Errius wrote:

That's interesting. Are there 'test' PDFs that can be used for testing printer capabilities? How 'heavy' can these files get?

The worst part is that they aren't 'test' files. They can be found "on the wild", they are files produced and used by customers. I guess that test files exists but they only ones I own are meant to test the print engine (i.e.: against developer failures, color misalignment and so on), not to test memory usage.

Works like a charm!

The RAM

Installed, sitting next to the PostScript module.

Memory confirmed!

Another update. HP JetDirect 170X!

HP LaserJet 5MP monochrome laser printer

HP JetDirect 170X parallel print server... enables network printing

Configuration pages + print test from an older PC

Print test from Windows 7 64

Print test from Windows 7 64 & Windows 10 64

I ran into this old thread by accident and couldn't help posting a comment. I still have Laserjet 5M that I bought defunct in approx 2001. The fuser lamp (halogen bulb inside fuser roller) had burned out. I replaced the bulb and the printer has been working since. The bulb was inexpensive but I cannot remember whether it was genuine hp spare or 3rd party. Page count is approx 40000.

The printer is in random use but maybe a year ago I printed a few Husqvarna chainsaw and Stihl brushcutter service manuals (100+ pages) without any major issues.

The printer has PS SIMM and jetdirect card installed so no issues with new PCs. Everything I use supports PS and Jetdirect/LPD printing.

At some point I was searching for a duplexer but failed to find any. And after I got a bunch of newer Laserjets some of which were equipped with duplexer for free from a customer that switched all printers to another brand I gave up the search.

Despite of model naming the (5/5N)5M uses different engine than 5P/MP.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP_LaserJet_5

My folks bought a 6p new from Sam’s club to do of all things ceramic mugs as there were various sublimation drums available to go with their names and heraldry business.

Sadly the 5p/6p are susceptible to humidity making the drum dump small dots which is unacceptable for artwork.

One or two of the more ancient lasers our friends had (not hp) were nearly impervious to humidity as they ran quite hot right out the door.

Sadly it’s hard to know which lasers kept clean printouts without owning one

I ended up eventually with 3x 5p/6p printers when they got cheap, (one was cheap because the printer port was broken but the micro port still functioned) 2x were in use 1x backup, then sadly a piece of scotch tape fell in the feed on the original printer and gummed up everything

I had all expanded with industry standard 4mb 72 pin simms because we did a lot of full page graphics and the stock ram even with compression on usually wouldn’t work at 600dpi.

These printers were infinitely superior to the Brother hl665 we started with as that printer had a very expensive and fragile drum that didn’t last as long as the toner cart and as the drum wore it would dump toner into the laser. Having the toner and drum separate in that unit was pointless, the printer also didn’t adhere the ink as well as the hp and was pickier on the type of paper used.