ZEBRA PRINTER USB COMMUNICATIONS STOPS AFTER COMPUTER SLEEP CYCLE

Issue / Question

The printer prints fine until sleep mode occurs.

Windows print queue fails to respond to a print request after the computer recovers from the sleep cycle.

Labels in the print queue are not printing after the sleep cycle.

Applicable To

Zebra Printer connected via USB to a Windows 7 or later operating system.

Resolution / Answer

After a computer sleep and wake-up cycle, the USB-connected printer may not respond to new print requests resulting in the print jobs remaining in the Windows Spooler. In previous versions of the Windows operating system, the USB printing resumed after sleep mode. The USB host controller would automatically reset to thereby re-initialize all USB communications.

In the Windows Vista version, the USB stack behavior was changed and may not execute a USB bus reset on the system resume. In Windows 7, the USB bus will not reset when the system resumes sleep mode unless the attached USB device lost power during the sleep cycle. As the USB communications are not re-initialized, the print job in the Windows spooler is not routed properly to the printer.

Procedure:

Windows 7
 

1. Disable the USB Charging and USB Wake up options in BIOS.

2. Install the latest updates for Windows, and install the latest drivers for the USB device. (If you are using a USB hub, try to use the device without the hub.)
3. If the USB device is connected to a USB port on a portable computer docking station, try to connect the device directly to the USB port on the portable computer.
4. Disable the USB selective suspends settings option in the Power Options.

5. Disable the Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power setting in Device Manager. You may see multiple listings for USB Root Hub, uncheck this option for all USB Root Hubs.

Windows 8.1 and Windows 10
 

In Windows 8.1 or Windows 10, you can try to find the printer driver and select Troubleshoot in the right-click menu. Windows system will find the problem and fix it automatically.

NOTE If you still have issues after this, contact Technical Support.