This happens about once a year, at random apparently, which is why I post the same question once a year.
I have AutoCAD 2005Lt, and both an HP430D and HP430E plotter. The problem always relates to MText, somehow. Doesn't matter if the drawing is 24x36 and simple or 36x48 and complex. When it happens the plot looks like I added a random cloud of some size and erased everything, lines and text, within that odd cloud. After the plot has started, and after it is obvious it is skipping parts of the drawing, then the error light comes on, not before.
The plot preview is perfect. If I write a pdf and plot the pdf, it works fine except a slight degradation of quality as expected. If I plot letter size it works fine. Once, and only once, I blocked the entire drawing and that plotted perfectly. If I remove the MText the drawing again plots perfectly, except I don't have my notes.
Just now I cut the MText, pasted that into Word, saved it as text, imported the text into the drawing in MText, and it now plots perfectly, back to normal. I made no changes in the text, just a cut and paste.
What the heck is going on? Obviously I cleaned something out, but what?
I hate these gremlins. (When I was a kid and read about gremlins causing an accident, I of course thought there really were gremlins living in the machinery.)
> ...... I of course thought there really were gremlins living in the machinery.)
You mean there isn't!?:-O
:snarky:
I'm sure they're there!
To keep them happy you feed them with the 'EATText' command in Acad.
I never had troubles with my Mtext.
Chr.
Possibly a Masking Problem
Just a shot in the dark, but it sounds like this could possibly be a masking issue. If it is there are two different types of masking. One is only applied to mtext, but I don't know if this was around in 2005. Check the properties dialog, there should be a row named background mask. If it says yes then select no and print again. To turn it off for future mtext right click inside the mtext and you will see a label named background text, select it and dialog box will pop up. Un-selectect the mask background dialog box. 
The other is a wipeout command. Type wipeout the press F for frames and type ON. Then you'll see the frames pop up, then proceed to erase all frames.
If this is not a Masking issue, then none of this applies.
This is so unbelievably frustrating. Last night I did the cut and paste to bring in the notes from Word. It plotted perfectly.
I decided to add easement thumbnails to the drawing, and do a final plot. Everything plots perfectly, except the easement thumbnails are missing from the plot. I again did the cut and paste routine to reload the notes from Word. Now it plots perfectly including the easement thumbnails.
I am ready to scream.
Is there any MTEXT in the drawing that is NOT at zero elevation? There is a known issue in ACad with True Type fonts that are above zero not displaying and not plotting properly.
"I am ready to scream."
Too funny Bruce - if you were using Civil 3D you would be screaming non-stop!!
Can you WBLOCK it to a new drawing? That sometimes clears strange things up for me...
I know you think it is an M-Text related problem but it sure sounds like a spooling / memory problem. Do you have your plot set to spool in the computer rather than the plotter? Just a thought...