aries...

Yes, I can print perfectly well from the desktop.

pmj...

& also, what I was trying to ascertain by that Q, was whether you
could Print OK from the Laptop directly to a Printer Connected to it.

Which, from what you are saying, you can't, so I reckon it might be
an idea to try & get that sorted first.

All those sort of things help us to establish where the actual prob
is & what's causing it.

Post back with more Info (such as the Answers to the Qs above)
& then we can help a bit more.

Wrinklie One =?iso-8859-1?Q?=A9?=...

This may (or may not ) help :-)

Aries...

I'll take a look at that after din dins, ta WO

Aries...

Fuuny/strange - it's jbexing now ?? But I did fiddle around in Services on
the desktop but I hadn't altered anything in there before so why on earth
should my lappy have stopped printing via my network?? Must have been
something to do with Netmeeting because that is when the trouble first
started after I enable that ?

Anita...

I have often wondered if computers try and trick us every now and then
;)

But if they are inanimate objects - how can they do so?

I guess you were just lucky that is is resolved, Val - and we all know
that software can and often does cause problems for some reason.

Pleased that you can now use your printer again :)

Aries...

Very strange !