SuSE 9.0: USB printing strikes again
I give up. I've been using a SuSE based Linux desktop since SuSE 4 or so (always based on the Pro version) but as classics go this one is hard to beat. I'm running an 'average user' trial where a moderately competent end user is trying to work with a Linux desktop for 2 months, and report on it. She uses an IBM X30, and has broadband at home. The aim is to collect data of which issues hold back end user/small business adoption of Linux (ok, GNU/Linux), and belive me, I've just been utterly stumped myself. The user has one of those USB connected HP Officejets (PCS 2179). She did buy this against my advice, but in a sort of masochistic way I'm glad she did because it laid open an absolute mess. The darn thing was autodetected, and user duly followed YAST prompts to get a CUPS queue established. You guessed it: it didn't print (but in Windows it naturally did). I went digging at SuSE SDB to find some help (very hard work, btw), ripped the cups upgrades off the system and started again with vanilla RPMs from the DVD. And got it to work, in colour and all. But when the user got home with the whole assembly IT FAILED TO WORK AGAIN. Yes, no change of hardware or even configuration but the thing was dead. I just spent another hour trying to get the thing to work and I give up. The last time I saw this happening was when "Windows has detected new hardware" with no new hardware to be seen meant that you could write off that afternoon. The 'weird' USB port showed up in /var/log/messages - but did not exist despite being freshly configured ?!? == extract from file == I [07/Mar/2004:22:38:21 +0000] Started backend /usr/lib/cups/backend/usb (PID 5749) for job 1. E [07/Mar/2004:22:38:21 +0000] [Job 1] Unable to open USB device "usb:// Hewlett-Packard0MDL:PSC/2170% 20Series0CMD:MLC,PCL,PML,DW-PCL,DYN;CLS:PRINTER;1284.4DL:4d,4e,1;SN:MY37AD90JF73;S:0380008085021000062c148005dc250005e;AiO:0; %20PSC%202170% 20Series;CMD:MLC,PCL,PML,DW-PCL,DYN;CLS:PRINTER;1284.4DL:4d,4e,1;SN:MY37AD90JF73;S:0380008085021000062c148005dc250005e;AiO:0;": No such device === end extract === As far as I'm concerned she could better be using Windows - this is the classic printer someone with a small office would use (fax, scanner, copier, colour printer). Anyone any answers?
The 'weird' USB port showed up in /var/log/messages - but did not exist despite being freshly configured ?!?
== extract from file == I [07/Mar/2004:22:38:21 +0000] Started backend /usr/lib/cups/backend/usb (PID 5749) for job 1. E [07/Mar/2004:22:38:21 +0000] [Job 1] Unable to open USB device "usb:// Hewlett-Packard0MDL:PSC/2170% 20Series0CMD:MLC,PCL,PML,DW-PCL,DYN;CLS:PRINTER;1284.4DL:4d,4e,1;SN:MY3 7AD90JF73;S:0380008085021000062c148005dc250005e;AiO:0; %20PSC%202170% 20Series;CMD:MLC,PCL,PML,DW-PCL,DYN;CLS:PRINTER;1284.4DL:4d,4e,1;SN:MY3 7AD90JF73;S:0380008085021000062c148005dc250005e;AiO:0;": No such device === end extract ===
As far as I'm concerned she could better be using Windows - this is the classic printer someone with a small office would use (fax, scanner, copier, colour printer).
Are you using the hpoj driver as well as the ptal stuff? If you are you need to make sure that the ptal processes are started at boot. This stumped me on my last install, just one of those things that fell through the crackes. Ken
The 'weird' USB port showed up in /var/log/messages - but did not exist despite being freshly configured ?!?
Are you using the hpoj driver as well as the ptal stuff? If you are you need to make sure that the ptal processes are started at boot. This stumped me on my last install, just one of those things that fell through the crackes.
<whinge> Well, that more or less rotates right back to what Eric Raymond was complaining about: why the heck do I have to assemble this by hand (and why is it so hard to find data on this)? This is the first time in a couple of years I've been let down in this way by Yast. It used to be an either/or thing: if Yast didn't see the device you went in by hand. It telling me all is well and THEN letting me down is irritating. It's the prime reason I stopped dealign with Windows where possible. Thanks, I'll give it a shot tomorrow evening after I've dug out the relevant data. /// P ///
On Sunday 07 March 2004 06:25 pm, Peets wrote:
I give up. I've been using a SuSE based Linux desktop since SuSE 4 or so (always based on the Pro version) but as classics go this one is hard to beat.
I'm running an 'average user' trial where a moderately competent end user is trying to work with a Linux desktop for 2 months, and report on it. She uses an IBM X30, and has broadband at home.
The aim is to collect data of which issues hold back end user/small business adoption of Linux (ok, GNU/Linux), and belive me, I've just been utterly stumped myself.
The user has one of those USB connected HP Officejets (PCS 2179). She did buy this against my advice, but in a sort of masochistic way I'm glad she did because it laid open an absolute mess.
The darn thing was autodetected, and user duly followed YAST prompts to get a CUPS queue established. You guessed it: it didn't print (but in Windows it naturally did).
I went digging at SuSE SDB to find some help (very hard work, btw), ripped the cups upgrades off the system and started again with vanilla RPMs from the DVD. And got it to work, in colour and all.
But when the user got home with the whole assembly IT FAILED TO WORK AGAIN. Yes, no change of hardware or even configuration but the thing was dead. I just spent another hour trying to get the thing to work and I give up. The last time I saw this happening was when "Windows has detected new hardware" with no new hardware to be seen meant that you could write off that afternoon. [...]
Anyone any answers? ============
Peets, I am just gonna throw this out for testing purposes, but it is a possibility as I have read some things about this elsewhere. This could just possibly be the fact that Windows is on that system. When you set it up at your place, did you boot directly to Linux and "fix" it? I'm guessing that you didn't boot into Windows for any reason and go back to Linux to see if it still worked either? I'll bet also that the lady took it home and either booted to Windows first or at some time later, then back to Linux and it ceased to work again? This may be way off base, but again, I have seen something of this nature occur and not sure what was done to resolve it. I am suspecting Windows to be the problem here too. Lee -- --- KMail v1.6 --- SuSE Linux Pro v9.0 --- Registered Linux User #225206 On any other day, that might seem strange...
* BandiPat
Anyone any answers? I'll bet also that the lady took it home and either booted to Windows first or at some time later, then back to Linux and it ceased to work again? This may be way off base, but again, I have seen something of this nature occur and not sure what was done to resolve it. I am suspecting Windows to be the problem here too.
That might indeed be what it is.
I have seen something similar with (I think) a scanner (at least some sort
of USB device) which in the end turned out to be ebcasue windows talked to
the device over USB, and the device responded to that by chnaging itself
(does this make sense ?) a subsequent reboot (of the PC) did not solve the
issue. Powercycling the device (well actually Power down PC, powercycle
device, powerup PC directly into linux) did the trick.
We may be totally off base here, but it's a cheap and quick test.
Currently listening to: 06DislocatedDay-18apr98
Gerhard,
I think Peets posted
The user has one of those USB connected HP Officejets (PCS 2179). As far as I'm concerned she could better be using Windows - this is the classic printer someone with a small office would use (fax, scanner, copier, colour printer). Ken replied Are you using the hpoj driver as well as the ptal stuff? If you are you need to make sure that the ptal processes are started at boot. This stumped me on my last install, just one of those things that fell through the crackes.
Howdy all, first time poster here... Recent WinDoze convert who tried Caldera Linux a few years back and am very happy with the progress Linux has made... Just as background, my first computer was a Timex Sinclair with 2k memory and cassette drive back around 1980. Was a computer repair tech and dBase programmer when the IBM PC came out. I also started and remotely maintained several web sites, 1995-2002 using various web hosting companies all on Linux boxes, my last being a dedicated redhat server through RackShack. So, I am no computer dummy... But admittedly, Linux desktop is kicking my butt in a couple of areas. You've brought up one of those areas... TIA for any and all help figuring out my printing problem. My Lexmark had quit before I got SuSE 9.0 pro in December, so I've been without printer since install... I needed a printer the other day, so went to WalMart (I live in a small town 90 miles away from a real computer store) found out they had some cheap HP printer and a psc1210. Wrote both those numbers down, came home, got online http://www.linuxprinting.org/ and checked to see if either would work with Linux. According to http://www.linuxprinting.org/printer_list.cgi?make=HP the psc works "mostly". http://www.linuxprinting.org/show_printer.cgi?recnum=HP-PSC_1210 I have not updated everything that page talks about yet. I also checked SuSE.com hardware database http://cdb.suse.de/ showProduct.php?LANG=en_UK&searchtype=simple&product_id=25169&arch_id=&dist_id= which says "These printers work almost perfectly - funny enhanced resolution modes may be missing, or the color is a bit off, but nothing that would make the printouts not useful." OK, sounds like I can print and correct the problems mentioned on SuSE's site by updating the stuff mentioned on linuxprinting.org's site... Here's what I am experiencing. Installing with YAST, the printer is recognized and installed with multiple printing ques that all seem to work. I can print >>> one time <<< when using KDE. Uninstalling and reinstalling the printer would allow me to print one more time. This could be very time consuming... 8^) I tried various methods of turning off the printer or disconnecting it, but it never printed more than one time without uninstall then reinstalling. I tried various flavors of installing the printer including LPR instead of CUPS. Thinking the problem could be KDE, I installed GNOME (and kinda like it...). Before installing I had done my one print and the printer was showing up in KDE with an exclamation point and somewhere it said printer was not accepting any additional print jobs. After installing and logging into GNOME, printer worked fine. I printed out everything I needed without problem. Then I wanted to print out another page and I got no errors anywhere, but also no printout. Someone mentioned something about Windows... I have not booted up from my Windows hard drive since January, well before I bought this printer... Someone else mentioned something about PTAL. I cannot find anything with YAST or in SuSE Help about PTAL... What now gurus? Here's questions I have in my head... What is PTAL and how do I use itand what will it do for my situation? Where is the printer job watcher in GNOME? Why is KDE only letting me print 1 time? Why does uninstall/reinstall let me print 1 more time? Is there some command line way of "resetting" my printer? Why was I able to print out a bunch in GNOME? Why wasn't there an exclamation point in GNOME when it quit printing? What printer, scanner combo should I have bought? (I will also want faxing capabilities which I could maybe do with a modem installed on the phone line? (I currently have DSL) ...???...???... Another day I will post some other questions about Linux... 8^) God Bless, WizarDave
On Tue, 2004-03-09 at 08:30, WizarDave wrote:
I think Peets posted
The user has one of those USB connected HP Officejets (PCS 2179). As far as I'm concerned she could better be using Windows - this is the classic printer someone with a small office would use (fax, scanner, copier, colour printer). Ken replied Are you using the hpoj driver as well as the ptal stuff? If you are you need to make sure that the ptal processes are started at boot. This stumped me on my last install, just one of those things that fell through the crackes.
Howdy all, first time poster here... Recent WinDoze convert who tried Caldera Linux a few years back and am very happy with the progress Linux has made... Just as background, my first computer was a Timex Sinclair with 2k memory and cassette drive back around 1980. Was a computer repair tech and dBase programmer when the IBM PC came out. I also started and remotely maintained several web sites, 1995-2002 using various web hosting companies all on Linux boxes, my last being a dedicated redhat server through RackShack.
So, I am no computer dummy... But admittedly, Linux desktop is kicking my butt in a couple of areas. You've brought up one of those areas... TIA for any and all help figuring out my printing problem.
My Lexmark had quit before I got SuSE 9.0 pro in December, so I've been without printer since install... I needed a printer the other day, so went to WalMart (I live in a small town 90 miles away from a real computer store) found out they had some cheap HP printer and a psc1210. Wrote both those numbers down, came home, got online http://www.linuxprinting.org/ and checked to see if either would work with Linux. According to http://www.linuxprinting.org/printer_list.cgi?make=HP the psc works "mostly". http://www.linuxprinting.org/show_printer.cgi?recnum=HP-PSC_1210 I have not updated everything that page talks about yet. I also checked SuSE.com hardware database http://cdb.suse.de/ showProduct.php?LANG=en_UK&searchtype=simple&product_id=25169&arch_id=&dist_id= which says "These printers work almost perfectly - funny enhanced resolution modes may be missing, or the color is a bit off, but nothing that would make the printouts not useful." OK, sounds like I can print and correct the problems mentioned on SuSE's site by updating the stuff mentioned on linuxprinting.org's site...
Here's what I am experiencing. Installing with YAST, the printer is recognized and installed with multiple printing ques that all seem to work. I can print >>> one time <<< when using KDE. Uninstalling and reinstalling the printer would allow me to print one more time. This could be very time consuming... 8^)
I tried various methods of turning off the printer or disconnecting it, but it never printed more than one time without uninstall then reinstalling. I tried various flavors of installing the printer including LPR instead of CUPS.
Thinking the problem could be KDE, I installed GNOME (and kinda like it...). Before installing I had done my one print and the printer was showing up in KDE with an exclamation point and somewhere it said printer was not accepting any additional print jobs. After installing and logging into GNOME, printer worked fine. I printed out everything I needed without problem. Then I wanted to print out another page and I got no errors anywhere, but also no printout.
Someone mentioned something about Windows... I have not booted up from my Windows hard drive since January, well before I bought this printer...
Someone else mentioned something about PTAL. I cannot find anything with YAST or in SuSE Help about PTAL...
What now gurus? Here's questions I have in my head... What is PTAL and how do I use itand what will it do for my situation? Where is the printer job watcher in GNOME? Why is KDE only letting me print 1 time? Why does uninstall/reinstall let me print 1 more time? Is there some command line way of "resetting" my printer? Why was I able to print out a bunch in GNOME? Why wasn't there an exclamation point in GNOME when it quit printing? What printer, scanner combo should I have bought? (I will also want faxing capabilities which I could maybe do with a modem installed on the phone line? (I currently have DSL) ...???...???...
Another day I will post some other questions about Linux... 8^)
God Bless, WizarDave
Hi I very successfully run an HP OfficeJet 6110, scanning, printing etc. A very useful couple of sites to look at are run by HP who are very into Linux. http://hpoj.sourceforge.net & http://hpinkjet.sourceforge.net They have lots of installation info, drivers etc for the majority of HP printers etc. Laurence
participants (6)
-
BandiPat -
Gerhard den Hollander -
Ken Schneider -
Laurence Orchard -
Peets -
WizarDave