Final answer:
Two probable causes for a printer printing unknown characters are an incorrect printer driver and a corrupted print spooler.
Step-by-step explanation:
Possible Causes for Printer Printing Unknown Characters
- Incorrect printer driver: If the printer driver is outdated or incompatible, it can lead to printing errors, including printing unknown characters. Updating or reinstalling the correct printer driver can resolve this issue.
- Corrupted print spooler: The print spooler software manages print jobs in a queue. If the print spooler becomes corrupted, it can result in garbled printouts. Restarting or resetting the print spooler may solve the problem.
It's important to rule out other potential causes, such as low ink levels or faulty network cables, but in this case, the incorrect printer driver and corrupted print spooler are two likely culprits that should be investigated.