Shelburne Community School

How to Conserve Printer Paper and
Simple Printing Trouble-Shooting

1.  Avoid printing unless you need to. 

2.  Instead of printing an entire document or Internet site, print only what you need.

3.  If you attempt to print and the printer does not print, DO NOT keep clicking print, instead check to make sure the printer is working.

If the above makes you nervous, here are some tips that may help: 

1.  Avoid printing unless you need to.   

• If possible have students only print final works vs. many drafts.

2.  Instead of printing an entire document or Internet site, print only what you need. 

If you have a long document or site with many pages and only need to print part of it, do the following: 

• Word or Publisher: click on File then Print (NOT the printer icon), look for the option to print certain pages, choose section to print a range of pages or if you want just one page either click on Current Page or enter the desired page number in both the From and To boxes.

• Internet (Internet Explorer or Netscape):  click on File then Print Preview, this will provide you with the  page numbers and you can then choose which pages to print. 

• Powerpoint: print handouts (6 on a page) instead of slides.

3.  If you attempt to print and the printer does not print, DO NOT keep clicking print, instead check to make sure the printer is working. 

Sometimes the printer connection does not work, you can click Print a 1000 times and the problem will not be fixed (and you will then have 1000 copies).  Here are a couple of things to try if you think the printer is not working correctly: 

• Check the printer.  Is the printer on (an easy fix)? Is the printer out of paper (another easy fix)? Are there flashing or error lights?  If the printer is not actively printing, turn it off and count to TEN (10) then turn it back on. 

• Is the printer on the network?  Many printers are connected to the network, they will either be connected to a small network box or to a computer, either way (the network box or computer) this is the bridge between the printer and you.  Make sure the network box or connected computer is on, if so, try restarting them and then see if this helps. 

• Try restarting the computer you are working on.  Save your work and then try logging off and logging in. 

Back to SCS Information Technology "Central Station" or List of Lists

Created by Greg Thweatt
 

Home Page maintained by SCS Web Master
Last updated: June 22, 2007