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| Author | Print Monitor crashing on 7.1 (Read 13553 times) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Bolkonskij
Administrator 1024 MB  Posts: 2023 
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on: October 03, 2024, 08:01
Ocassionally you run into something you haven't seen despite using Mac OS for 30+ years :-) Recently, I'm having PrintMonitor crashing on me when I try to print something from my IIci (System 7.1). I've successfully printed from this machine in the past. I've been trying various programs (WriteNow, Word 5.1) but the error doesn't seem to be related to the app, but rather to the spooling/monitoring of the print job itself. As I hit print and send the job to the printer, the IIci will drop into MacsBug after a few seconds with the error: Quote Bus Error at 0000CC86 According to MacsBug, the app crashing is "PrintMonitor" (who would have thought ...) I can "es" out of it an continue to work, but the print job doesn't fully (?) appear to arrive at the printer. I've then tested the printer from my Mac Mini G4 running OS 9.2 and it prints fine. No hardware issues here. The only thing I've changed on the IIci some time ago is that I've started using a BlueSCSI WiFi for (wireless) connection as opposed to the RaSCSI I was using before. Anyone with any idea of what I could try to enable printing again on the IIci ? Kind of stuck right now thinking about what I could try... |
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MTT
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256 MB  Posts: 394 SSW7 Oldtimer
Reply #1 on: October 03, 2024, 14:53
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You can try: In the Chooser check if background printing is enabled, if so, disable it. In the Extensions folder increase memory allocated to the PrintMonitor extension. It's actually an application and always seems to have too little RAM allocated to it, by default. Increase this by 512k or more. Don't know if it will fix the issu, just something that's easy to try (that can't harm).
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lauland
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512 MB Posts: 674 Symtes 7 Mewconer!
Reply #2 on: October 03, 2024, 16:58
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You can do an "sc6" or "sc7" stack crawl in MacsBug the next time it happens...hopefully it won't as increasing the memory is the first thing I'd do as MTT suggested. If you do the stack crawl it MIGHT show you useful information about what print monitor was doing when it crashed. (Then again, even if you know it crashed in some particular toolbox call it won't necessarily tell you why!)
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Bolkonskij
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Administrator 1024 MB Posts: 2023
Reply #3 on: October 04, 2024, 17:34
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Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I wasn't aware of PrintMonitor being an app but yeah, that makes sense. Thanks for pointing it out! I'll report back as I get to give this another attempt.
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Bolkonskij
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Administrator 1024 MB Posts: 2023
Reply #4 on: October 05, 2024, 14:48
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Alright, the weekend is here and thus the time to further elaborate on the Print Monitor problem. - Background printing in Chooser is on - PrintMontior in Extensions comes with a default RAM setting of 80kb … wow. Now it has up to 1 MB for the joys of printing. (I'm just merely printing a single page letter … so 80kb should actually suffice, but more RAM never hurts …) ... however, that didn't help. It would still crash at the very same position. So I'm doing my share of "sc" which brings up: Quote Bus Error at 0000CC86 SC7, however, brings up a bunch of stuff - here's a photo. Does that hold any helpful info?
Last Edit: October 05, 2024, 14:51 by Bolkonskij
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lauland
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512 MB Posts: 674 Symtes 7 Mewconer!
Reply #5 on: October 05, 2024, 21:48
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FYI SC7 is usually the one that shows the useful stuff, the ones that trace the A6 register only help with code that uses it for stacks...which is usually not the primary app. One thing to keep in mind when looking at post crash stack crawls is things might've been scrambled, so you can't trust the toolbox calls you see always, unfortunately. Definitely looks like it is crashing in the print driver itself ("PDEF"). The mention of "ALRT" and Events is a little odd, like possibly it was trying to put up an error message. The mention of "InvalRgn" may be a sign your printer is using QuickDraw and not PostScript...or maybe that was where it was converting? I think QuickDraw printers need to do a lot more work on the Mac itself, but who knows? Next step I would definitely look into trying different versions of your print driver, if you are able to locate them. Even if they ALSO crash, they may crash in a different place and provide clues or at least more data points. Let us know what you find! On that note, definitely try a clean install, and try 7.5 and see if it acts differently. (I know going to all that bother on a IIci isn't fun and time consuming though).
Last Edit: October 05, 2024, 21:51 by lauland
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MTT
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256 MB Posts: 394 SSW7 Oldtimer
Reply #6 on: October 06, 2024, 00:02
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Something else for consideration, perhaps: Quote: "The only thing I've changed on the IIci some time ago is that I've started using a BlueSCSI WiFi" I seem to recall you saying that you also upgraded the IIci's RAM recently? If so, it may pay for you to remove this upgrade, and test printing again. Is there a classic 68k program that can test RAM for errors? Also; hate to suggest this, but did you at any time run Netscape before attempting to print? Netscape is one program that will likely cause another program to enter illegal Supervisor data space in a 68k Mac. p.s. 1MB RAM allocated to the PrintMonitor is a bit overkill, it won't harm it, but probably needs far less. My recommended 512k is probably high enough, even half that would be more than reasonable.
Last Edit: October 06, 2024, 00:04 by MTT
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Bolkonskij
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Administrator 1024 MB Posts: 2023
Reply #7 on: October 06, 2024, 08:47
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Quote from: lauland The mention of "InvalRgn" may be a sign your printer is using QuickDraw and not PostScript...or maybe that was where it was converting? I think QuickDraw printers need to do a lot more work on the Mac itself, but who know The printer uses postscript and has done so for years. In fact that's my only way to print to this rather "modern" printer. As written above, I can print fine from OS 9 on the G4 via postscript. I'm using the generic LaserWriter printer from Apple for that - and have been doing for years. I'd need to look up the version number the next time I boot the IIci. In fact, that might be a good pointer ... OS 9 uses a later version, hence something the G4 and the IIci differ in. Quote from: lauland Next step I would definitely look into trying different versions of your print driver, if you are able to locate them. Even if they ALSO crash, they may crash in a different place and provide clues or at least more data points. Let us know what you find! I will try to reinstall the printer driver first. I wonder if there's any preferences somewhere kept for the printer? Might be worth deleting those first. I need to check. Quote from: MTT I seem to recall you saying that you also upgraded the IIci's RAM recently? Oh right, I didn't pay attention to that one. That's correct. I put another batch of SiliconInsider's new RAM in. It works so flawlessly that RAM didn't cross my mind. I'm, however, not experiencing any problems at the moment other than the printing issue … Quote from: MTT Is there a classic 68k program that can test RAM for errors? There is. For example, there is Guru. My experience is that I'd trust these programs only so much. So many stories of folks with RAM trouble where it wasn't diagnosed. Quote from: MTT Also; hate to suggest this, but did you at any time run Netscape before attempting to print? Netscape is one program that will likely cause another program to enter illegal Supervisor data space in a 68k Mac. Another good call, but I can rule that out. No Netscape in action here and the problem is there right after a fresh boot. Quote from: MTT p.s. 1MB RAM allocated to the PrintMonitor is a bit overkill, it won't harm it, but probably needs far less. My recommended 512k is probably high enough, even half that would be more than reasonable. Yeah, I'm aware it's total overkill but I wanted to rule out any RAM constraints so I put it up to ridiculously high 1024kb … if RAM isn't the issue (as it looks like) it can always be lowered again.
Last Edit: October 06, 2024, 08:49 by Bolkonskij
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MTT
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256 MB Posts: 394 SSW7 Oldtimer
Reply #8 on: October 07, 2024, 03:45
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Quote: "For example, there is Guru." You may have been thinking of Newer Tech's other utility software, Gauge Pro. Guru is a Mac/RAM database, I don't think it's a test tool. But yes, I haven't invested much time in using this kind of software, either. Gauge Pro is PPC only too, so of no use here. I did see an Apple produced software specific to the IIcx/IIci which will test onboard RAM and other hardware. Looks as though it's on a bootable System 6 image. Might be useful... 3rd party TechTool Pro 2.5 might be useful for testing components, including RAM. Getting to be a bit "kitchen-sink-ish" though. You could try printing to a PostScript file, and see if that is possible. If it fails, then it could indicate the issue is with the System and onboard hardware, not only between the print driver and printer. You mentioned BlueSCSI WiFi being a new addition. Is your printer wired or do you print via WiFi?
Last Edit: October 07, 2024, 06:02 by MTT
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Knezzen
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Administrator 512 MB Posts: 608 Village idiot
Reply #9 on: October 08, 2024, 11:41
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GURU has a "Memory Integrity Test" option from within the "Windows" menu. It's a good memory test, but it can only test unused RAM. Make sure to do a cold boot with extensions off before giving it a go, to free up as much RAM as possible.
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Bolkonskij
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Administrator 1024 MB Posts: 2023
Reply #10 on: October 08, 2024, 11:48
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knezzen beat me to answer :-) ... there's also more, like Snooper from Maxa and Mac EKG from Micromat Comp. Sys. - the latter I couldn't find on the Garden. Would be cool to locate a copy of it, as I like it's 80's-style futuristic look that makes me think my Mac is an Amiga 500 :-) As for the BlueSCSI Wifi - yes, the connection is now wireless, which comes to mind as a possible source of trouble. I have, however, just finished a complete re-install of the laserwriter drivers and noticed they weren't the latest version (which is 8.5.1). So I did that, but didn't manage to test printing again. I'll report back after I've done so - maybe it's just that.
Last Edit: October 08, 2024, 13:09 by Bolkonskij
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MTT
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256 MB Posts: 394 SSW7 Oldtimer
Reply #11 on: October 10, 2024, 05:30
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@Knezzen & Bolkonskij- "Memory Integrity Test" I missed that one completely. Good to know, thanks. BlueSCSI Wifi: looking like it might be the source of your printing issue. Have you been able to rule it out, yet?
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