I just installed Mac OS 8.5 and created an LPR Desktop Printer for a Unix print server. When printing using LaserWriter 8.6 the jobs don't print or the server resets and the job prints repeatedly until I delete the job from the queue.

When printing to this server over LPR using LaserWriter 8.5.1 it worked fine. What is the cause?

Since LaserWriter 8.5.1 previously printed successfully to this Unix print server, what you have encountered may be due to the Owner and Computer Name entered in the File Sharing control panel.

Some Unix print servers are unable to process an LPR print job properly if the Owner and Computer Name have spaces or unsupported characters such as the apostrophe, quotes, or other marks of punctuation in them. LaserWriter 8.5.1 strips out any spaces whereas LaserWriter 8.6 and newer versions of the printer driver do not. Newer versions transmit the Owner and Computer Name just as they are entered.

To determine if this is the cause, go to the File Sharing control panel and check whether there are spaces in the names. If so, consider deleting any the spaces or replace the spaces with another character, such as an underscore. For example, change the name from Bob's G3 to Bobs_G3 or BobsG3.

If your Unix print server is old you might consider updating it with one that better conforms to the LPR/LPD RFC, the standard the industry uses for printing over LPR.

Beginning with LaserWriter 8.6, the driver transmits any spaces as they appear in the File Sharing setup to maintain compatibility with the RFC on LPR/LPD printing, and for security authentication requirements of AppleShareIP and Windows based print servers.