Baslinux mailing list

["Anthony Albert" <albert AT umpi.maine.edu>]

On 7 Dec 2005 at 22:35, sindi keesan wrote:
>QMS finally called back while I was here and explained that the flash rom 
>(eeprom?) on the 'controller' (motherboard) is bad ('image checksum 
>error') and no, we can't solder in a new one with a soldering iron, but I 
>can buy a replacement controller.  They named two wholesalers.

Ahhhh... this explains much.  Though, I would bet that you could 
replace it with a sufficiently skilled touch.  However, you'd probably 
need to find another printer of the same model first, from which you 
could download the contents of the flash, to program the new one before 
soldering it into place.

>One of them found the part number and can order the controller for 
>$823.85.  For about $500 I can buy the entire unit, refurbished.

That's often the case these days - replacement parts are more expensive 
than purchasing a replacement.  You may be able to find another used 
one, cheap, as a source of parts - that's what I was able to do with 
mine.

>QMS support suggested selling the toner cartridges on ebay.  They are at 
>least $50 each new and there are four of them.  Anyone want them?

Definitely a possibility that you could sell them.  I would suggest 
going around to local businesses, first, though.  Surely there's some 
that have the same model, that could use some inexpensive toner.  What 
make and model is the printer, anyway - you've never said?

>I will try out the older HP si monochrome printer instead.  It is said to 
>have fed some sheets of paper (after the roller was lightly sanded) 
>and printed a page from DOS (printscreen?).  I am hoping it will work with 
>netpbm as a deskjet printer at 600x600 dpi.  Have not looked inside for 
>hard drives or memory.

HP printers (and most lasers), when hooked up to the parallel port, 
will work pretty much like line printers, if all you're feeding them is 
plain text.  In DOS, you can do "copy file1.txt lpt1: " and it'll print 
out okay.

Good luck,
Anthony Albert
===========================================================
Anthony J. Albert                     albert AT umpi.maine.edu
Systems and Software Support Specialist          Postmaster
Computer Services - University of Maine, Presque Isle
        "This is only temporary, unless it works."
                        --- Red Green