Using Acrobat Reader DC 2015.010.20060 on OS X 10.11.3. Acrobat causes a Firmware Error 900 on my Lexmark C544n printer. The PDF documents print fine when opening and printing in Preview (OS X). Any thoughts what causes this?

[RWB-ACCDE]

I am uing Acrobat Reader DC 2015.010.20060 on OS X 10.11.3. Acrobat Reader causes a Firmware Error 900 on my Lexmark C544n printer when attempting to print. I removed the documents from the cue and reset the printer but each time I open this and another PDF document it immediately causes a Firmware Error. What is really weird is that these PDF documents print perfectly when opening and printing them in Preview (OS X). Any thoughts what causes this? Thanks for in advance for your help.

[Dov Isaacs · Accepted solution]

Typically, different applications will generate different PostScript (or other PDLs) in conjunction with the printers' drivers so that something that might print with one application might fail with another, but that having been said, a printer Firmware Error is indicative of a problem with the printer's internal code which should never get into that state.

My first suggestion would be to see whether there is a downloadable firmware update for your particular mode on Lexmark's website. If there is, download it and load to the printer providing whatever instructions are provided by Lexmark. Then try printing this document(s) again.

If a firmware upgrade is not available or if there it, the new firmware doesn't resolve the issue, contact Lexmark for further assistance since this is really their issue.

                - Dov

[RWB-ACCDE]

Dov, thank you for the tip. Sorry out took a bit longer to get back to this. I did exactly as you said and updated the latest Lexmark Firmware for the Lexmark C544n . Unfortunately I still get this Firmware Error 900 when printing the document. Do you have any other thoughts?

In parallel I will contact Lexmark to see if they have an answer for me. My guess is that Lexmark will reason that when that same document is printing correctly using Apple Preview then Adobe Acrobat Reader Software must have a bug or else I would also experience an Error when Printing from Acrobat. And to be honest that sounds logic to me. I hope this does not become a finger pointing game.

So far I have two different documents that cause this Error and  I wonder if others also experience this issue and whether Adobe is aware of this.

Thx

Robert

[Test Screen Name]

‌I think you can be fairly definite on this: a firmware error is a problem for the printer makers. It should be impossible for any app, no matter how buggy, to trigger them. That would be like finding bulletproof glass could be shot through and blaming a faulty bullet.

[Guest]

I am having a similar Firmware error with Konica Minolta Biz Hub 4700 printers at several locations in our schools.  We are using Adobe Acrobat Reader DC v 15.010 on Mac OX 10.10.  I can recreate the firmware error message with a simple 2 page pdf to cause the printer to halt or restart due to the firmware error.  I have had our printer support company update the printer firmware but the error continues to occur.  Application Preview will allow the document to print without issue.  Might there be a preference setting in Adobe Reader that would fix this issue?  We need to use Adobe Acrobat Reader DC as our default to allow staff to fill in forms. 

[Test Screen Name]

Please see my reply, and contact the printer maker. You might find that "print as image" makes the problem go away, but I recommend you try and get a proper fix.

[Guest]

Thanks for the suggestion. Will try that.