PostScript error: ioerror

A PostScript error ioerror indicates that a problem occured with the input/output routines that handle the flow of data. Some of the possible causes are:

  • corrupted images
  • communication problems – such as an incorrect handshaking protocol, bad driver settings or a corrupted driver
  • hardware issues – such as a bad drive, insufficient storage space or improperly terminated or faulty cables.

Solutions

  • If the offending command is just a series of random character, this may indicate a problem with the communication link. Check your network and the communication settings. Disable spoolers or run the job again. You could also reinstall the printer driver because it may be corrupted.
  • If the offending command is ‘image’, check all the images and placed EPS files in your job. Try opening all of these in the originating application (Photoshop, Illustrator,…) and check if they open properly and the content looks good.
  • There are several commands that can cause IO error PostScript errors. Check the specific offending command to get a more detailed error description: colorimage, image, imagedistiller, readstringC550
  • If the error happens with any job sent to a printer, check its cable. The printer cable may have worked itself loose. If the cable appears snugly connected then try a replacement cable.
  • Check if your driver has an option called ‘Disable PostScript Passthrough’. When this is turned on, the driver generates the PostScript data rather than letting the application do it. Activating it might solve the problem.
  • I once got rid of an ioerror by cleaning up the hard disk of my RIP.
  • Virus scanners can be another source of ioerrors because they try to intercept the creation of a file and cause a conflict with Distiller or RIP software. On a forum I read about a user who got rid of ioerrors by (temporarily) deactivating Norton Anti-virus.
  • Konika Minolta printers such as the C550 and C351 seem to occasionally suffer from this error. According to this thread on the b4print forums it is the PS driver that gives this error, the PCL driver is processing jobs correctly. Switching to that driver may be an acceptable work-around, but make sure the output is as expected since PCL and PostScript are two completely different beasts.

 

2 thoughts on “PostScript error: ioerror

  1. This is a common error I get when sending a large amount of data to an old Tobisha postscript color printer. I just have to send the pages in sets. A pain in the butt, but I’ve tried everything else.

    Love this site since 1997!

  2. about the ioerror, if you are trying to print a pic of the net but it comes out with that, cut the pic, whack it in paint, then print!

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