unable to print via lpt1

[jpg153]

Yes, sure.

I used CUPS with the foo2zjs driver package for Laserjet 1020..
http://foo2zjs.rkkda.com/
but had some trouble with that. Printing was unreliable.
I had to manually stop and restart the printer between print jobs.

That was the reason I went back to the Laserjet 6MP as I could get this printer back from my kids.

Now the trouble is even bigger...

[westms]

Yes, sure.

I used CUPS with the foo2zjs driver package for Laserjet 1020..
http://foo2zjs.rkkda.com/
but had some trouble with that. Printing was unreliable.
I had to manually stop and restart the printer between print jobs.

That was the reason I went back to the Laserjet 6MP as I could get this printer back from my kids.

Now the trouble is even bigger...

Hello jpg153,

Your opinion in honor, but so you do not go to problems. It is almost always possible to get to the bottom of the problem and find a direct solution. There is also known hardware, which is not supported by Unix / Linux, but for which there are more propriotic solutions. Sometimes these are also better and it is worthwhile to prefer these solutions to the standard solutions. How the previous evasion on the "foo2zjs driver package" can be seen, only you will know.

This does not apply to the "HP LaserJet 6MP". This is a generally well known and well supported printer.

If the printer has still working with your children and a damage, in case of any transport, can be excluded, first check the total wiring again. In your error messages you are almost unsurpassed imprecise. I'm sorry, but that's my strong impression. So try to be precise. I try once more to ask open questions. If the cabling is correct, we have to light up the software again. If it is a softwre problem it can be solved satisfactorily.

Are you able to print a printer status sheet by using the printer control panel?

The mainboard H55M-LE does not have a printer connection to which a printer connection cable can be connected. I read the mainboard manual.

Instead, it has a print port header. An adapter cable can be plugged into this connector. At the other end of it, either a IEEE 1284 Type A or Type B / C connector is available. This end has a slot plate to mount with or is screwed directly to the back of the computer. Do you mean that when you wrote:

So I bought a lpt-cable to attach it to the parallel port on the mainboard.

If so, did you buy this part as an accessory from the mainboard manufacturer, or is it self-built? What is the connector form? IEEE 1284 connector Type A (this is IBM style), Type B or Type C?

The HP LaserJet 6MP is equipped with two IEEE 1284 interfaces, one of Type B and one of Type C.

If I change the plug position on the mainboard CUPS does not find any printer...

There is only one print port header available. How can you change the plug position? You turned it around?

this is the mainboard:
http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/H55M-LE/
I switch back to "normal" mode for the parallel port but that does not change.

The BIOS allows you to set the modes Normal, Bi-Directional and ECP+EPP. You had previously set Bi-Directional or ECP+EPP. Only in these selectable operating modes, data can be transferred from the printer to the computer. This follows from this:

Code: Select all

[    5.633982] parport0: Printer, Hewlett-Packard HP LaserJet 6MP]

In normal mode, data can only be transferred to the printer. The printer could then only communicate the states "Busy, Paper End, Select and Error" via signal lines.

The printer is capable of ECP and EPP. Whether Bi-Directional is possible, I do not know. Is there no (PDF) manual available?

Funny enough that dmesg does see the printer clearly, but CUPS does not...

No, command dmesg only lists /var/log/dmesg. If you want to find out more, try command lspci and look for PCI vendor and device codes which could belong to parport. This line from dmesg locks like containing PCI vendor and device codes:

Code: Select all

[    5.595738] parport_pc 00:02: reported by Plug and Play ACPI]

For me, it really looks like a software problem, including BIOS configuratin, but hardware, cabling and BIOS problems have to be examined first. If you are sure that everything is properly connected, then build and reset everything back to the initial state and reset the printer to the manufacturer's default settings.

ADD:

I reinstalled CUPS 3 times and removed the foo2xxx-package I used for printing on the former HP Laserjet 2014-USB.
So CUPS was there, but just using a foreign driver/filter.

This extraneous driver, better PPD file, is still there. Uninstalling the driver package does not remove the driver from the CUPS environment because CUPS makes a copy and uses the copy.
Once CUPS is uninstalled, this environment will remain. When you re-install, CUPS recognizes that it was already there and uses all found configurations and drivers. To a complete deinstallation belongs, in my opinion, even removing the CUPS environment. On my Salix64 14.1 installation, this is:

Code: Select all

/etc/cups
/usr/doc/cups
/usr/share/cups
/usr/lib64/cups
/usr/include/cups
/var/log/cups
/var/spool/cups
/var/run/cups
/var/cache/cups

[jpg153]

So,

here a short update:

I tested the printer including the printer cable on an old Win2K Laptop via LPT1 and it works.
So there are 2 problem areas remaining:
CUPS, so software
and
parallelport connector, so hardware

Let's see how it progresses

[jpg153]

I am now considering to completely uninstall CUPS and start from scratch,
to find out if CUPS might be the problem.
It seems rather difficult to test the parallel port, so the software side seems easier.

But when I want to uninstall CUPS gslapt shows me 30 packages to uninstall:

• atril
  cups-filters
  cups-pdf
  epdfview
  ghostscript
  gutenprint
  gimp
  gnumeric
  goffice
  libspectre
  hplip
  pycups
  qt5
  mlt
  opencv
  vlc
  libcanberra
  pavucontrol
  pulseaudio
  alsa-plugins
  avidemux
  ffmpeg
  ffms2
  libquicktime
  mjpegtools
  cinelerra
  gst-plugins-bad
  gst-plugins-bad0
  gmtk
  mpg123
  sox
  xfce4-pulseaudio-plugin
  xine-lib
  xine-plugin
  samba
  cups

So I need to reinstall them first before I reinstall CUPS or the package mentioned by Gapan?
Why is that so?

Thanks.

[djemos]

in a terminal type
sudo spkg -d cups
to uninstall cups-filters
sudo spkg -d cups-filters

then install cups and cups filters
sudo slapt-get -i cups cups-filters

[jpg153]

Thanks.

That worked.

But still, CUPS does not find that printer...
I am at the point to believe its either the print port header on the mainboard
or the slot bracket connector with cable having an issue.

I will watch out and buy a parallel card...which will overcome both possible errors.

Thanks so far.

[westms]

Thanks.

That worked.

But still, CUPS does not find that printer...
I am at the point to believe its either the print port header on the mainboard
or the slot bracket connector with cable having an issue.

I will watch out and buy a parallel card...which will overcome both possible errors..

I would not do it for now. First I would check whether the operating mode of the parallel port is set to ECP+EPP in BIOS after the attempt with setting to Normal. In Normal mode, CUPS can not detect a printer.
A communication between computer and printer was already possible, which was evident from the dmesg output.

Then I would check if the port header is undamaged and the adapter is suitable. The pin assignment of the port header can be found in the mainboard manual, or here: http://asrock.nl/downloadsite/Manual/H55M-LE.pdf

The pinout of the IEEE 1284 parallel port with graphics and tables can be found on Wikipedia:
German https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_1284
English https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_port

This makes it possible to check the correct signal assignment.

You can also check if this printer can be retrofitted/upgraded with an Ethernet built-in print server. On the back of the printer, a cover plate for the Ethernet port card should be removeable. This would allow the printer to operate on the LAN. So I did this with my printer. The suitable Ethernet built-in print server I bought for about 12 €.

Alternatively, a USB print server with parallel port is also possible. But they are quite slow.

[jpg153]

Well,

the PCI card did not solve the problem as I could not get it working. The card was detected but loading a driver and modules failed persistently - which might be my inability as well.

So I switched back to the internal one with only "bi directional" as operating mode. But no difference.

I then decided to go back to the P2014 (sorry for confusing with model numbers) with the foo2zjs driver.

However CUPS was not able to detect the USB-connected printer until I disabled the internal printer port. After the restart CUPS immediately
found the printer and installation was as smooth as it should be.

So there is either a problem in CUPS regarding the detection of LPT connected devices or a Salix issue in properly activating the parport - unless I remain too stupid to get it right.

add: The Laserjet 6MP offers no option to insert a jet-direct network interface card or any other LAN solution..