Troubleshooting Xerox Error Code 016-799: What It Means & How to Fix

While this error might make you feel like your hardware has failed—especially when you hear the printer spin up only to go silent—don’t worry; it is almost always a software or configuration conflict that can be fixed with the right systematic approach.

Symptoms of Xerox Error 016-799

Identifying the onset of Error 016-799 is critical to distinguishing it from a mechanical paper jam. Users typically report the following signs:

• The “Ghost” Start: The printer receives the data (the “Data” LED flashes green), the fuser begins to warm up and the rollers may click, but then everything suddenly stops before a single sheet is pulled.
• The Display Alert: The LCD control panel displays a red banner or a popup window explicitly stating “016-799: Print Job Aborted” or “Print Data Error.”
• Vanishing Queue: On your computer, the print queue shows the document as “Printing” for a split second before it disappears entirely without leaving a trace or an error message on the PC side.
• Selective Failure: The printer may work perfectly for simple Word documents but fails consistently when trying to print high-resolution PDFs or complex Excel spreadsheets with nested charts.

Comprehensive Repair Guide

Follow these steps in order. We will move from the simplest reset to more advanced network protocol reconfigurations.

Step 1: The Hard Power Cycle and Spooler Flush

Before diving into settings, you must clear the “stuck” data in the hardware and software buffers. Turn the printer off using the main power switch (usually located on the side). Warning: Always wait at least 30 seconds before toggling the power back on to allow capacitors to fully discharge. While the printer is off, go to your PC, open “Services.msc,” find the “Print Spooler,” right-click it, and select “Stop.” Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS and delete all files. Restart the Spooler service. This ensures no corrupted data packets are lingering to re-trigger the error.

Step 2: Switching from WSD to Standard TCP/IP Port

WSD ports are a primary culprit for 016-799. To fix this, go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers. Right-click your Xerox printer and select Printer Properties (not Preferences). Click the Ports tab, then click Add Port. Select Standard TCP/IP Port and click New Port. Enter the IP address of your printer (which you can find by printing a Configuration Report or checking the network settings on the machine’s screen). Uncheck “Query the printer and automatically select the driver to use.” By forcing a dedicated TCP/IP path, you stabilize the data flow.

Step 3: Update to the Xerox Global Print Driver (V3)

Oftentimes, model-specific drivers become bloated or outdated. Download the Xerox Global Print Driver (V3, PCL6) from the official Xerox support site. Nuance Note: Avoid the V4 “Class” drivers provided by Windows Update, as they lack the granular control needed for Xerox machines. During installation, manually select the “PCL6” version. PCL6 is the most “universal” language for Xerox machines and is less likely to trigger the 016-799 error than PostScript drivers.

Step 4: Adjusting the Host Interface (CWIS)

Open a web browser and type your printer’s IP address to access the CentreWare Internet Services (CWIS). Log in as an administrator (Default is usually admin / 1111). Navigate to Properties > Services > Print > Language Emulations. Ensure that “PostScript” and “PCL” are both set to “Auto Select” or “Enabled.” If the printer is set to strictly “PCL” and you send a PostScript job, Error 016-799 is guaranteed. Setting this to “Auto” allows the printer to switch interpreters on the fly.

Step 5: Disabling Bidirectional Communication

If the error persists, go back to Printer Properties > Ports. At the bottom, uncheck the box that says “Enable bidirectional support.” While this prevents the printer from telling your PC exactly how much toner is left in real-time, it stops the constant “back-and-forth” chatter that often causes the print job to abort during high-traffic network moments.

Why is my Xerox showing Error 016-799?

Understanding the “why” prevents you from chasing ghost hardware failures. This error is essentially a “lost in translation” event between your computer and the Xerox controller.

• PDL (Page Description Language) Mismatch: This is the most common cause. Your computer might be sending PostScript (PS) commands to a printer that is only configured or licensed to understand PCL6. When the printer sees “PS” code it doesn’t recognize, it aborts the job to prevent printing pages of gibberish text.
• WSD Port Interference: Windows often installs printers using a “WSD” (Web Services for Devices) port. WSD is notoriously unstable for heavy office equipment, frequently dropping packets or “timing out” during the handshake process, which triggers the 016-799 abort.
• Memory Buffer Overflow: If the document contains high-resolution image data that exceeds the printer’s allocated RAM buffer, the controller may crash the specific job process to protect the rest of the system’s stability.
• Firmware/Driver Version Gap: As operating systems like Windows 11 update their security protocols, older Xerox drivers may send “dirty” data that the printer’s older firmware perceives as a security threat or corrupted file, leading to an immediate termination of the job.

How to Prevent Error 016-799

Maintaining a stable printing environment requires proactive management of how data reaches your Xerox controller.

• Standardize Drivers: Ensure every computer in your office is using the exact same version of the Xerox Global Print Driver. Mixing different driver versions on a shared network can confuse the printer’s job handling priority, leading to 016-799 aborts.
• Static IP Mapping: Never rely on DHCP for an office printer. Assign a static IP address to the machine via your router or the printer’s network settings. This prevents the “communication break” that occurs when a lease expires, which often triggers an abort in the middle of a large job.
• Periodic Firmware Updates: Xerox frequently releases firmware patches that specifically address “Job Abort” bugs related to modern PDF versions. Check the Xerox support site every 6 months to ensure your machine’s “brain” is up to date with modern file formats.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does Error 016-799 mean I need to replace my printer’s hard drive or RAM?
A: Almost never. While 016-799 is a “Controller” error, it is a logical failure of the data stream, not a physical failure of the memory modules. Unless the error persists after trying three different drivers and a firmware flash, your hardware is likely healthy.

Q: Why does this error only happen when printing from Adobe Acrobat?
A: Adobe PDFs often use advanced PostScript features that standard drivers struggle to translate. If you experience this, try selecting “Print as Image” in the Adobe Print Advanced settings. This bypasses the complex coding and sends a simple “map” of pixels to the printer, which avoids the 016-799 logic trap.

Q: I’m on a Mac; how do I fix 016-799?
A: On macOS, this error is usually caused by using the “AirPrint” driver instead of the dedicated Xerox driver. Delete the printer from “Printers & Scanners,” click the “+” to add it again, and in the “Use:” dropdown menu at the bottom, select the specific Xerox model driver instead of the default “Secure AirPrint.”