Random delay before document prints when printing over the LAN

Question

Since I started using my completely new machine with Windows 7 installed I experience weird delays before a document prints.  A document might print immediately, or it might sit in the queue for a long time....like 15 minutes...and then magically start printing.  Another strange operation is printing a photo.  The printer will start printing several "stripes" of the image, and then suddenly stop part way and only print an occasional stripe, with a pause of 15 or 20 seconds between stripes.  The LAN and printer didn't behave this way with the old Windows XP system I was using before starting up my new Windows 7 machine.  XP printed immediately and without a problem.  Is there a way to tell Windows 7 to print "right now" without this random delay?

My Windows 7 machine is fully updated, Intel i7 CPU with 7 GB of RAM.

Answer 1

I am also having this issue on Windows 7, although I found the delay can be anywhere from 15 minutes to several days.  There is no discernible pattern as to when the document eventually prints.  Sometimes it prints right after another machine is logged on to the network.  Sometimes it will print when the computers are idle after everyone has left the room.  Sometimes it prints when I power up the next morning.  It's really baffling and rather annoying.  If my wife needs something printed "right now", my only recourse is to print from the computer the printer is attached to.  Local printing is always instantaneous.

Network connectivity between the machines is well-established and well-tested at gigabit speeds.  Printer is on, not off or in standby mode, and is connected to the computer via USB.  It should just work, but it doesn't.

Answer 2

I downloaded the drivers from HP's web site.  It's an HP K8600 Office Jet.

Answer 3

So did you install the printer drivers from the printer cd, or scource them elsewhere?