Do you have a scanner? This is what Epson says about scanners:
Sometimes Epson printers have problems working with Parallel port scanners, as the
scanner software will conflict with the Epson printer management software. To disable
the Epson software,

a.. Click on Start / Programs / Epson / Spool Manager.
b.. Highlight your printer in the Spool Manager Program.
c.. Click on Queue, then Setup.
d.. Under the General tab, make sure there is a check in the box "Use Print Manager
for this Port".
e.. Click on Ok, then Queue, then click on Exit.
f.. Click on Start / Settings / Printers.
g.. Highlight your printer, then click on File and then Properties.
h.. Click on the Details tab, and then click on Port Settings.
i.. If there is an X next to "Spool MS-DOS Print Jobs" then click on the X to
deselect it.
j.. If there is an X next to "Check Port State Before Printing" then click on the X
to deselect it.
k.. Click on Ok, then click on Ok again.
l.. Close any open Windows down, then Reboot the computer.
Might read this
http://fixyourownprinter.com/printer/4/3525.html

--
Mary Sauer MS MVP
http://office.microsoft.com/
http://www.mvps.org/msauer/
news://msnews.microsoft.com
"DM" wrote in message
...
in referenced article below, I'm "You Can Print from a
Command Prompt But Not Windows-Based Programs"
I get most of the symptoms in Microsoft Knowledge Base
Article - 191516 - but Win.ini was not set to read-only
(only Cause provided)

Also, at one point, tried: "If you continue to have
problems, use LPT1.DOS as the printer port. To add this
port..." per Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 133152

- in Notepad, File/Print is greyed out
- in trying to print from Explorer, I get "There was an
internal error...". Second time, get "Printer could not
be found" (though first time I was able to select the
printer
In Printer Properties, trying to print test page yields,
"Windows was unable to print test page. Would you like to
troubleshoot now" - and then Win98 Troubleshooter provides
a blank screen after selecting first option (as has been
reported elsewhere in this group)
- have virus checked/all ok
- when went through w/Epson rep, we booted w/o any other
programs (his comment was "Windows doesn't even seem to be
trying to print.."

any help appreciated....


-----Original Message-----
I would start by working your way through this article:

HOW TO: Troubleshoot Printing Problems in Windows 95,
Windows 98, and
Windows Millennium Edition
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=128345

If you do not resolve the problem, then please let us
know exactly what
symptoms that you are getting - error messages, etc. You
mention the MSKB
but it has many articles on printing problems - which
article describes your
symptoms?

Besides this article, be sure to scan for virus making
sure that you have
the latest virus signature list and also try clean
booting and see if you
can print. That will tell you if anything loading at
startup is causing
your problem.

How to Perform Clean-Boot Troubleshooting for Windows 98
[Q192926]
http://support.microsoft.com/support...cles/q192/9/26
.asp

PattyL


"DM" wrote in
message
...
Have become unable to print under any app w/Win98
(unaware
of any explicit changes to have caused this). Am able
to
DOS print. Have changed from my existing print er cable
to USB cable w/no change. Have re-installed Epson
printer
driver/monitor several time (even did a complete purge
of
all things Epson w/Epson support) and still can't print.
Epson rep believes it a "system" i.e. Win problem.

Basically get the symptoms described in MS Knowledge
Base

Wierd: when failing to print test page, Win98
Troubleshooter displays the various options (Nothing
prints...") but then nothing displays in Troubleshooter
no
matter what option (or even topic) is selected.

Have tried messing w/Spool settings per


.