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Select one of the Questions below to see the response.

  1. Which browsers does the NCES website support?
  2. What can I do to increase the speed with which I access your site?
  3. What is a PDF file and what are the advantages of using this format?
  4. What is a Zip file and what are the advantages of using Zip files?
  5. What is "cache" memory?
  6. How do I clear the cache on my browser?
  7. What are cookies and how are they used on the NCES website?
  8. How do I bookmark my favorite pages?
  9. I bookmarked to a page within your site and now it does not work. Why?
  10. Can I link to your site from my site?
  11. How do I make the NCES website my start up page?
  12. I am having problems connecting to one of your pages. When I do, my system locks up. What's going on?
  13. How can I change my screen resolution?
  14. When printing an NCES publication in PDF, all the words run together on paper, but everything looks fine on the screen. Is the error in your document or my printer?
  15. I do not have a printer. Is there any other way to obtain NCES publications?
  16. When I download a PDF file, my browser screen goes blank and I never see the file.
  17. When I open a PDF file in my browser, Adobe Acrobat Reader says the file is damaged.
  18. What if I want to bypass my browser's PDF plug-in when downloading and save directly to my hard drive?
  19. I need some general troubleshooting advice for resolving print problems.
  20. I entered a URL and I got back a message that said "HTTP Error 404 Not Found. The web server cannot find the file or script you asked for. Please check the URL to ensure that the path is correct." What should I do?
  21. I'm fairly certain that the URL I entered is good but I'm not getting the page I expected. What did I do wrong?
  22. What if I'm looking for a Publication/Data Product, but don't know the exact title, author, or NCES number?
  23. What if I'm looking for a Publication/Data Product, and I have the exact title, but no matching titles are found?
  24. What if I'm not really sure what I'm looking for, but I have some ideas?
  25. How come when I do a search I only get 5 years worth of publications?
  26. What if I'm just looking for tips for effective searching?
  27. What is the best place to find tables and figures on education data??
  28. If I am moving how can I find out about schools, colleges and libraries in other areas?
  29. How do I stay at the forefront of what is going on in the work that NCES does?
FAQ Question and Answer

Question:
I need some general troubleshooting advice for resolving print problems.

Response:
Try the following:

  • Raster vs. Vector Modes - You may get more consistent results if your printer driver is set to use "Raster mode" for graphics. Note: not all printer drivers have this mode.
  • Dithering - Set your printer driver’s Graphics/Dithering option to "Fine" or "Coarse" for best results when printing half-tone images. A setting of "None" will produce poor results.
  • 600dpi - If you experience problems printing to HP LaserJet printers in the 600dpi mode, try switching back to 300dpi mode or, if equipped with a PostScript option, use the PostScript mode for 600dpi printing.
  • Printer Memory Issues using PDF format - If you encounter problems, such as a "Vmerror" printing to a PostScript Level 1 or 2 printer, it may be because the printer has insufficient memory available. Below are two possible solutions to this problem:
    • In the Acrobat Reader General Preferences dialog (select from the File>Preferences menu) you may choose to use Serif only or Sans only for font substitution. This frees up additional memory in the printer and increases the likelihood of successful printing.
    • Upgrade the printer’s memory.

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